Pesticide-related health impacts in Ecuador's banana industry illustrate the need to understand s... more Pesticide-related health impacts in Ecuador's banana industry illustrate the need to understand science's social production in the context of major North-South inequities. This paper explores colonialism's ongoing context-specific relationships to science, and what these imply for population health inquiry and praxis. Themes in postcolonial science and technology studies and critical Latin American scholarship guide this exploration, oriented around an ethnographic case study of bananas, pesticides and health in Ecuador. The challenge of explaining these impacts prompts us to explore discursive and contextual dynamics of pesticide toxicology and phytopathology, two disciplines integral to understanding pesticide-health linkages. The evolution of banana phytopathology reflects patterns of banana production and plant science in settings made accessible to scientists by European colonialism and American military interventions. Similarly, American foreign policy in Cold War-era Latin America created conditions for widespread pesticide exposures and accompanying health science research. Neocolonial representations of the global South interacted with these material realities in fostering generation of scientific knowledge. Implications for health praxis include troubling celebratory portrayals of global interconnectedness in the field of global health, motivating critical political economy and radical community based approaches in their place. Another implication is a challenge to conciliatory corporate engagement approaches in health research, given banana production's symbiosis of scientifically 'productive' military and corporate initiatives. Similarly, the origins and evolution of toxicology should promote humility and precautionary approaches in addressing environmental injustices such as pesticide toxicity, given the role of corporate actors in promoting systematic underestimation of risk to vulnerable populations. Perhaps most unsettlingly, the very structures and processes that drive health inequities in Ecuador's banana industry simultaneously shape production of knowledge about those inequities. Public health scholars should thus move beyond simply carrying out more, or better, studies, and pursue the structural changes needed to redress historical and ongoing injustices. 1. Main text In this paper, we explore the social production of science related to pesticide exposures in banana production on the Ecuadorian coast (la costa), and develop related implications for population health research and praxis. This exploration is motivated by our experiences carrying out research with banana farmers and workers over the past decade, in the face of colonialism's legacies, corporate power and the challenge of mobilizing multiple knowledge systems for environmental health equity. To trace such dynamics, we focus on the contextually-specific Latin American expressions of two sciences, pesticide toxicology and banana phytopathology (phytopathology is the study of plant disease). These two sciences emerged as crucial (albeit problematic) resources in a broader remit of scientific approaches deployed to understand pesticide toxicity in Ecuadorian banana production.
Current research has been described as inadequate to understand and manage complex social and eco... more Current research has been described as inadequate to understand and manage complex social and ecological influences of resource extraction on health. We conducted a scoping review of research on mining or oil & gas extraction and health, to identify patterns and gaps in existing scholarship. Journal articles, peer-reviewed books and book sections published 1995–2015 in English were included, including research on extraction and transport, but not processing, of resources. Based on titles and abstracts, we characterized documents by sector, affected population, health outcome, impact pathway, study objective, methodology and geographic focus. Of 2797 documents that met inclusion criteria, 85.6% focused on mining and 15.0% on oil & gas. The most common affected population was workers (67.9%), followed by surrounding communities (22.3%). The majority of documents (86.1%) characterized health impacts, while 11.4% described interventions. Methods were typically quantitative (84.0% vs. 4.7% qualitative) while impact pathways focused on direct toxic exposures (58.3% vs. 11.2% for ecosystem change and 3.8% for social determinants). Most sources (65.8%) focused on high income or upper-middle income countries. These patterns suggest a need for methodological pluralism, intervention-focused studies and attention to complex social-ecological system dynamics and neglected populations, especially in the global South.
Pesticide exposure in Ecuador's banana industry reflects political economic and ecological proces... more Pesticide exposure in Ecuador's banana industry reflects political economic and ecological processes that interact across scales to affect human health. We use this case study to illustrate opportunities for applying political ecology of health scholarship in the burgeoning field of global health. Drawing on an historical literature review and ethnographic data collected in Ecuador's El Oro province, we present three main areas where a political ecological approach can enrich global health scholarship: perceptive characterization of multi-scalar and ecologically entangled pathways to health outcomes; critical analysis of discursive dynamics such as competing scalar narratives; and appreciation of the environment-linked subjectivities and emotions of people experiencing globalized health impacts. Rapprochement between these fields may also provide political ecologists with access to valuable empirical data on health outcomes, venues for engaged scholarship, and opportunities to synthesize numerous insightful case studies and discern broader patterns. Resumen: La exposición a agroquímicos en la industria bananera del Ecuador evidencia procesos de ecología y economía política interactuando en diferentes escalas y que terminan afectando a la salud humana. Este estudio de caso ilustra como la ecología política de la salud puede aportar al creciente campo de la salud global. A partir de una revisión histórica de literatura y de datos etnográficos recopilados en la provincia de El Oro, Ecuador, presentamos tres áreas principales donde la perspectiva de ecología política puede enriquecer el campo de la salud global: caracterización perspicaz de trayectorias multi-escalares y ecológicamente relacionadas que afectan a la salud; valoración crítica de dinámicas discursivas tales como las narrativas escalares contrapuestas; y apreciación de subjetividades y emociones relacionadas con el ambiente entre personas que viven impactos de salud global. El acercamiento entre estos dos campos también puede proporcionar a los ecólogos políticos acceso a valiosos datos empíricos sobre salud, espacios para la praxis y oportunidades para sintetizar numerosos estudios de casos perspicaces para discernir patrones más amplios.
Political ecology pushes back against the apolitical and ahistorical ecologies frequently found i... more Political ecology pushes back against the apolitical and ahistorical ecologies frequently found in mainstream scientific accounts of nature and the environment, and has increasingly focused on how scientific knowledge is 'socially constructed.' In this article, we argue for political ecological engagement with the highly influential knowledge-to-action (KTA) movement in science about health and the environment. We introduce KTA using results of a survey conducted under the auspices of a Canada-Latin America-Caribbean 'ecosystem approaches to health' (ecohealth) collaboration, and then narrow our focus to a single illustrative ecohealth project, dealing with the health impacts of small-scale gold mining in southwestern Ecuador. We employ an ecology of knowledge framework for integrating insights from science and technology studies, illustrating the interacting actors, material artifacts, institutions and discourses involved in not only the generation but also the application of health-environment science. The origins of ecohealth research in the Americas reflect interacting epistemological and political factors, as sophisticated, complex systemic analyses of health-environment interactions occurred amidst increasing neoliberalization of knowledge production. Simultaneously, corporate actors such as large mining companies influenced both the distribution of health-damaging environmental conditions in the Americas, and the ways in which they were studied. This analysis motivates our advocacy of specifically political ecologies of health-environment knowledge, in which inequitable power dynamics and non-human actors are foregrounded in studies of the social production and application of science. The political ecology of knowledge framework that we envision would allow for simultaneous consideration of how societal contexts influence scientific knowledge production, and how the resulting knowledge can be better applied to protect the health of communities facing environmental injustice.
L'écologie politique remet en question las explications apolitiques et anhistoriques fréquemment rencontrées dans les compte-rendu scientifiques sur la nature et l'environnement et met de plus en plus l'accent sur la manière dont la connaissance scientifique est socialement construite. Dans cet article, nous soutenons la pertinence de l'écologie politique pour le mouvement « du savoir à l'action », très influent dans les sciences de la santé de l'environnement. Nous présentons la perspective « du savoir à l'action » en nous appuyant sur les résultats d'une enquête menée dans le cadre d'une collaboration Canada-Amérique latine et Caraïbes sur les approches écosystémiques à la santé (écosanté), pour ensuite concentrer notre attention sur un unique projet écosanté, qui porte sur les effets sur la santé de l'extraction de l'or à petite échelle dans le sud-ouest de l'Équateur. Nous employons un cadre conceptuel d'écologie de la connaissance pour intégrer les idées des études en science et technologie et illustrons les interactions entre les actrices et acteurs, les artefacts matériels, les institutions et les discours impliqués non seulement dans la génération, mais aussi dans la reproduction de la science en santé et environnement. Les origines de la recherche en écosanté dans les Amériques reflètent l'interaction entre des facteurs épistémologiques et politiques, tandis que les analyses systémiques complexes et sophistiquées des interactions entre santé et environnement se sont déroulées dans un climat croissant de néolibéralisation de la production de connaissances. En parallèle, les acteurs corporatifs telles les grandes sociétés minières ont influencé tout autant la répartition des conditions environnementales nuisibles à la santé dans les Amériques que la façon dont elles ont été étudiées. Cette analyse motive notre défense d'une écologie spécifiquement politique de l'application de la connaissance en santé et environnement, au sein de laquelle les dynamiques inégales de pouvoir et les facteurs non humains sont mis de l'avant dans les études sur la production et l'application sociales de la science. Un cadre de l'écologie politique de la connaissance, comme nous proposons, permettrait de tenir compte simultanément de la manière dont les contextes sociétaux influencent la production de connaissances scientifiques et de la manière dont ces connaissances peut être mieux appliqués pour protéger la santé des communautés face à l'injustice environnementale.
La ecología política desafía a las ecologías apolíticas y ahistóricas que se sitúan con frecuencia en los postulados científicos de la naturaleza y el medio ambiente, y se ha centrado cada vez más en cómo se construye socialmente el conocimiento científico. En este artículo abogamos por un compromiso de la ecología política con el influyente movimiento ."conocimiento para la acción" (KTA por sus siglas en inglés) en la ciencia sobre la salud y el medio ambiente. Presentamos el KTA usando los resultados de una encuesta realizada en el ámbito de una colaboración Canadá-América Latina y el Caribe de "enfoques ecosistémicos en salud" (ecosalud) y, a continuación, dirigimos nuestra atención sobre un proyecto ilustrativo de ecosalud que trata sobre los efectos en la salud y el ambiente por la minería del oro a pequeña escala en el suroeste de Ecuador. Empleamos un marco analítico de la ecología del conocimiento para integrar las percepciones derivadas de los estudios de ciencia y de tecnología, ilustrando los agentes que interactúan, los artefactos materiales y las instituciones y discursos involucrados no solo en la generación, sino también en la aplicación de la ciencia salud-ambiente. Los orígenes de la investigación en ecosalud en las Américas reflejan la Journal of Political Ecology Vol. 24, 2017 694 interacción de factores epistemológicos y políticos como sofisticados y complejos análisis sistémicos de las interacciones salud-ambiente ocurridas en medio de la creciente neoliberalización de la producción del conocimiento. Al mismo tiempo, agentes empresariales, tales como grandes empresas mineras, influyeron tanto en la alteración de las condiciones ambientales perjudiciales para la salud en las Américas como en la forma en que los impactos se estudiaron. Este análisis motiva nuestra defensa específica de la aplicación de las ecologías políticas del conocimiento salud-ambiente en aquellos casos en los cuales dinámicas de poder no equitativas y agentes no humanos son colocados en primer plano en los estudios de la producción social y en la aplicación de la ciencia. El marco de la ecología política del conocimiento que proponemos permite considerar simultáneamente cómo los contextos sociales influyen sobre la producción del conocimiento científico, y cómo el conocimiento resultante se puede aplicar de mejor manera para proteger la salud de las comunidades que enfrentan la injusticia ambiental.
A ecologia política desafia às ecologias apolíticas e ahistóricas que se situam frequentemente nos postulados científicos da natureza e do meio ambiente, e tem-se centrado cada vez mais em como o conhecimento científico é socialmente construído. Neste artigo defendemos o compromisso da ecologia política com o influente movimento ."conhecimento para a ação" (KTA, pelas suas siglas em inglês) na ciência sobre a saúde e o meio ambiente. Apresentamos o KTA usando os resultados de uma enquete realizada no âmbito de uma colaboração Canadá-América Latina e Caribe de ."enfoques ecossistêmicos em saúde" (ecosaúde) e, em seguida, colocamos nossa atenção em um projeto ilustrativo de ecosaúde que trata dos efeitos na saúde da mineração de ouro em pequena escala no sudeste do Equador. Usamos um marco analítico de ecologia do conhecimento para integrar as percepções que provém dos estudos de ciência e de tecnologia, ilustrando os agentes que interagem, os artefatos materiais e as instituições e discursos envolvidos não só na geração, senão também na aplicação da ciência saúde-ambiente. As origens da pesquisa em ecosaúde nas Américas refletem as interações de fatores epistemológicos e políticos como sofisticados e complexos análises sistémicos das interações saúde-ambiente que aconteceram no meio da crescente neoliberalização da produção do conhecimento. Ao mesmo tempo, agentes empresarias, tais como grandes empresas mineradoras, influíram tanto na alteração das condições ambientais prejudiciais para a saúde nas Américas quanto na forma em que os impactos se estudaram. Esta análise motiva nossa defesa específica da aplicação das ecologias politicas do conhecimento saúde-ambiente naqueles casos nos quais dinâmicas de poder não equitativas e agentes não humanos são colocados no primeiro plano nos estudos sobre a produção social e a aplicação da ciência. O marco da ecologia política do conhecimento permite considerar simultaneamente como os contextos sociais influenciam a produção do conhecimento científico, e como o conhecimento resultante pode ser melhor utilizado para proteger a saúde das comunidades que enfrentam a injustiça ambiental.
Canadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de sante publique, Jan 27, 2016
Funding options for global health research prominently include grants from corporations, as well ... more Funding options for global health research prominently include grants from corporations, as well as from foundations linked to specific corporations. While such funds can enable urgently-needed research and interventions, they can carry the risk of skewing health research priorities and exacerbating health inequities. With the objective of promoting critical reflection on potential corporate funding options for global health research, we propose a set of three questions developed through an open conference workshop and reflection on experiences of global health researchers and their institutions: 1) Does this funding allow me/us to retain control over research design, methodology and dissemination processes? 2) Does accessing this funding source involve altering my/our research agenda (i.e., what is the impact of this funding source on research priorities)? 3) What are the potential "unintended consequences" of accepting corporate funding, in terms of legitimizing corporat...
There has been growing policy interest in social justice issues related to both health and food. ... more There has been growing policy interest in social justice issues related to both health and food. We sought to understand the state of knowledge on relationships between health equity-i.e. health inequalities that are socially produced-and food systems, where the concepts of 'food security' and 'food sovereignty' are prominent. We undertook exploratory scoping and mapping stages of a 'meta-narrative synthesis' on pathways from global food systems to health equity outcomes. The review was oriented by a conceptual framework delineating eight pathways to health (in)equity through the food system: 1-Multi-Scalar Environmental, Social Context; 2-Occupational Exposures; 3-Environmental Change; 4-Traditional Livelihoods, Cultural Continuity; 5-Intake of Contaminants; 6-Nutrition; 7-Social Determinants of Health and 8-Political, Economic and Regulatory context. The terms 'food security' and 'food sovereignty' were, respectively, paired with a series of health equity-related terms. Combinations of health equity and food security (1414 citations) greatly outnumbered pairings with food sovereignty (18 citations). Prominent crosscutting themes that were observed included climate change, biotechnology, gender, racialization, indigeneity, poverty, citizenship and HIV as well as institutional barriers to reducing health inequities in the food system. The literature indicates that food sovereignty-based approaches to health in specific contexts, such as advancing healthy school food systems, promoting soil fertility, gender equity and nutrition, and addressing structural racism, can complement the longer-term socio-political restructuring processes that health equity requires. Our conceptual model offers a useful starting point for identifying interventions with strong potential to promote health equity. A research agenda to explore project-based interventions in the food system along these pathways can support the identification of ways to strengthen both food sovereignty and health equity. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs licence (http://creativecommons. org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial reproduction and distribution of the work, in any medium, provided the original work is not altered or transformed in any way, and that the work properly cited. For commercial re-use, Crosscutting themes in English-language literature on food security and health equity include climate change, biotechnology, gender, racialization, indigeneity, poverty, citizenship and HIV as well as institutional barriers to reducing health inequities in the food system.
The growth of the field of global health has prompted renewed interest in discursive aspects of N... more The growth of the field of global health has prompted renewed interest in discursive aspects of North-South biomedical encounters, but analysis of the role of disciplinary identities and writing conventions remains scarce. In this article, I examine ways of framing pesticide problems in 88 peer-reviewed epidemiology papers produced by Northerners and their collaborators studying pesticide-related health impacts in Latin America. I identify prominent geographic frames in which truncated and selective histories of Latin America are used to justify research projects in specific research sites, which nevertheless function rhetorically as generic 'developing country' settings. These frames legitimize health sector interventions as solutions to pesticide-related health problems, largely avoiding more politically charged possibilities. In contrast, some epidemiologists appear to be actively pushing the bounds of epidemiology's traditional journal article genre by engaging with considerations of political power, especially that of the international pesticide industry. I therefore employ a finer-grained analysis to a subsample of 20 papers to explore how the writing conventions of epidemiology interact with portrayals of poverty and pesticides in Latin America. Through analysis of a minor scientific controversy, authorial presence in epidemiology articles, and variance of framing strategies across genres, I show how the tension between 'objectivity' and 'advocacy' observed in Northern epidemiology and public health is expressed in North-South interaction. I end by discussing implications for postcolonial and socially engaged approaches to science and technology studies, as well as their relevance to the actual practice of global health research. In particular, the complicated interaction of the conflicted traditions of Northern epidemiology with Latin American settings on paper hints at a far more complex interaction in the form of public health programming involving researchers and research participants who differ by nationality, ethnicity, gender, profession, and class.
Over the last two decades, the science of climate change&... more Over the last two decades, the science of climate change's theoretical impacts on vector-borne disease has generated controversy related to its methodological validity and relevance to disease control policy. Critical social science analysis, drawing on science and technology studies and the sociology of social movements, demonstrates consistency between this controversy and the theory that climate change is serving as a collective action frame for some health researchers. Within this frame, vector-borne disease data are interpreted as a symptom of climate change, with the need for further interdisiplinary research put forth as the logical and necessary next step. Reaction to this tendency on the part of a handful of vector-borne disease specialists exhibits characteristics of academic boundary work aimed at preserving the integrity of existing disciplinary boundaries. Possible reasons for this conflict include the leadership role for health professionals and disciplines in the envisioned interdiscipline, and disagreements over the appropriate scale of interventions to control vector-borne diseases. Analysis of the competing frames in this controversy also allows identification of excluded voices and themes, such as international political economic explanations for the health problems in question. A logical conclusion of this analysis, therefore, is the need for critical reflection on environment and health research and policy to achieve integration with considerations of global health equity.
... D, Tawiah C, Rosato M, Some T and Morrison J (2009) Evidence-based policy-making: The implica... more ... D, Tawiah C, Rosato M, Some T and Morrison J (2009) Evidence-based policy-making: The implications of globally-applicable research for context-specific problem-solving in developing countries. ... Find more content: like this article. Find more content written by: Ben Brisbois. ...
Background Collective agreement about the importance of centering equity in health research, prac... more Background Collective agreement about the importance of centering equity in health research, practice, and policy is growing. Yet, responsibility for advancing equity is often situated as belonging to a vague group of 'others' , or delegated to the leadership of 'equity-seeking' or 'equity-deserving' groups who are tasked to lead systems transformation while simultaneously navigating the violence and harms of oppression within those same systems. Equity efforts also often overlook the breadth of equity scholarship. Harnessing the potential of current interests in advancing equity requires systematic, evidence-guided, theoretically rigorous ways for people to embrace their own agency and influence over the systems in which they are situated. ln this article, we introduce and describe the Systematic Equity Action-Analysis (SEA) Framework as a tool that translates equity scholarship and evidence into a structured process that leaders, teams, and communities can use to advance equity in their own settings. Methods This framework was derived through a dialogic, critically reflective and scholarly process of integrating methodological insights garnered over years of equity-centred research and practice. Each author, in a variety of ways, brought engaged equity perspectives to the dialogue, bringing practical and lived experience to conversation and writing. Our scholarly dialogue was grounded in critical and relational lenses, and involved synthesis of theory and practice from a broad range of applications and cases. Results The SEA Framework balances practices of agency, humility, critically reflective dialogue, and systems thinking. The framework guides users through four elements of analysis (worldview, coherence, potential, and accountability) to systematically interrogate how and where equity is integrated in a setting or object of actionanalysis. Because equity issues are present in virtually all aspects of society, the kinds of 'things' the framework could be applied to is only limited by the imagination of its users. It can inform retrospective or prospective work, by groups external to a policy or practice setting (e.g., using public documents to assess a research funding policy landscape); or internal to a system, policy, or practice setting (e.g., faculty engaging in a critically reflective examination of equity in the undergraduate program they deliver). Conclusions While not a panacea, this unique contribution to the science of health equity equips people to explicitly recognize and interrupt their own entanglements in the intersecting systems of oppression and injustice that produce and uphold inequities.
Background In 2008, Ecuador introduced Plan Nacional para el Buen Vivir (PNBV; National Plan for ... more Background In 2008, Ecuador introduced Plan Nacional para el Buen Vivir (PNBV; National Plan for Good Living), which was widely recognized as a promising example of Health in All Policies (HiAP) due to the integration of policy sectors on health and health equity objectives. PBNV was implemented through three successive plans (2009–2013, 2013–2017, 2017–2021). In a time of widening global health inequities, there is growing interest in understanding how politics and governance shape HiAP implementation. The objective of this study was to test specific hypotheses about how, why, to what extent, and under what circumstances HiAP was implemented in Ecuador. Methods An explanatory case study approach (HiAP Analysis using Realist Methods on International Case Studies—HARMONICS) was used to understand the processes that hindered or facilitated HiAP implementation. Realist methods and systems theory were employed to test hypotheses through analysis of empirical and grey literature, and 19 ...
TABLE O F CO N TE N TS Module Introduction 120 SECTION 1: Participation, Learning and Action Orie... more TABLE O F CO N TE N TS Module Introduction 120 SECTION 1: Participation, Learning and Action Orienting to different relationships and roles in research 126 SECTION 2: Appreciative Inquiry and Asset-based approaches to Participation and Research 134 SECTION 3: Critical perspectives and reflective practice 142 SECTION 4: Collaborating with Indigenous Communities and the Tradition of Circle Work 146 SECTION 5: Moving from Knowledge to Action: “so what?”, “ now what?” and the implications of research at different levels of the social-ecological system 154
Additional file 1: Supplementary Table 1. Overview of methods, authorship, clarity, and content o... more Additional file 1: Supplementary Table 1. Overview of methods, authorship, clarity, and content of included articles.
Many thanks to all who contributed to NOMAD: to those whose submissions follow, to those in layou... more Many thanks to all who contributed to NOMAD: to those whose submissions follow, to those in layout and editing and to members of the editorial board and the editorial collective. Enjoy your journey as you voyage through UnderCurrents' volume 14, NOMAD. g
Pesticide-related health impacts in Ecuador's banana industry illustrate the need to understand s... more Pesticide-related health impacts in Ecuador's banana industry illustrate the need to understand science's social production in the context of major North-South inequities. This paper explores colonialism's ongoing context-specific relationships to science, and what these imply for population health inquiry and praxis. Themes in postcolonial science and technology studies and critical Latin American scholarship guide this exploration, oriented around an ethnographic case study of bananas, pesticides and health in Ecuador. The challenge of explaining these impacts prompts us to explore discursive and contextual dynamics of pesticide toxicology and phytopathology, two disciplines integral to understanding pesticide-health linkages. The evolution of banana phytopathology reflects patterns of banana production and plant science in settings made accessible to scientists by European colonialism and American military interventions. Similarly, American foreign policy in Cold War-era Latin America created conditions for widespread pesticide exposures and accompanying health science research. Neocolonial representations of the global South interacted with these material realities in fostering generation of scientific knowledge. Implications for health praxis include troubling celebratory portrayals of global interconnectedness in the field of global health, motivating critical political economy and radical community based approaches in their place. Another implication is a challenge to conciliatory corporate engagement approaches in health research, given banana production's symbiosis of scientifically 'productive' military and corporate initiatives. Similarly, the origins and evolution of toxicology should promote humility and precautionary approaches in addressing environmental injustices such as pesticide toxicity, given the role of corporate actors in promoting systematic underestimation of risk to vulnerable populations. Perhaps most unsettlingly, the very structures and processes that drive health inequities in Ecuador's banana industry simultaneously shape production of knowledge about those inequities. Public health scholars should thus move beyond simply carrying out more, or better, studies, and pursue the structural changes needed to redress historical and ongoing injustices. 1. Main text In this paper, we explore the social production of science related to pesticide exposures in banana production on the Ecuadorian coast (la costa), and develop related implications for population health research and praxis. This exploration is motivated by our experiences carrying out research with banana farmers and workers over the past decade, in the face of colonialism's legacies, corporate power and the challenge of mobilizing multiple knowledge systems for environmental health equity. To trace such dynamics, we focus on the contextually-specific Latin American expressions of two sciences, pesticide toxicology and banana phytopathology (phytopathology is the study of plant disease). These two sciences emerged as crucial (albeit problematic) resources in a broader remit of scientific approaches deployed to understand pesticide toxicity in Ecuadorian banana production.
Current research has been described as inadequate to understand and manage complex social and eco... more Current research has been described as inadequate to understand and manage complex social and ecological influences of resource extraction on health. We conducted a scoping review of research on mining or oil & gas extraction and health, to identify patterns and gaps in existing scholarship. Journal articles, peer-reviewed books and book sections published 1995–2015 in English were included, including research on extraction and transport, but not processing, of resources. Based on titles and abstracts, we characterized documents by sector, affected population, health outcome, impact pathway, study objective, methodology and geographic focus. Of 2797 documents that met inclusion criteria, 85.6% focused on mining and 15.0% on oil & gas. The most common affected population was workers (67.9%), followed by surrounding communities (22.3%). The majority of documents (86.1%) characterized health impacts, while 11.4% described interventions. Methods were typically quantitative (84.0% vs. 4.7% qualitative) while impact pathways focused on direct toxic exposures (58.3% vs. 11.2% for ecosystem change and 3.8% for social determinants). Most sources (65.8%) focused on high income or upper-middle income countries. These patterns suggest a need for methodological pluralism, intervention-focused studies and attention to complex social-ecological system dynamics and neglected populations, especially in the global South.
Pesticide exposure in Ecuador's banana industry reflects political economic and ecological proces... more Pesticide exposure in Ecuador's banana industry reflects political economic and ecological processes that interact across scales to affect human health. We use this case study to illustrate opportunities for applying political ecology of health scholarship in the burgeoning field of global health. Drawing on an historical literature review and ethnographic data collected in Ecuador's El Oro province, we present three main areas where a political ecological approach can enrich global health scholarship: perceptive characterization of multi-scalar and ecologically entangled pathways to health outcomes; critical analysis of discursive dynamics such as competing scalar narratives; and appreciation of the environment-linked subjectivities and emotions of people experiencing globalized health impacts. Rapprochement between these fields may also provide political ecologists with access to valuable empirical data on health outcomes, venues for engaged scholarship, and opportunities to synthesize numerous insightful case studies and discern broader patterns. Resumen: La exposición a agroquímicos en la industria bananera del Ecuador evidencia procesos de ecología y economía política interactuando en diferentes escalas y que terminan afectando a la salud humana. Este estudio de caso ilustra como la ecología política de la salud puede aportar al creciente campo de la salud global. A partir de una revisión histórica de literatura y de datos etnográficos recopilados en la provincia de El Oro, Ecuador, presentamos tres áreas principales donde la perspectiva de ecología política puede enriquecer el campo de la salud global: caracterización perspicaz de trayectorias multi-escalares y ecológicamente relacionadas que afectan a la salud; valoración crítica de dinámicas discursivas tales como las narrativas escalares contrapuestas; y apreciación de subjetividades y emociones relacionadas con el ambiente entre personas que viven impactos de salud global. El acercamiento entre estos dos campos también puede proporcionar a los ecólogos políticos acceso a valiosos datos empíricos sobre salud, espacios para la praxis y oportunidades para sintetizar numerosos estudios de casos perspicaces para discernir patrones más amplios.
Political ecology pushes back against the apolitical and ahistorical ecologies frequently found i... more Political ecology pushes back against the apolitical and ahistorical ecologies frequently found in mainstream scientific accounts of nature and the environment, and has increasingly focused on how scientific knowledge is 'socially constructed.' In this article, we argue for political ecological engagement with the highly influential knowledge-to-action (KTA) movement in science about health and the environment. We introduce KTA using results of a survey conducted under the auspices of a Canada-Latin America-Caribbean 'ecosystem approaches to health' (ecohealth) collaboration, and then narrow our focus to a single illustrative ecohealth project, dealing with the health impacts of small-scale gold mining in southwestern Ecuador. We employ an ecology of knowledge framework for integrating insights from science and technology studies, illustrating the interacting actors, material artifacts, institutions and discourses involved in not only the generation but also the application of health-environment science. The origins of ecohealth research in the Americas reflect interacting epistemological and political factors, as sophisticated, complex systemic analyses of health-environment interactions occurred amidst increasing neoliberalization of knowledge production. Simultaneously, corporate actors such as large mining companies influenced both the distribution of health-damaging environmental conditions in the Americas, and the ways in which they were studied. This analysis motivates our advocacy of specifically political ecologies of health-environment knowledge, in which inequitable power dynamics and non-human actors are foregrounded in studies of the social production and application of science. The political ecology of knowledge framework that we envision would allow for simultaneous consideration of how societal contexts influence scientific knowledge production, and how the resulting knowledge can be better applied to protect the health of communities facing environmental injustice.
L'écologie politique remet en question las explications apolitiques et anhistoriques fréquemment rencontrées dans les compte-rendu scientifiques sur la nature et l'environnement et met de plus en plus l'accent sur la manière dont la connaissance scientifique est socialement construite. Dans cet article, nous soutenons la pertinence de l'écologie politique pour le mouvement « du savoir à l'action », très influent dans les sciences de la santé de l'environnement. Nous présentons la perspective « du savoir à l'action » en nous appuyant sur les résultats d'une enquête menée dans le cadre d'une collaboration Canada-Amérique latine et Caraïbes sur les approches écosystémiques à la santé (écosanté), pour ensuite concentrer notre attention sur un unique projet écosanté, qui porte sur les effets sur la santé de l'extraction de l'or à petite échelle dans le sud-ouest de l'Équateur. Nous employons un cadre conceptuel d'écologie de la connaissance pour intégrer les idées des études en science et technologie et illustrons les interactions entre les actrices et acteurs, les artefacts matériels, les institutions et les discours impliqués non seulement dans la génération, mais aussi dans la reproduction de la science en santé et environnement. Les origines de la recherche en écosanté dans les Amériques reflètent l'interaction entre des facteurs épistémologiques et politiques, tandis que les analyses systémiques complexes et sophistiquées des interactions entre santé et environnement se sont déroulées dans un climat croissant de néolibéralisation de la production de connaissances. En parallèle, les acteurs corporatifs telles les grandes sociétés minières ont influencé tout autant la répartition des conditions environnementales nuisibles à la santé dans les Amériques que la façon dont elles ont été étudiées. Cette analyse motive notre défense d'une écologie spécifiquement politique de l'application de la connaissance en santé et environnement, au sein de laquelle les dynamiques inégales de pouvoir et les facteurs non humains sont mis de l'avant dans les études sur la production et l'application sociales de la science. Un cadre de l'écologie politique de la connaissance, comme nous proposons, permettrait de tenir compte simultanément de la manière dont les contextes sociétaux influencent la production de connaissances scientifiques et de la manière dont ces connaissances peut être mieux appliqués pour protéger la santé des communautés face à l'injustice environnementale.
La ecología política desafía a las ecologías apolíticas y ahistóricas que se sitúan con frecuencia en los postulados científicos de la naturaleza y el medio ambiente, y se ha centrado cada vez más en cómo se construye socialmente el conocimiento científico. En este artículo abogamos por un compromiso de la ecología política con el influyente movimiento ."conocimiento para la acción" (KTA por sus siglas en inglés) en la ciencia sobre la salud y el medio ambiente. Presentamos el KTA usando los resultados de una encuesta realizada en el ámbito de una colaboración Canadá-América Latina y el Caribe de "enfoques ecosistémicos en salud" (ecosalud) y, a continuación, dirigimos nuestra atención sobre un proyecto ilustrativo de ecosalud que trata sobre los efectos en la salud y el ambiente por la minería del oro a pequeña escala en el suroeste de Ecuador. Empleamos un marco analítico de la ecología del conocimiento para integrar las percepciones derivadas de los estudios de ciencia y de tecnología, ilustrando los agentes que interactúan, los artefactos materiales y las instituciones y discursos involucrados no solo en la generación, sino también en la aplicación de la ciencia salud-ambiente. Los orígenes de la investigación en ecosalud en las Américas reflejan la Journal of Political Ecology Vol. 24, 2017 694 interacción de factores epistemológicos y políticos como sofisticados y complejos análisis sistémicos de las interacciones salud-ambiente ocurridas en medio de la creciente neoliberalización de la producción del conocimiento. Al mismo tiempo, agentes empresariales, tales como grandes empresas mineras, influyeron tanto en la alteración de las condiciones ambientales perjudiciales para la salud en las Américas como en la forma en que los impactos se estudiaron. Este análisis motiva nuestra defensa específica de la aplicación de las ecologías políticas del conocimiento salud-ambiente en aquellos casos en los cuales dinámicas de poder no equitativas y agentes no humanos son colocados en primer plano en los estudios de la producción social y en la aplicación de la ciencia. El marco de la ecología política del conocimiento que proponemos permite considerar simultáneamente cómo los contextos sociales influyen sobre la producción del conocimiento científico, y cómo el conocimiento resultante se puede aplicar de mejor manera para proteger la salud de las comunidades que enfrentan la injusticia ambiental.
A ecologia política desafia às ecologias apolíticas e ahistóricas que se situam frequentemente nos postulados científicos da natureza e do meio ambiente, e tem-se centrado cada vez mais em como o conhecimento científico é socialmente construído. Neste artigo defendemos o compromisso da ecologia política com o influente movimento ."conhecimento para a ação" (KTA, pelas suas siglas em inglês) na ciência sobre a saúde e o meio ambiente. Apresentamos o KTA usando os resultados de uma enquete realizada no âmbito de uma colaboração Canadá-América Latina e Caribe de ."enfoques ecossistêmicos em saúde" (ecosaúde) e, em seguida, colocamos nossa atenção em um projeto ilustrativo de ecosaúde que trata dos efeitos na saúde da mineração de ouro em pequena escala no sudeste do Equador. Usamos um marco analítico de ecologia do conhecimento para integrar as percepções que provém dos estudos de ciência e de tecnologia, ilustrando os agentes que interagem, os artefatos materiais e as instituições e discursos envolvidos não só na geração, senão também na aplicação da ciência saúde-ambiente. As origens da pesquisa em ecosaúde nas Américas refletem as interações de fatores epistemológicos e políticos como sofisticados e complexos análises sistémicos das interações saúde-ambiente que aconteceram no meio da crescente neoliberalização da produção do conhecimento. Ao mesmo tempo, agentes empresarias, tais como grandes empresas mineradoras, influíram tanto na alteração das condições ambientais prejudiciais para a saúde nas Américas quanto na forma em que os impactos se estudaram. Esta análise motiva nossa defesa específica da aplicação das ecologias politicas do conhecimento saúde-ambiente naqueles casos nos quais dinâmicas de poder não equitativas e agentes não humanos são colocados no primeiro plano nos estudos sobre a produção social e a aplicação da ciência. O marco da ecologia política do conhecimento permite considerar simultaneamente como os contextos sociais influenciam a produção do conhecimento científico, e como o conhecimento resultante pode ser melhor utilizado para proteger a saúde das comunidades que enfrentam a injustiça ambiental.
Canadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de sante publique, Jan 27, 2016
Funding options for global health research prominently include grants from corporations, as well ... more Funding options for global health research prominently include grants from corporations, as well as from foundations linked to specific corporations. While such funds can enable urgently-needed research and interventions, they can carry the risk of skewing health research priorities and exacerbating health inequities. With the objective of promoting critical reflection on potential corporate funding options for global health research, we propose a set of three questions developed through an open conference workshop and reflection on experiences of global health researchers and their institutions: 1) Does this funding allow me/us to retain control over research design, methodology and dissemination processes? 2) Does accessing this funding source involve altering my/our research agenda (i.e., what is the impact of this funding source on research priorities)? 3) What are the potential "unintended consequences" of accepting corporate funding, in terms of legitimizing corporat...
There has been growing policy interest in social justice issues related to both health and food. ... more There has been growing policy interest in social justice issues related to both health and food. We sought to understand the state of knowledge on relationships between health equity-i.e. health inequalities that are socially produced-and food systems, where the concepts of 'food security' and 'food sovereignty' are prominent. We undertook exploratory scoping and mapping stages of a 'meta-narrative synthesis' on pathways from global food systems to health equity outcomes. The review was oriented by a conceptual framework delineating eight pathways to health (in)equity through the food system: 1-Multi-Scalar Environmental, Social Context; 2-Occupational Exposures; 3-Environmental Change; 4-Traditional Livelihoods, Cultural Continuity; 5-Intake of Contaminants; 6-Nutrition; 7-Social Determinants of Health and 8-Political, Economic and Regulatory context. The terms 'food security' and 'food sovereignty' were, respectively, paired with a series of health equity-related terms. Combinations of health equity and food security (1414 citations) greatly outnumbered pairings with food sovereignty (18 citations). Prominent crosscutting themes that were observed included climate change, biotechnology, gender, racialization, indigeneity, poverty, citizenship and HIV as well as institutional barriers to reducing health inequities in the food system. The literature indicates that food sovereignty-based approaches to health in specific contexts, such as advancing healthy school food systems, promoting soil fertility, gender equity and nutrition, and addressing structural racism, can complement the longer-term socio-political restructuring processes that health equity requires. Our conceptual model offers a useful starting point for identifying interventions with strong potential to promote health equity. A research agenda to explore project-based interventions in the food system along these pathways can support the identification of ways to strengthen both food sovereignty and health equity. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs licence (http://creativecommons. org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial reproduction and distribution of the work, in any medium, provided the original work is not altered or transformed in any way, and that the work properly cited. For commercial re-use, Crosscutting themes in English-language literature on food security and health equity include climate change, biotechnology, gender, racialization, indigeneity, poverty, citizenship and HIV as well as institutional barriers to reducing health inequities in the food system.
The growth of the field of global health has prompted renewed interest in discursive aspects of N... more The growth of the field of global health has prompted renewed interest in discursive aspects of North-South biomedical encounters, but analysis of the role of disciplinary identities and writing conventions remains scarce. In this article, I examine ways of framing pesticide problems in 88 peer-reviewed epidemiology papers produced by Northerners and their collaborators studying pesticide-related health impacts in Latin America. I identify prominent geographic frames in which truncated and selective histories of Latin America are used to justify research projects in specific research sites, which nevertheless function rhetorically as generic 'developing country' settings. These frames legitimize health sector interventions as solutions to pesticide-related health problems, largely avoiding more politically charged possibilities. In contrast, some epidemiologists appear to be actively pushing the bounds of epidemiology's traditional journal article genre by engaging with considerations of political power, especially that of the international pesticide industry. I therefore employ a finer-grained analysis to a subsample of 20 papers to explore how the writing conventions of epidemiology interact with portrayals of poverty and pesticides in Latin America. Through analysis of a minor scientific controversy, authorial presence in epidemiology articles, and variance of framing strategies across genres, I show how the tension between 'objectivity' and 'advocacy' observed in Northern epidemiology and public health is expressed in North-South interaction. I end by discussing implications for postcolonial and socially engaged approaches to science and technology studies, as well as their relevance to the actual practice of global health research. In particular, the complicated interaction of the conflicted traditions of Northern epidemiology with Latin American settings on paper hints at a far more complex interaction in the form of public health programming involving researchers and research participants who differ by nationality, ethnicity, gender, profession, and class.
Over the last two decades, the science of climate change&... more Over the last two decades, the science of climate change's theoretical impacts on vector-borne disease has generated controversy related to its methodological validity and relevance to disease control policy. Critical social science analysis, drawing on science and technology studies and the sociology of social movements, demonstrates consistency between this controversy and the theory that climate change is serving as a collective action frame for some health researchers. Within this frame, vector-borne disease data are interpreted as a symptom of climate change, with the need for further interdisiplinary research put forth as the logical and necessary next step. Reaction to this tendency on the part of a handful of vector-borne disease specialists exhibits characteristics of academic boundary work aimed at preserving the integrity of existing disciplinary boundaries. Possible reasons for this conflict include the leadership role for health professionals and disciplines in the envisioned interdiscipline, and disagreements over the appropriate scale of interventions to control vector-borne diseases. Analysis of the competing frames in this controversy also allows identification of excluded voices and themes, such as international political economic explanations for the health problems in question. A logical conclusion of this analysis, therefore, is the need for critical reflection on environment and health research and policy to achieve integration with considerations of global health equity.
... D, Tawiah C, Rosato M, Some T and Morrison J (2009) Evidence-based policy-making: The implica... more ... D, Tawiah C, Rosato M, Some T and Morrison J (2009) Evidence-based policy-making: The implications of globally-applicable research for context-specific problem-solving in developing countries. ... Find more content: like this article. Find more content written by: Ben Brisbois. ...
Background Collective agreement about the importance of centering equity in health research, prac... more Background Collective agreement about the importance of centering equity in health research, practice, and policy is growing. Yet, responsibility for advancing equity is often situated as belonging to a vague group of 'others' , or delegated to the leadership of 'equity-seeking' or 'equity-deserving' groups who are tasked to lead systems transformation while simultaneously navigating the violence and harms of oppression within those same systems. Equity efforts also often overlook the breadth of equity scholarship. Harnessing the potential of current interests in advancing equity requires systematic, evidence-guided, theoretically rigorous ways for people to embrace their own agency and influence over the systems in which they are situated. ln this article, we introduce and describe the Systematic Equity Action-Analysis (SEA) Framework as a tool that translates equity scholarship and evidence into a structured process that leaders, teams, and communities can use to advance equity in their own settings. Methods This framework was derived through a dialogic, critically reflective and scholarly process of integrating methodological insights garnered over years of equity-centred research and practice. Each author, in a variety of ways, brought engaged equity perspectives to the dialogue, bringing practical and lived experience to conversation and writing. Our scholarly dialogue was grounded in critical and relational lenses, and involved synthesis of theory and practice from a broad range of applications and cases. Results The SEA Framework balances practices of agency, humility, critically reflective dialogue, and systems thinking. The framework guides users through four elements of analysis (worldview, coherence, potential, and accountability) to systematically interrogate how and where equity is integrated in a setting or object of actionanalysis. Because equity issues are present in virtually all aspects of society, the kinds of 'things' the framework could be applied to is only limited by the imagination of its users. It can inform retrospective or prospective work, by groups external to a policy or practice setting (e.g., using public documents to assess a research funding policy landscape); or internal to a system, policy, or practice setting (e.g., faculty engaging in a critically reflective examination of equity in the undergraduate program they deliver). Conclusions While not a panacea, this unique contribution to the science of health equity equips people to explicitly recognize and interrupt their own entanglements in the intersecting systems of oppression and injustice that produce and uphold inequities.
Background In 2008, Ecuador introduced Plan Nacional para el Buen Vivir (PNBV; National Plan for ... more Background In 2008, Ecuador introduced Plan Nacional para el Buen Vivir (PNBV; National Plan for Good Living), which was widely recognized as a promising example of Health in All Policies (HiAP) due to the integration of policy sectors on health and health equity objectives. PBNV was implemented through three successive plans (2009–2013, 2013–2017, 2017–2021). In a time of widening global health inequities, there is growing interest in understanding how politics and governance shape HiAP implementation. The objective of this study was to test specific hypotheses about how, why, to what extent, and under what circumstances HiAP was implemented in Ecuador. Methods An explanatory case study approach (HiAP Analysis using Realist Methods on International Case Studies—HARMONICS) was used to understand the processes that hindered or facilitated HiAP implementation. Realist methods and systems theory were employed to test hypotheses through analysis of empirical and grey literature, and 19 ...
TABLE O F CO N TE N TS Module Introduction 120 SECTION 1: Participation, Learning and Action Orie... more TABLE O F CO N TE N TS Module Introduction 120 SECTION 1: Participation, Learning and Action Orienting to different relationships and roles in research 126 SECTION 2: Appreciative Inquiry and Asset-based approaches to Participation and Research 134 SECTION 3: Critical perspectives and reflective practice 142 SECTION 4: Collaborating with Indigenous Communities and the Tradition of Circle Work 146 SECTION 5: Moving from Knowledge to Action: “so what?”, “ now what?” and the implications of research at different levels of the social-ecological system 154
Additional file 1: Supplementary Table 1. Overview of methods, authorship, clarity, and content o... more Additional file 1: Supplementary Table 1. Overview of methods, authorship, clarity, and content of included articles.
Many thanks to all who contributed to NOMAD: to those whose submissions follow, to those in layou... more Many thanks to all who contributed to NOMAD: to those whose submissions follow, to those in layout and editing and to members of the editorial board and the editorial collective. Enjoy your journey as you voyage through UnderCurrents' volume 14, NOMAD. g
Background Global health partnerships (GHPs) are situated in complex political and economic relat... more Background Global health partnerships (GHPs) are situated in complex political and economic relationships and involve partners with different needs and interests (e.g., government agencies, non-governmental organizations, corporations, universities, professional associations, philanthropic organizations and communities). As part of a mixed methods study designed to develop an equity-sensitive tool to support more equity-centred North-South GHPs, this critical interpretive synthesis examined reported assessments of GHPs. Results We examined 30 peer-reviewed articles for power dynamics, equity and inequities, and contradictions or challenges encountered in North-South partnerships. Among articles reviewed, authors most often situated GHPs around a topical focus on research, capacity-building, clinical, or health services issues, with the ‘work’ of the partnership aiming to foster skills or respond to community needs. The specific features of GHPs that were assessed varied widely, with...
As cities grow and thrive, urban populations have access to more resources and better health than... more As cities grow and thrive, urban populations have access to more resources and better health than has ever been the case in human history. However, at the same time, the material gaps between the haves and have-nots are also starker in cities, where large populations live in close proximity, than they are anywhere else. These social divides map onto health divides, creating health haves and health have-nots, thus threatening to create two classes of population in close geographic proximity. This chapter discusses the challenge of resource inequities in cities and how these inequities become health inequities.
Patterns of research on resource extraction's health effects display problematic gaps and und... more Patterns of research on resource extraction's health effects display problematic gaps and underlying assumptions, indicating a need to situate health knowledge production in the context of disciplinary, corporate and neocolonial influences and structures. This paper reports on a modified metanarrative synthesis of 'storylines' of research on resource extraction and health in the Canadian context. Peer-reviewed articles on mining or petroleum extraction and health published between 2000 and 2018 and dealing with Canadian populations or policies (n = 87) were identified through a systematic literature search. Coding identified main disciplinary traditions, methodologies and approaches for judging high-quality research. Underlying assumptions were analyzed in terms of models of health and well-being; resource extraction's political economic drivers; and representations of Indigenous peoples, territories and concerns. Findings included a preponderance of occupational and environmental health studies; frequent presentation of resource extraction without political economic antecedents, and as a major contributor to Canadian society; sustainable development aspirations to mitigate health impacts through voluntary private-sector governance activities; representations of Indigenous peoples and concerns ranging from complete absence to engagement with legacies of historical trauma and environmental dispossession; and indictment of corporate (especially asbestos industry) and government malfeasance in a subset of studies. Canada's world-leading mining sector, petroleum reserves and population health traditions, coupled with colonial legacies in both domestic and overseas mining and petroleum development, make these insights relevant to broader efforts for health equity in relation to resource extraction. They suggest a need for strengthened application of the precautionary principle in relation to resource extraction; nuanced attention to corporate influences on the production of health science; more profound challenges to dominant economic development models; and extension of well-intentioned efforts of researchers and policymakers working within flawed institutions.
Human-driven environmental change has brought attention to the importance of ecosystems in sustai... more Human-driven environmental change has brought attention to the importance of ecosystems in sustaining human health and well-being. There are various schools of thought and fields of inquiry and action that seek to understand health in relation to linked social and ecological phenomena. We
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2019
inVIVO Planetary Health (inVIVO) is a progressive scientific movement providing evidence, advocac... more inVIVO Planetary Health (inVIVO) is a progressive scientific movement providing evidence, advocacy, and inspiration to align the interests and vitality of people, place, and planet. Our goal is to transform personal and planetary health through awareness, attitudes, and actions, and a deeper understanding of how all systems are interconnected and interdependent. Here, we present the abstracts and proceedings of our 8th annual conference, held in Detroit, Michigan in May 2019, themed “From Challenges, to Opportunities”. Our far-ranging discussions addressed the complex interdependent ecological challenges of advancing global urbanization, including the biopsychosocial interactions in our living environment on physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing, together with the wider community and societal factors that govern these. We had a strong solutions focus, with diverse strategies spanning from urban-greening and renewal, nature-relatedness, nutritional ecology, planetary diets, and m...
Pesticide-related health impacts in Ecuador's banana industry illustrate the need to understa... more Pesticide-related health impacts in Ecuador's banana industry illustrate the need to understand science's social production in the context of major North-South inequities. This paper explores colonialism's ongoing context-specific relationships to science, and what these imply for population health inquiry and praxis. Themes in postcolonial science and technology studies and critical Latin American scholarship guide this exploration, oriented around an ethnographic case study of bananas, pesticides and health in Ecuador. The challenge of explaining these impacts prompts us to explore discursive and contextual dynamics of pesticide toxicology and phytopathology, two disciplines integral to understanding pesticide-health linkages. The evolution of banana phytopathology reflects patterns of banana production and plant science in settings made accessible to scientists by European colonialism and American military interventions. Similarly, American foreign policy in Cold War-era Latin America created conditions for widespread pesticide exposures and accompanying health science research. Neocolonial representations of the global South interacted with these material realities in fostering generation of scientific knowledge. Implications for health praxis include troubling celebratory portrayals of global interconnectedness in the field of global health, motivating critical political economy and radical community-based approaches in their place. Another implication is a challenge to conciliatory corporate engagement approaches in health research, given banana production's symbiosis of scientifically 'productive' military and corporate initiatives. Similarly, the origins and evolution of toxicology should promote humility and precautionary approaches in addressing environmental injustices such as pesticide toxicity, given the role of corporate actors in promoting systematic underestimation of risk to vulnerable populations. Perhaps most unsettlingly, the very structures and processes that drive health inequities in Ecuador's banana industry simultaneously shape production of knowledge about those inequities. Public health scholars should thus move beyond simply carrying out more, or better, studies, and pursue the structural changes needed to redress historical and ongoing injustices.
Political ecology pushes back against the apolitical and ahistorical ecologies frequently found i... more Political ecology pushes back against the apolitical and ahistorical ecologies frequently found in mainstream scientific accounts of nature and the environment, and has increasingly focused on how scientific knowledge is 'socially constructed.' In this article, we argue for political ecological engagement with the highly influential knowledge-to-action (KTA) movement in science about health and the environment. We introduce KTA using results of a survey conducted under the auspices of a Canada-Latin America-Caribbean 'ecosystem approaches to health' (ecohealth) collaboration, and then narrow our focus to a single illustrative ecohealth project, dealing with the health impacts of small-scale gold mining in southwestern Ecuador. We employ an ecology of knowledge framework for integrating insights from science and technology studies,illustrating the interacting actors, material artifacts, institutions and discourses involved in not only the generation but also the appli...
Abstract Current research has been described as inadequate to understand and manage complex socia... more Abstract Current research has been described as inadequate to understand and manage complex social and ecological influences of resource extraction on health. We conducted a scoping review of research on mining or oil & gas extraction and health, to identify patterns and gaps in existing scholarship. Journal articles, peer-reviewed books and book sections published 1995–2015 in English were included, including research on extraction and transport, but not processing, of resources. Based on titles and abstracts, we characterized documents by sector, affected population, health outcome, impact pathway, study objective, methodology and geographic focus. Of 2797 documents that met inclusion criteria, 85.6% focused on mining and 15.0% on oil & gas. The most common affected population was workers (67.9%), followed by surrounding communities (22.3%). The majority of documents (86.1%) characterized health impacts, while 11.4% described interventions. Methods were typically quantitative (84.0% vs. 4.7% qualitative) while impact pathways focused on direct toxic exposures (58.3% vs. 11.2% for ecosystem change and 3.8% for social determinants). Most sources (65.8%) focused on high income or upper-middle income countries. These patterns suggest a need for methodological pluralism, intervention-focused studies and attention to complex social-ecological system dynamics and neglected populations, especially in the global South.
Journal of epidemiology and community health, Jan 12, 2018
The impacts of global environmental change have precipitated numerous approaches that connect the... more The impacts of global environmental change have precipitated numerous approaches that connect the health of ecosystems, non-human organisms and humans. However, the proliferation of approaches can lead to confusion due to overlaps in terminology, ideas and foci. Recognising the need for clarity, this paper provides a guide to seven field developments in environmental public health research and practice: occupational and environmental health; political ecology of health; environmental justice; ecohealth; One Health; ecological public health; and planetary health. Field developments are defined in terms of their uniqueness from one another, are historically situated, and core texts or journals are highlighted. The paper ends by discussing some of the intersecting features across field developments, and considers opportunities created through such convergence. This field guide will be useful for those seeking to build a next generation of integrative research, policy, education and act...
NEW SOLUTIONS: A Journal of Environmental and Occupational Health Policy, 2021
Scholarship on the health impacts of resource extraction displays prominent gaps and apparent cor... more Scholarship on the health impacts of resource extraction displays prominent gaps and apparent corporate and neocolonial footprints that raise questions about how science is produced. We analyze production of knowledge, on the health impacts of mining, carried out in relation to the Canadian International Resources and Development Institute (CIRDI), a university-based organization with substantial extractive industry involvement and links to Canada’s mining-dominated foreign policy. We use a “political ecology of knowledge” framework to situate CIRDI in the context of neoliberal capitalism, neocolonial sustainable development discourses, and mining industry corporate social responsibility techniques. We then document the interactions of specific health disciplinary conventions and knowledges within CIRDI-related research and advocacy efforts involving a major Canadian global health organization. This analysis illustrates both accommodation and resistance to large-scale political econ...
Pesticide exposure in Ecuador's banana industry reflects political economic and ecological proces... more Pesticide exposure in Ecuador's banana industry reflects political economic and ecological processes that interact across scales to affect human health. We use this case study to illustrate opportunities for applying political ecology of health scholarship in the burgeoning field of global health. Drawing on an historical literature review and ethnographic data collected in Ecuador's El Oro province, we present three main areas where a political ecological approach can enrich global health scholarship: perceptive characterization of multi-scalar and ecologically entangled pathways to health outcomes; critical analysis of discursive dynamics such as competing scalar narratives; and appreciation of the environment-linked subjectivities and emotions of people experiencing globalized health impacts. Rapprochement between these fields may also provide political ecologists with access to valuable empirical data on health outcomes, venues for engaged scholarship, and opportunities to synthesize numerous insightful case studies and discern broader patterns.
Uploads
Journal articles by Ben Brisbois
11.2% for ecosystem change and 3.8% for social determinants). Most sources (65.8%) focused on high income or upper-middle income countries. These patterns suggest a need for methodological pluralism, intervention-focused studies and attention to complex social-ecological system dynamics and neglected populations, especially in the global South.
L'écologie politique remet en question las explications apolitiques et anhistoriques fréquemment rencontrées dans les compte-rendu scientifiques sur la nature et l'environnement et met de plus en plus l'accent sur la manière dont la connaissance scientifique est socialement construite. Dans cet article, nous soutenons la pertinence de l'écologie politique pour le mouvement « du savoir à l'action », très influent dans les sciences de la santé de l'environnement. Nous présentons la perspective « du savoir à l'action » en nous appuyant sur les résultats d'une enquête menée dans le cadre d'une collaboration Canada-Amérique latine et Caraïbes sur les approches écosystémiques à la santé (écosanté), pour ensuite concentrer notre attention sur un unique projet écosanté, qui porte sur les effets sur la santé de l'extraction de l'or à petite échelle dans le sud-ouest de l'Équateur. Nous employons un cadre conceptuel d'écologie de la connaissance pour intégrer les idées des études en science et technologie et illustrons les interactions entre les actrices et acteurs, les artefacts matériels, les institutions et les discours impliqués non seulement dans la génération, mais aussi dans la reproduction de la science en santé et environnement. Les origines de la recherche en écosanté dans les Amériques reflètent l'interaction entre des facteurs épistémologiques et politiques, tandis que les analyses systémiques complexes et sophistiquées des interactions entre santé et environnement se sont déroulées dans un climat croissant de néolibéralisation de la production de connaissances. En parallèle, les acteurs corporatifs telles les grandes sociétés minières ont influencé tout autant la répartition des conditions environnementales nuisibles à la santé dans les Amériques que la façon dont elles ont été étudiées. Cette analyse motive notre défense d'une écologie spécifiquement politique de l'application de la connaissance en santé et environnement, au sein de laquelle les dynamiques inégales de pouvoir et les facteurs non humains sont mis de l'avant dans les études sur la production et l'application sociales de la science. Un cadre de l'écologie politique de la connaissance, comme nous proposons, permettrait de tenir compte simultanément de la manière dont les contextes sociétaux influencent la production de connaissances scientifiques et de la manière dont ces connaissances peut être mieux appliqués pour protéger la santé des communautés face à l'injustice environnementale.
La ecología política desafía a las ecologías apolíticas y ahistóricas que se sitúan con frecuencia en los postulados científicos de la naturaleza y el medio ambiente, y se ha centrado cada vez más en cómo se construye socialmente el conocimiento científico. En este artículo abogamos por un compromiso de la ecología política con el influyente movimiento ."conocimiento para la acción" (KTA por sus siglas en inglés) en la ciencia sobre la salud y el medio ambiente. Presentamos el KTA usando los resultados de una encuesta realizada en el ámbito de una colaboración Canadá-América Latina y el Caribe de "enfoques ecosistémicos en salud" (ecosalud) y, a continuación, dirigimos nuestra atención sobre un proyecto ilustrativo de ecosalud que trata sobre los efectos en la salud y el ambiente por la minería del oro a pequeña escala en el suroeste de Ecuador. Empleamos un marco analítico de la ecología del conocimiento para integrar las percepciones derivadas de los estudios de ciencia y de tecnología, ilustrando los agentes que interactúan, los artefactos materiales y las instituciones y discursos involucrados no solo en la generación, sino también en la aplicación de la ciencia salud-ambiente. Los orígenes de la investigación en ecosalud en las Américas reflejan la Journal of Political Ecology Vol. 24, 2017 694
interacción de factores epistemológicos y políticos como sofisticados y complejos análisis sistémicos de las interacciones salud-ambiente ocurridas en medio de la creciente neoliberalización de la producción del conocimiento. Al mismo tiempo, agentes empresariales, tales como grandes empresas mineras, influyeron tanto en la alteración de las condiciones ambientales perjudiciales para la salud en las Américas como en la forma en que los impactos se estudiaron. Este análisis motiva nuestra defensa específica de la aplicación de las ecologías políticas del conocimiento salud-ambiente en aquellos casos en los cuales dinámicas de poder no equitativas y agentes no humanos son colocados en primer plano en los estudios de la producción social y en la aplicación de la ciencia. El marco de la ecología política del conocimiento que proponemos permite considerar simultáneamente cómo los contextos sociales influyen sobre la producción del conocimiento científico, y cómo el conocimiento resultante se puede aplicar de mejor manera para proteger la salud de las comunidades que enfrentan la injusticia ambiental.
A ecologia política desafia às ecologias apolíticas e ahistóricas que se situam frequentemente nos postulados científicos da natureza e do meio ambiente, e tem-se centrado cada vez mais em como o conhecimento científico é socialmente construído. Neste artigo defendemos o compromisso da ecologia política com o influente movimento ."conhecimento para a ação" (KTA, pelas suas siglas em inglês) na ciência sobre a saúde e o meio ambiente. Apresentamos o KTA usando os resultados de uma enquete realizada no âmbito de uma colaboração Canadá-América Latina e Caribe de ."enfoques ecossistêmicos em saúde" (ecosaúde) e, em seguida, colocamos nossa atenção em um projeto ilustrativo de ecosaúde que trata dos efeitos na saúde da mineração de ouro em pequena escala no sudeste do Equador. Usamos um marco analítico de ecologia do conhecimento para integrar as percepções que provém dos estudos de ciência e de tecnologia, ilustrando os agentes que interagem, os artefatos materiais e as instituições e discursos envolvidos não só na geração, senão também na aplicação da ciência saúde-ambiente. As origens da pesquisa em ecosaúde nas Américas refletem as interações de fatores epistemológicos e políticos como sofisticados e complexos análises sistémicos das interações saúde-ambiente que aconteceram no meio da crescente neoliberalização da produção do conhecimento. Ao mesmo tempo, agentes empresarias, tais como grandes empresas mineradoras, influíram tanto na alteração das condições ambientais prejudiciais para a saúde nas Américas quanto na forma em que os impactos se estudaram. Esta análise motiva nossa defesa específica da aplicação das ecologias politicas do conhecimento saúde-ambiente naqueles casos nos quais dinâmicas de poder não equitativas e agentes não humanos são colocados no primeiro plano nos estudos sobre a produção social e a aplicação da ciência. O marco da ecologia política do conhecimento permite considerar simultaneamente como os contextos sociais influenciam a produção do conhecimento científico, e como o conhecimento resultante pode ser melhor utilizado para proteger a saúde das comunidades que enfrentam a injustiça ambiental.
Papers by Ben Brisbois
11.2% for ecosystem change and 3.8% for social determinants). Most sources (65.8%) focused on high income or upper-middle income countries. These patterns suggest a need for methodological pluralism, intervention-focused studies and attention to complex social-ecological system dynamics and neglected populations, especially in the global South.
L'écologie politique remet en question las explications apolitiques et anhistoriques fréquemment rencontrées dans les compte-rendu scientifiques sur la nature et l'environnement et met de plus en plus l'accent sur la manière dont la connaissance scientifique est socialement construite. Dans cet article, nous soutenons la pertinence de l'écologie politique pour le mouvement « du savoir à l'action », très influent dans les sciences de la santé de l'environnement. Nous présentons la perspective « du savoir à l'action » en nous appuyant sur les résultats d'une enquête menée dans le cadre d'une collaboration Canada-Amérique latine et Caraïbes sur les approches écosystémiques à la santé (écosanté), pour ensuite concentrer notre attention sur un unique projet écosanté, qui porte sur les effets sur la santé de l'extraction de l'or à petite échelle dans le sud-ouest de l'Équateur. Nous employons un cadre conceptuel d'écologie de la connaissance pour intégrer les idées des études en science et technologie et illustrons les interactions entre les actrices et acteurs, les artefacts matériels, les institutions et les discours impliqués non seulement dans la génération, mais aussi dans la reproduction de la science en santé et environnement. Les origines de la recherche en écosanté dans les Amériques reflètent l'interaction entre des facteurs épistémologiques et politiques, tandis que les analyses systémiques complexes et sophistiquées des interactions entre santé et environnement se sont déroulées dans un climat croissant de néolibéralisation de la production de connaissances. En parallèle, les acteurs corporatifs telles les grandes sociétés minières ont influencé tout autant la répartition des conditions environnementales nuisibles à la santé dans les Amériques que la façon dont elles ont été étudiées. Cette analyse motive notre défense d'une écologie spécifiquement politique de l'application de la connaissance en santé et environnement, au sein de laquelle les dynamiques inégales de pouvoir et les facteurs non humains sont mis de l'avant dans les études sur la production et l'application sociales de la science. Un cadre de l'écologie politique de la connaissance, comme nous proposons, permettrait de tenir compte simultanément de la manière dont les contextes sociétaux influencent la production de connaissances scientifiques et de la manière dont ces connaissances peut être mieux appliqués pour protéger la santé des communautés face à l'injustice environnementale.
La ecología política desafía a las ecologías apolíticas y ahistóricas que se sitúan con frecuencia en los postulados científicos de la naturaleza y el medio ambiente, y se ha centrado cada vez más en cómo se construye socialmente el conocimiento científico. En este artículo abogamos por un compromiso de la ecología política con el influyente movimiento ."conocimiento para la acción" (KTA por sus siglas en inglés) en la ciencia sobre la salud y el medio ambiente. Presentamos el KTA usando los resultados de una encuesta realizada en el ámbito de una colaboración Canadá-América Latina y el Caribe de "enfoques ecosistémicos en salud" (ecosalud) y, a continuación, dirigimos nuestra atención sobre un proyecto ilustrativo de ecosalud que trata sobre los efectos en la salud y el ambiente por la minería del oro a pequeña escala en el suroeste de Ecuador. Empleamos un marco analítico de la ecología del conocimiento para integrar las percepciones derivadas de los estudios de ciencia y de tecnología, ilustrando los agentes que interactúan, los artefactos materiales y las instituciones y discursos involucrados no solo en la generación, sino también en la aplicación de la ciencia salud-ambiente. Los orígenes de la investigación en ecosalud en las Américas reflejan la Journal of Political Ecology Vol. 24, 2017 694
interacción de factores epistemológicos y políticos como sofisticados y complejos análisis sistémicos de las interacciones salud-ambiente ocurridas en medio de la creciente neoliberalización de la producción del conocimiento. Al mismo tiempo, agentes empresariales, tales como grandes empresas mineras, influyeron tanto en la alteración de las condiciones ambientales perjudiciales para la salud en las Américas como en la forma en que los impactos se estudiaron. Este análisis motiva nuestra defensa específica de la aplicación de las ecologías políticas del conocimiento salud-ambiente en aquellos casos en los cuales dinámicas de poder no equitativas y agentes no humanos son colocados en primer plano en los estudios de la producción social y en la aplicación de la ciencia. El marco de la ecología política del conocimiento que proponemos permite considerar simultáneamente cómo los contextos sociales influyen sobre la producción del conocimiento científico, y cómo el conocimiento resultante se puede aplicar de mejor manera para proteger la salud de las comunidades que enfrentan la injusticia ambiental.
A ecologia política desafia às ecologias apolíticas e ahistóricas que se situam frequentemente nos postulados científicos da natureza e do meio ambiente, e tem-se centrado cada vez mais em como o conhecimento científico é socialmente construído. Neste artigo defendemos o compromisso da ecologia política com o influente movimento ."conhecimento para a ação" (KTA, pelas suas siglas em inglês) na ciência sobre a saúde e o meio ambiente. Apresentamos o KTA usando os resultados de uma enquete realizada no âmbito de uma colaboração Canadá-América Latina e Caribe de ."enfoques ecossistêmicos em saúde" (ecosaúde) e, em seguida, colocamos nossa atenção em um projeto ilustrativo de ecosaúde que trata dos efeitos na saúde da mineração de ouro em pequena escala no sudeste do Equador. Usamos um marco analítico de ecologia do conhecimento para integrar as percepções que provém dos estudos de ciência e de tecnologia, ilustrando os agentes que interagem, os artefatos materiais e as instituições e discursos envolvidos não só na geração, senão também na aplicação da ciência saúde-ambiente. As origens da pesquisa em ecosaúde nas Américas refletem as interações de fatores epistemológicos e políticos como sofisticados e complexos análises sistémicos das interações saúde-ambiente que aconteceram no meio da crescente neoliberalização da produção do conhecimento. Ao mesmo tempo, agentes empresarias, tais como grandes empresas mineradoras, influíram tanto na alteração das condições ambientais prejudiciais para a saúde nas Américas quanto na forma em que os impactos se estudaram. Esta análise motiva nossa defesa específica da aplicação das ecologias politicas do conhecimento saúde-ambiente naqueles casos nos quais dinâmicas de poder não equitativas e agentes não humanos são colocados no primeiro plano nos estudos sobre a produção social e a aplicação da ciência. O marco da ecologia política do conhecimento permite considerar simultaneamente como os contextos sociais influenciam a produção do conhecimento científico, e como o conhecimento resultante pode ser melhor utilizado para proteger a saúde das comunidades que enfrentam a injustiça ambiental.