Politics and Anthropology of Violence and Epidemics (PAVE)

Description

The Politics and Anthropology of Violence and Epidemics (PAVE) team are an anthropological led team including social scientists, political theorists, epidemiologists, and modellers.

The team is based at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine with collaborations at University of Oxford, Anthrologica and the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (University of Sierra Leone), Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre (SLURC), Centre for Applied Policy Research and Innovation Sierra Leone (CAPRI) (African collaborations).

Working in an innovative cross-disciplinary approach, the Centre addresses two public health problems: violence (structural and interpersonal) and epidemics (HIV, Ebola and COVID-19) and the intersections between them. Epidemics and experiences of violence tend to be studied as separate issues, leading to analytical blindspots on the intersections between them. Emphasis on individual behaviour or attitudes in outbreak response measures, for example, often obscures how histories of structural violence and conflict impact the ways in which nations, communities and individuals can respond to and prepare for epidemics. Similarly, patterns of disease transmission and the socio-economic effects of epidemic control interventions have significant implications for the incidence and nature of interpersonal and political violence.

The Centre’s work draws on debates in the anthropology of epidemics and humanitarian emergencies; social science perspectives on medical research; anthropology of violence within conceptual framing of the future (uncertainty, hope, destiny, anticipation) and of power (structure, agency, bio-citizenship). At the Centre, researchers argue for the importance of anthropological perspectives in interventions to reduce violence and in biomedical responses to epidemics (including clinical trials and medical humanitarian response). Members are at the forefront of debates on the importance of engaging with beneficiaries in the development and conduct of public health research.

The Centre aims to:

1. Understand the political, economic, social and historical conditions that lead to violence and epidemics, and the relationship between them, in specific contexts
2. Explore local narratives and experiences of violence and epidemics to inform public health interventions
3. Develop effective ways in which to engage with communities and publics around research, public health response and policy
4. Develop innovative and truly interdisciplinary approaches to produce holistic analyses of violence and epidemic dynamics and to contribute to developing practical solutions
5. Develop and build-on pre-existing technologies for collection and analysis of qualitative data in challenging settings

Offers funding

No, this infrastructure does not provide funding.

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University affiliation(s)

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Keppel St
London
WC1E 7HT