*Public Seminar Series HT 2023* Truth, Science Education and Vaccines
For a long time, it has been widely assumed by most people in authority that vaccines are unquestionably ‘a good thing’. Too often it has been presumed that those who hesitate about vaccines or reject them are either stupid or selfish. This approach fails for two reasons, first, on instrumental grounds – treating people as ill-informed or selfish is not particularly conducive to getting them to change their mind – and, secondly, because it is intrinsically disrespectful to people. COVID-19 and earlier reactions to vaccination health scares show how important high-quality education about vaccines is. I consider what the aims of teaching and communicating about vaccination should be, and at the lessons that controversies over vaccination have for school science education and for science communication more generally.
Date: 20 February 2023, 17:00 (Monday, 6th week, Hilary 2023)
Venue: 15 Norham Gardens, 15 Norham Gardens OX2 6PY
Venue Details: Department of Education
Speaker: Michael J Reiss (University College London)
Organising department: Department of Education
Organiser: Professor Sibel Erduran (University of Oxford)
Organiser contact email address: communications@education.ox.ac.uk
Host: Professor Sibel Erduran (University of Oxford)
Part of: Department of Education Public Seminar Series (Hilary Term 2023)
Booking required?: Not required
Booking url: https://www.education.ox.ac.uk/upcoming-events/public-lecture-series/
Booking email: communications@education.ox.ac.uk
Cost: Free
Audience: Public
Editors: Carolyn Fray, Heather Sherkunov