PhD defence N. (Natalia) Lozano Arévalo

Below is a brief summary about the dissertation:

This dissertation explores the politics of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for cervical cancer prevention and its potential to cause harm. Drawing on the experiences of girls and young women who fell ill after receiving the HPV vaccine Gardasil in El Carmen de Bolívar, Colombia, the study delves into the intersection between HPV vaccination and the body politics of development. Through ethnography, art-based methods, grounded theory, and discourse analysis, the dissertation shows empirically and analytically how individual and collective harm is part of the reality of Gardasil and emphasises the importance of a critical, reflective, and humble approach towards vaccination. The analysis highlights how materiality, affect, and ideology simultaneously inform political (in)action and the production of scientific knowledge and ignorance about HPV vaccination for cervical cancer prevention. Guided by the lens of charisma, it directs attention towards the allure and value attributed to HPV vaccines in Colombia and beyond.