Why is war just wallpaper to the public health project? Putting war on the public health agenda

Amy Hagopian

Professor Ermitus, School of Public Health, University of Washington

War is arguably the most significant driver of direct and indirect public health problems in the world, and yet it is systematically ignored, underfunded, unrecognized and ill-considered in the public health profession and its funding agencies. Those toiling in this tiny little corner of public health labor without recognition, robust funding, or solid academic positions. Those interested in problems caused by microbiomes or individual behavior get all the glamour. Nonetheless, war is arguably at the root of most of the world’s violent deaths, including a large proportion of domestic violence, homicide, suicide, mental illness, and a significant number of chronic, infectious and psychological health problems. Still, in the public health world—federal, state and local health agencies, as well as academia—war is mostly treated as background noise. In deviation from our obligation to prevent health harms, we seem content with just cleaning up after the endless bloody collective violence that generates so much misery.

BIO
Amy Hagopian, PhD, is professor emeritus in public health at the University of Washington. She conducts academic work on how the maldistribution of power and wealth undermines health. She taught a class on war and health for 9 years at UW, and led a team to measure war-related mortality in Iraq in 2011.

https://events.sfu.ca/event/43062-fhs-research-seminar

www.sfu.ca/fhs/news-events/events/seminar-series.html

Zoom link – https://sfu.zoom.us/j/83788289281?pwd=P6Gi7q3VutSiG64s3fOkxo2EC2IoFv.1