Abstract
In light of recent outbreaks of diseases such as measles in Europe, policymakers and public health practitioners are seeking strategies to address anti-vaccination attitudes and to increase immunization rates. Identifying effective strategies that will not further alienate vaccination sceptics raises challenges that go to the heart of relations between the state and society. Drawing on accounts of state–society relations, this article discusses how the problem of vaccination hesitancy might be explained from a political science perspective. Discourse-analytical approaches emphasize the importance of storylines, politics and social context in explaining a range of phenomena. Given the number and strength of prevailing discourses in groups with anti-vaccination sentiments, the literature on discourse coalitions can offer perspectives on the challenges that arise in designing strategies to address vaccine hesitancy. Paying closer attention to individual reasons why parents are vaccine hesitant might allow for designing strategies that are more suited to address concerns. However, given the pervasiveness of the discourses of anti-vaccination movements, challenges in reaching citizens who are sceptical of vaccines will remain.
Highlights
Theories and research on state–society relations seek to analyze the political patterns and behaviours that emerge from interactions between state entities and societal groups
One of these issues is a concern over decreasing vaccination rates and increasing vaccination hesitancy, which this paper explores as a case study in state–society relations
The heterogeneity of vaccination sceptics is distinct from the heterogeneity of the public health community in one important respect: regardless of the ontological lens one employs, it is difficult to argue that current anti-vaccination groupings are perceived by policymakers and the public health community as anything other than a societal force that needs to be contained
Summary
Theories and research on state–society relations seek to analyze the political patterns and behaviours that emerge from interactions between state entities and societal groups. Work on state–society relations ranges from studies on the influence of interest groups on policymaking to the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society on political processes in Africa and Asia.[1] It offers a lens for understanding a range of complex issues, including issues faced by public health practitioners and policymakers. One of these issues is a concern over decreasing vaccination rates and increasing vaccination hesitancy, which this paper explores as a case study in state–society relations. The way the narratives around issues are constructed, are an influential variable as they can be largely resistant to the presentation of facts and evidence
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