In this presentation across disciplines, sociologist of medicine and gender Jennifer Reich (Ph.D.) and pediatric researcher Beth Tarini (M.D.) will talk about vaccination policy and newborn screening for genetic conditions as moments of negotiation between mothering, government, and medicine. Public health policies and research agendas rely on participation in both of these programs, but individuals may resist or opt out. How can we think about these conflicts through a feminist science studies perspective?

Jennifer Reich is Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Colorado Denver. Her research explores the intersections between the state and family. She is author of Fixing Families: Parents, Power, and the Child Welfare System (Routledge, 2005) and the forthcoming book, Calling the Shots: Why Parents Reject Vaccines (NYU, 2016). She co-edited Reproduction and Society: Interdisciplinary Readings (Routledge, 2014), and has authored numerous articles and book chapters that examine reproductive decision-making, welfare and charity provision, multi-racial families, children's views of the child welfare system, how parents decide to opt out of childhood vaccinations, and qualitative research methods.

Beth A. Tarini is Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the Child Health Evaluation & Research (CHEAR) Unit at the University of Michigan. Dr. Tarini’s research focuses on the communication process and the health outcomes associated with genetic testing in pediatrics. She is particularly interested in pediatric population-based screening programs, such as newborn screening. Through her research, Dr. Tarini seeks to optimize communication about genetic testing between parents and providers in an effort to maximize health and minimize harm.
She is a current member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Genetics.

Presented by IRWG's Feminist Science Studies program.