Operationalizing the social in infectious diseases
How do social, political, and economic forces shape who becomes “vulnerable” during an infectious disease outbreak, and how can communities and researchers work together to address these inequities? In this dissertation, I explore these questions through a series of studies conducted across Europe, including research on COVID-19, HIV, and childhood vaccination in Ukraine. This dissertation shows that vulnerability is not a fixed category but a dynamic process shaped by history, policy, and power. Communities are not static groups but fluid networks that form and reform in response to crises. By examining how communities engage with health systems, and how health systems engage with them, this research highlights the crucial role of the social sciences in designing effective and equitable disease responses. Drawing from medical anthropology, sociology, and public health, I propose a framework for “vulnerability-informed community engagement,” emphasizing collaboration, trust-building, and participatory approaches. The studies demonstrate that understanding peoples’ lived experiences through qualitative and ethnographic research can reveal unseen barriers to care and foster interventions that truly reflect local realities. Ultimately, this work calls for social scientists, policymakers, and communities to work together in confronting infectious diseases – not only as medical problems but as deeply social ones. By operationalizing “the social,” this research offers new pathways for more inclusive, adaptive, and effective public health practice.