Dangers of Western Methods in Indigenous Research

 During my time teaching public health in Bhutan I became very aware that many of the supposedly value-free public health concepts I was teaching were dripping with western world views that were almost invisible to me.  Even our ideas of time and space in the west can undermine Indigenous world views.  I got to feeling that just exposing Indigenous students to these ideas was a kind of violence against their culture.  So when I saw the article by Roy suggesting that epidemiology and public health had many parrallels to Indigenous ways of seeing the world I felt compelled to question this - particularly when the author appeared to question Shawn Wilsons's writings, so I wrote this letter to the editor with Shawn Wilson.  Interested in thoughts???

Bath milk - cosmetic or bacteria-laden drink - Conversation piece

So the satirical tone of my article in The Conversation was a little too subtle and some folks thought it was actually an article about cosmetic safety, not food safety.... here

Tax Inspectors Without Borders may prevent next Ebola outbreak

While much of the focus has been on the public health and medical response to the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa, in terms of prevention we need to think beyond medical interventions such as new vaccines.  If we think about the broader determinants of health in society it may be that the work of Tax Inspectors Without Borders will lead the prevention of  Ebola outbreaks in the future - my article published in The Conversation today explores this idea.

Flutracking Launch Video - Tracking Flu Near You

Flutracking has launched again for 2014 - we made this short animated explainer video.  Invite all your friends to join Flutracking.net - takes just 10 seconds per week!

Rapping for Marriage Equality - Professor Macklemore

Something I recently put in the Newcastle Herald. The concert was great!  He has a huge heart!
This IS public health in Action.
If you haven't seen it already - watch the Same Love music video here and share it with your friends - it could really save lives.