Alexandra Calzavara

My research interests lie at the intersection of sociology of science, feminist epistemology, and the philosophy of public health, with a focus on science communication. Drawing from my background in sociology and anthropology, I employ qualitative research methods in HPS, including discourse analysis, social network analysis, and case study research, to investigate how public health messaging shapes social identities and trust in science. A key aspect of this work explores how expertise is legitimized, how epistemic authority is expressed, and how tensions between intellectual and working-class perspectives influence public health discourse in Canada. For my doctoral research, which has been generously awarded the Vanier CGS, I am examining how moral language used in health communications throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has shaped Canadian identities and public receptivity to science-based policies. From a structural-Marxist lens, my project develops a novel theoretical framework called the "moral deficit model," which critiques the assumptions in public health communications that those hesitant to vaccinate suffer from a moral deficiency, rather than holding diverse values shaped by class, social position, and material conditions. By integrating philosophical analysis with qualitative methods, I aim to analyze the real-world impact of moralizing discourse on public trust and policy compliance during times of crisis. As an ongoing collaborator and trainee at the Institute for Pandemics at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, my position at the IHPST allows me to bring an interdisciplinary and critical perspective to current public health efforts. By analyzing how moralizing language shapes public trust and identity, I aim to enhance communication strategies for more effective and resilient public health responses.