Complicating The Narrative
Episodes
Purple Public Health episode—Beyond blame: understanding public health errors with Dr. Itai Bavli
20 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This is a Purple Public Health Project episode. Dr. Itai Bavli is a Research Associate and lecturer at the W. Maurice Young Centre for Applied Ethics ...
Higher spending, shorter lifespan with Dr. Jose Francisco Figueroa
17 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Why does the US spend more on healthcare than other high-income countries and still have lower life expectancy? Dr. Jose Francisco Figueroa is an Asso...
Curiosity and careful thinking about research can help change the world with Dr Maria Glymour
03 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This is a revisit of an episode originally published in September 2025. How can we capture complex social phenomena impacting health in research? Dr....
Aging safely and independently at home with Dr. Susy Stark
17 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How can we support people age safely and with dignity in their own homes? Dr. Susy Stark, is a Professor at the Washington University in St Louis Sc...
How much evidence is enough? Australia's digital protections with Dr. Kathryn Backholer
03 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How does research actually shape policy and when is evidence "good enough" to act on? In this episode, Salma Abdalla is joined by Dr Kathryn Backhol...
Introducing Purple Public Health Project with Dean Sandro Galea
20 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Does public health belong to people with a specific perspective, or is it—as the term implies—for the public at large? Today’s episode is diff...
The field formerly known as global health with Dr. Seye Abimbola
06 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In global health, evidence, authority, and distance are often deeply entangled. Dr. Seye Abimbola is Professor of Health Systems at the School of Pu...
A One Health approach to antimicrobial resistance with Dr. Sabiha Essack
23 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Will superbugs take over the world, as increasing media articles suggest? Dr. Sabiha Essack is Professor in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the Univers...
Prosecuting gender-based crimes through a public health lens with Kim Thuy Seelinger
09 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When the International Criminal Court prosecutes gender-based violence in conflict, what evidence do they need? And who gathers it? Kim Thuy Seelinger...
When 'shelter in place' means nothing: Rethinking global health with Sabina Faiz Rashid
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What is global health—and who gets to define it? For decades, the field has claimed universality while being shaped largely by specific institutio...
Health as a human right with Benjamin Mason Meier
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What do we mean when we say health is a human right? Dr. Benjamin Mason Meier is a Professor of Global Health Policy at the University of North Caroli...
What our digital lives reveal about health with Yulin Hswen
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What can Reddit, Instagram, and other digital platforms tell us about population health? Dr. Yulin Hswen, associate professor at the University of Cal...
Imagine doing better with Paul J Fleming
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if we could build our world from scratch—with health, justice, and thriving communities at its core? In his new book Imagine Doing Better: Why ...
Algorithms, attention, and trust: Rethinking health communication with Matthew Kreuter
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The techniques that make health messages more effective—personalization, customization, targeted delivery—are the same tools driving the spread of...
Uncertainty in epidemiology with Dr. Matthew A. Fox
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What is epidemiology and how do we ensure that research is done right in this field? Dr. Matthew A. Fox, Professor in the Departments of Epidemiology ...
Curiosity and careful thinking about research can help change the world with Dr Maria Glymour
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How can we capture complex social phenomena impacting health in research? Dr. Maria Glymour, Professor and Chair of the Department of Epidemiology at ...
Health diplomacy in an evolving global health landscape with Dr Anders Nördstrom
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this deeply challenging moment for global health and international relations, how do we navigate the public health challenges that transcend border...
Manufacturing Doubt: the commercial determinants of health with Dr Nason Maani
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do powerful industries shape what we believe about health risks—and what we don't? Dr. Nason Maani, Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Ine...
Rethinking Public Health with Dean Sandro Galea
21 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As public health faces mounting challenges, what does meaningful progress actually look like? This inaugural episode features Sandro Galea, Margaret C...