The Turnstone: talking about vaccines #5
It’s time to go down the rabbit hole
Welcome to The Turnstone: talking about vaccines. This newsletter contains resources to help you have kind and non-judgemental conversations with people who are uncertain about, or opposed to, vaccination. You can sign up and have future newsletters emailed directly to you.
Today, I share resources to help you understand the world of conspiracy theorists and Covid-19 deniers, as well as ideas on how to have more constructive conversations.
Perhaps the hardest conversations to have about Covid-19 and vaccination are the ones with people who have gone down the conspiracy theory rabbit hole. Online, with strangers or people you barely know, it's debatable whether there's any point. But conspiracy theorists aren't just on social media - they are real people and could be among your family and friends. When it's someone you care about, then it's worth doing what you can. Here are resources to help you.
Articles from Siouxsie Wiles, illustrated by Toby Morris (average read 4 minutes, each with a 1 minute video)
These articles talk about misleading information - how to spot it, how to stop it and how to communicate with someone who has been drawn in.
The red flags of Covid misinformation | The Spinoff
Now let’s flatten the infodemic curve | The Spinoff
Bridging the gap with someone who’s been pulled in by disinformation | The Spinoff
Article from NZ Herald (5 minute read)
This article considers solutions for dealing with disinformation, both at a personal level and for society.
Jarrod Gilbert – Disinformation, conspiracy theories and the solutions – NZ Herald
Article from Lee McIntyre (8 minute read or 9 minute audio)
This article is from an American science philosopher and author who has written a book on communicating with science deniers. It is a great summary of his ideas.
‘How To Talk to COVID-19 Deniers’ (newsweek.com)
Q+A interview with Kate Hannah (9 minute video)
This interview talks about the “infodemic” of misleading information in a New Zealand context. Kate Hannah is from Te Pūhana Matatini (Centre of Research Excellence for Complex Systems)
The problem with misinformation in New Zealand | Q+A 2021
Interview with Lee McIntyre (14 minute video)
This interview covers the same material as the article and audio above, with more of a focus on Covid-19
From Climate Change Deniers To Flat-Earthers, How Do You Talk To People Who Deny Science?
In depth
What it's like inside the rabbit hole (20 minute read or 32 minute podcast)
This article explains how people become drawn into conspiracies and what it’s like in their social media groups.
Covid-19: Three weeks inside a rabbit hole of dangerous misinformation | Stuff.co.nz
Talk from Lee McIntyre (40 minute talk, with questions after)
A longer talk from Lee McIntyre, with more detail on science denial and what the evidence says.
Lee McIntyre How to Talk to a Science Denier - YouTube
Workshop on talking about vaccines
Sunday 26th September at 2pm-3.30 pm
I will be joined by three guests. I’ll be talking with:
Elspeth Frascatore, about the initiative “NZ Doctors Stand Up For Vaccination”
David Hood, about what we can learn from the data about New Zealand’s vaccination progress
David Wansbrough, about risk communication, vaccination and trust in government
If you have questions about how to talk about vaccines, please email me or post a comment, and I’ll try to address those in the workshop. We won’t be focusing on answering specific medical or vaccine questions though.
There is a limit to places for this workshop. I’ll be giving preference to those who subscribe to The Turnstone but will have room for some who have been following on social media as well.
If you are interested in joining the workshop, please contact me by clicking the button below.
