Innogen Scholars to tackle ‘The Global Health Challenge’

What do you get when a panel of leading social scientists come together to tackle ‘the global health challenge’?

Answer: Something that looks a lot like Innogen’s forthcoming panel at the British International Studies Association and International Studies Association Joint International Conference.


A panel of past and present Innogen scholars are set to present an interesting panel discussion at the BISA/ISA conference entitled “Diversity in the Discipline: Tension or Opportunity in Responding to Global Challenges” taking place in Edinburgh on 20 – 22 June.

The conference seeks to address new global challenges, how they are understood, and how they are analysed. As BISA and ISA describe, “The global financial crisis, continued concerns over terrorism, the projection of Western power into Iraq and Afghanistan, the growing significance of China and the emergence of the G20 states as major players, and political revolution in the Middle East, are amongst the challenges shaping contemporary international relations. Power is changing. Alliances are being reconfigured, and institutions are evolving. Security challenges are being articulated in a variety of areas including through technological change, health, natural disasters, and food scarcity.”

With its unique mix of scholars from different academic backgrounds studying innovation processes across the globe, Innogen is perfectly placed to address the conference theme. Their panel “The global health challenge: diverse perspectives on the regulation and promotion of health care innovation” will consider the political, economic and social impact of innovation and explore the roles of difference stakeholders: intergovernmental organisations, regulatory agencies, other regional and national bodies, the private sector, philanthropists, scientists and health care professionals.

The panellists will use case studies from both the South and North. Farah Huzair will trace vaccine development in the US, Canada and Europe, Julius Mugwagwa will focus on drug registration in Sub-Saharan Africa, Shawn Harmon and Dinar Kale will argue for regulation as a promoter of innovation based on their work on stem cell research in Argentina and medical devices in India, and Adéle Langlois will survey attitudes among African stakeholders towards the governance of human cloning as a pathway to development.  The panel will be chaired by Professor David Wield, Director of Innogen.