On the verge between the scientific and the alternative : Swedish women’s claims about systemic side effects of the copper intrauterine device
Gunnarsson, Lena LU
and Wemrell, Maria
LU
(2023)
In Public Understanding of Science
32(2).
p.175-189
- Abstract
- The article intervenes in discussions on lay knowledge production about health in the Internet era, through the case of a group of women claiming that their use of copper intrauterine devices has led to systemic side effects. Based on online group interviews and written essays, we examine how women embracing these knowledge claims navigate various sources of information, focusing on the role of scientificity in these epistemic negotiations. The women were found to be involved in an active, scientifically oriented process of knowledge formation, which we refer to as a collective labour of scientific patchworking. Meanwhile, due to a perceived lack of scientifically based expertise on their condition, the women reported having little choice... (More)
- The article intervenes in discussions on lay knowledge production about health in the Internet era, through the case of a group of women claiming that their use of copper intrauterine devices has led to systemic side effects. Based on online group interviews and written essays, we examine how women embracing these knowledge claims navigate various sources of information, focusing on the role of scientificity in these epistemic negotiations. The women were found to be involved in an active, scientifically oriented process of knowledge formation, which we refer to as a collective labour of scientific patchworking. Meanwhile, due to a perceived lack of scientifically based expertise on their condition, the women reported having little choice but turn to resources with weaker scientific foothold. We argue that the tendency to portray these women's claims as unscientific simplifies the nature of lay knowledge production, potentially deepening divides between medical authorities and the public. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/9e233dfc-4fe4-4056-b59f-92ceaeb30c90
- author
- Gunnarsson, Lena
LU
and Wemrell, Maria
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2023
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- copper intrauterine device, epistemic democracy, health activism, social media, women’s health
- in
- Public Understanding of Science
- volume
- 32
- issue
- 2
- article number
- 9636625221107505
- pages
- 175 - 189
- publisher
- SAGE Publications
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85135146739
- pmid:35900002
- ISSN
- 0963-6625
- DOI
- 10.1177/09636625221107505
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 9e233dfc-4fe4-4056-b59f-92ceaeb30c90
- date added to LUP
- 2022-08-03 09:07:51
- date last changed
- 2024-06-13 18:08:24
@article{9e233dfc-4fe4-4056-b59f-92ceaeb30c90,
abstract = {{The article intervenes in discussions on lay knowledge production about health in the Internet era, through the case of a group of women claiming that their use of copper intrauterine devices has led to systemic side effects. Based on online group interviews and written essays, we examine how women embracing these knowledge claims navigate various sources of information, focusing on the role of scientificity in these epistemic negotiations. The women were found to be involved in an active, scientifically oriented process of knowledge formation, which we refer to as a collective labour of scientific patchworking. Meanwhile, due to a perceived lack of scientifically based expertise on their condition, the women reported having little choice but turn to resources with weaker scientific foothold. We argue that the tendency to portray these women's claims as unscientific simplifies the nature of lay knowledge production, potentially deepening divides between medical authorities and the public.}},
author = {{Gunnarsson, Lena and Wemrell, Maria}},
issn = {{0963-6625}},
keywords = {{copper intrauterine device; epistemic democracy; health activism; social media; women’s health}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{2}},
pages = {{175--189}},
publisher = {{SAGE Publications}},
series = {{Public Understanding of Science}},
title = {{On the verge between the scientific and the alternative : Swedish women’s claims about systemic side effects of the copper intrauterine device}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/09636625221107505}},
doi = {{10.1177/09636625221107505}},
volume = {{32}},
year = {{2023}},
}