Public health pedagogy and technology as a mode of existence

Abstract

In this chapter, we use Bruno Latour's research on modes of existence to study a public health pedagogy, the Healthier. Happier. campaign, as a technological being. We approached this project with the question of why critical health research is seldom translated into practice by policy makers.Analysing Healthier. Happier. as a technological being drew our attention to the compositional logic of the campaign's existence. This conceptual apparatus provides access to the interpretive key with which to better understand the often opaque and taken-for-granted process of evidence-based practice in public health pedagogies like Healthier. Happier. Latour's work on modes of existence has helped us think about the campaign's existence in ways other theories have not. Ultimately, it has provided the language and thinking tools to consider the possibility of increased engagement with critical public health literature by campaign developers.