Contested Epidemics: Policy Responses in Brazil and the US and What the BRICS Can Learn

Contested Epidemics: Policy Responses in Brazil and the US and What the BRICS Can Learn
Author: Eduardo J. Gomez
Publisher: ICP
Publication Year: 2014
 

About this Book

Contested Epidemics offers a comparative examination of health policy responses in Brazil and the United States, with a particular focus on epidemics such as tuberculosis, polio, HIV/AIDS, and obesity. Despite similarities in political and economic structures, the two countries have historically demonstrated very different approaches in managing epidemics and interacting with the international community. Eduardo Gomez investigates how Brazil was able, in some cases, to outpace the United States in developing effective public health responses.

The book uniquely combines international relations perspectives with domestic institutional theory, analyzing the roles of state structures, civil society, and bureaucratic innovation in shaping policy outcomes. Through in-depth case studies, it explores Brazil’s proactive and innovative strategies in epidemic prevention and treatment, and contrasts these with U.S. policy approaches that were often slower to respond due to social, political, and institutional constraints.

Gomez further examines lessons that emerging BRICS nations can draw from Brazil’s experience, offering insights into how countries with similar economic and political contexts might adapt Brazil’s institutional and policy innovations to improve epidemic response. The work contributes both theoretically and practically to the fields of global health, policy studies, and international development, highlighting the potential of cross-national learning for public health policy.

This book is particularly relevant for policymakers, global health professionals, academic scholars, and students interested in comparative health policy, epidemics, and international development.

Contents

• Introduction
• 20th Century Responses to Contested Epidemics in the United States and Brazil
• Contesting AIDS in the United States
• Contesting AIDS in Brazil
• Contesting Obesity in the United States
• Contesting Tuberculosis in Brazil
• Reforms in the BRICS and What They Can Learn from Brazil

Conclusion