Health/Care Professions and Practices: Exploring Past, Present and Place

A free symposium for researchers, practitioners, students and community members. Join the Centre for Society, Health and Care Research for their 2026 symposium, exploring challenges and change in health and care professions and practices, from social, cultural, and historical perspectives. Featuring a keynote address by sociologist Dr Pia Vuolanto (Tampere University, Finland) on ‘Vaccine hesitancy and criticism of medicine’, the program showcases current CSHCR research on vaccine histories, public health, gender, power and participation, and the role of health/care professions in social change. Through presentations, discussion and interdisciplinary exchange, the event will consider how historical and social insights can inform more equitable, inclusive and responsive health and care systems. Researchers, practitioners, students and community members are warmly welcome. This one-day, in-person event is free to attend, with lunch and morning tea provided. Places are limited so register now. Schedule for the day: 9:30 Arrival 9:45 Welcome and introduction 9:50-11am Session one: Vaccines in social and historical perspective 11-11:30am Morning tea 11:30-12:45 Session two: Voices at the margins: gender, power, and participation 12:45-1:30 Lunch 1:30-2:45 Session three: Health/care professions and social change 2:45-3:15 Final discussion and close. The symposium will take place in X401, Level 4 NUSpace in the University of Newcastle's City Campus, corner of Auckland and Hunter St Newcastle.