PhD candidate, University of Brasilia
Contributing Editor, Platypus, The CASTAC Blog
About Thais
Thais Valim is a scholar with a background in Social Sciences, having earned her degree from the University of Brasília, and further specialized with a Master's degree in Social Anthropology from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte. Currently, she is pursuing her PhD in Social Anthropology at the University of Brasília. Since 2016, she has been dedicated to researching the ramifications of the Zika epidemic in Recife/Brazil, with a specific focus on the experiences of children diagnosed with the Congenital Syndrome associated with Zika Virus infection. Her research also delves into the scientific practices surrounding this epidemic. Broadly, Valim is interested in exploring themes related to childhood, disability, health, and the intersection of science in these areas.
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Contributions to Platypus, The CASTAC Blog
View all of Thais's posts on Platypus, The CASTAC Blog.
“We had to rethink many, many things”: Reflexivity in Scientific Practices during the Zika Epidemic in Recife, Brazil
Luiza is a pediatrician and researcher specializing in infectious diseases who works at a teaching hospital in Recife, Brazil. Her daily routine involves treating children with congenital infectious syndromes, which can lead to various clinical conditions including microcephaly. However, in October 2015, an unprecedented situation unfolded. As she described during an interview with me, “That year, a new world entered my world.” She was referring to the surge in cases of microcephaly that puzzled Brazilian doctors and health authorities that year. In Recife, where the average number of microcephaly cases historically stood at nine cases per year, there were twelve cases registered in just one maternity ward within a month. (more…) (read more...)