This book sheds new light on the political battle to define and construct obesity as a policy issue. Through a rich analysis of the debates in Australia and the UK, it develops a nuanced analysis of the competing narratives that actors rely on to make sense of and argue about this issue, and documents how and to what effect they draw on scientific evidence to support their accounts. The real 'war on obesity', it demonstrates, has always been over the meaning and nature of this public health crisis. This insightful work will interest scholars of interpretive policy studies, critical public health and science and technology studies.

Auteur
John Boswell is Lecturer in Politics at the University of Southampton, UK. He conducts research on democratic governance, health policy and interpretive research methodology.

Contenu
Chapter 1. Introducing the real 'war on obesity'.- Part I. Problem definition.- Chapter 2. Debating individual agency.- Chapter 3. Defining the scope.- Chapter 4. Disputing the problem.- Part II. Policy engagement.- Chapter 5. Representing knowledge.- Chapter 6. Claiming knowledge.- Chapter 7. Contesting knowledge.- Chapter 8. Transmitting knowledge.- Chapter 9. Conclusion.