Topics in Public and Ecosystem Health: Nataliya Shok
Post-COVID-19 models of pandemic preparedness: strategies and challenges
COVID-19 appeared in a more complex political context than previous XXI century outbreaks. Strategic competition and the vaccine race mindset undermined the global health emergency response. This created a serious global health security threat, revealing the need to analyze and reconsider the future of national foreign and global health policies.
The lecture explores emerging approaches and models of pandemic response and preparedness. It focuses on health policy cases from the US, Russia, China, and multilateral initiatives (for ex., WB/WHO FIF). COVID-19 and its aftermath showed that most countries see differently the core directions for strengthening national and global health systems. They still prioritize national health security over global health commitments.
The lecture will address the following questions: what sort of renewed response is needed? How will countries that are currently investing in their own public health reforms align these actions with their efforts in the global health arena? Shall we still rely on the old models in international relations or global health? If not, what COVID-19 lessons shall we learn? Do scholars need to conduct in-depth empirical research and develop new IR concepts and theories to inform global health, diplomacy and future pandemic responses and preparedness?
Topics that can be discussed beyond the lecture. Open Q&A for faculty and students.
How Russian war in Ukraine affected scholars, science, health, and education in Russia? Russian scholars-at-risk abroad – personal experiences.
Speaker: Nataliya Shok
Nataliya Shok is a Public Policy Fellow at the Wilson Center, Washington, DC focusing on research on health as an integral feature of modern geopolitics. She holds degrees in philosophy (M.A.), political science (Ph.D.) and history of medicine (Dr. Sci.).
As an academic professional with 10+ years of experience in education, research, and management in medical schools, Nataliya uses a transdisciplinary approach and systemic vision, combining analytical data from social sciences, policy analysis, history, bioethics, international relations, and strategic studies, to understand and advance health.
Her current research explores national policies on global health and foreign policy for health. Her work pays particular attention to post-COVID-19 models of pandemic response and preparedness for future global health crises in light global power competition.
