Thesis advisor: Sarah Babb / Since 2000, the global health management approach of health systems strengthening (HSS) has gained support from many local and international stakeholders. This thesis investigates the diffusion of the HSS norm in the global health community and within two disease programs of malaria and tuberculosis. I show how strong support for HSS by the global health community has been overwhelmed by coercive pressure from resourcewielding funding and governance structures. Drawing on organizational theory, I argue that global health organizations and experts have engaged in strategic social reconstruction and avoidance tactics to rationalize hypocrisy towards the HSS norm. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2017. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Scholar of the College. / Discipline: International Studies.

Veganism (or following a PBD) is scientifically proven to be one of the possible answers to the environmental, ethical and health issues our society is currently facing. The documentary film What the Health advocates this claim and presents the tremendous impacts, meat and dairy production and consumption, have on our environment, our personal health and for the people living on our planet. The documentary’s attempt of persuading people to adopt a PBD remained unanswered and was the chosen case-study for this research on audience reception and media effects. The purpose of this research is to provide new empirical data on how the documentary film What the Health changes females’ and males’ perception of a PBD. Using a qualitative method of in-depth interviews, this study aimed to understand how the documentary film What the Health changes females’ and males’ perception of a PBD in times of the 21st century Vegan social movement. Using theoretical insights from the following theories: Framing theory, schema theory, social representation theory, social cognition theory and the concept of hegemonic masculinity, this study aimed to assess whether the documentary film What the Health contributed to perception changes among its audience. And whether gender differences were prominent.The findings of this study indicated perception changes of a PBD among its audience. Preconceptions of Veganism as a social trend or for ethical justifications were changed to understanding people’s individual motivations for attaining such a diet. Overall, no significant gender differences were detected. The social determinant of perceived restrictions within a social context were the most dominant factors of not transitioning to a PBD. Meat is undoubtedly an inherent and substantial part of people’s lives and restricting oneself from it is not perceived to be the answer to environmental, personal health and ethical issues. However, the audience was observed to admire Vegans for their discipline and strength.This study indicated that the documentary film What the Health might have an effect on its audience in the long term, which is proposed as future research respectively.