Doctoral thesis defense invitation
Final post of this open science fieldwork and laboratory notebook
This message formally invites attendance to the upcoming thesis defense and is designated as my final communication as a doctoral candidate, as well as my last email on this or any matter, unless correspondence is reinitiated from your side. It records that the work was conducted under sustained institutional and interpersonal harm, requests confirmation of attendance from those interested, and closes communication from my end as I recover from chronic pain and post traumatic stress disorder resulting from prolonged exposure to aggression.
Anyone wishing to attend is kindly asked to confirm by replying to this email: garcia.henning@health.int.eu.org. I also note that patterns of intimidation and complicity have persisted, with individuals acting in ways that undermine safety and accountability while remaining shielded from consequence, both in person and online. This context informs both the present communication and the substance of my work. The viva is scheduled to take place in early June, at a time to be confirmed, and is devoted to those whose voices are denied for the benefit and gain of those who silence them.
The work addresses communities disproportionately targeted by structural neglect and coercive practices, including individuals in conditions of social, economic, or health vulnerability, as well as groups historically exposed to brutal explotation, institutional disregard, or constrained access to care and representation in their own societies, and the World at large. The dissertation scratches the surface on the mechanisms of silencing, from the betrayal of care, examining how such populations are rendered marginal through overlapping mechanisms of exclusion, normalization of harm, and asymmetries of power that limit their capacity to refuse, report, or recover, and it advances concrete pathways forward through strengthened accountability, higher standards of practice, and evidence-based interventions designed to protect dignity, restore agency, and improve outcomes even in contexts marked by persistent brutality and deficient oversight.
This invitation reflects more than five years of work carried out under sustained exposure to aggression and severe forms of violence, shaped by normalized neglect and complicity in conditions of acute vulnerability. It documents how such impunity enables harm to persist without consequence, resulting in isolation, material and professional damage, and lasting effects, which the dissertation critically examines and addresses. The work also interrogates prevailing attribution practices that reduce complex harm to presumed biological causes without adequate verification, while ongoing aggression remains unaddressed. It examines how institutional arrangements can incentivize silencing, normalize abuse, and shift responsibility onto those affected, thereby entrenching marginalization and chronicity through labeling, coercive practices, and asymmetries of power that compromise autonomy, accountability, and care.
The final phase of fieldwork in Indonesia combined academic training with continued exposure to harm, both direct and indirect, underscoring the persistence of violence across contexts. The study examines how such patterns are reproduced within communities and institutions, often normalized and insufficiently addressed, and argues for clear legal accountability alongside preventive frameworks. It further reflects on how labeling, discourse, and historical legacies shape perceptions of individuals and collectives, sometimes justifying exclusion or coercion under flawed premises. The dissertation emphasizes the need for rigorous standards, ethical consistency, and evidence-based safeguards to prevent the normalization of harm, distinguishing clearly between legitimate biological conditions and damage produced through social and institutional practices, and advocating for systems oriented toward protection, dignity, and the capacity to thrive rather than endure.
Attendance is open upon confirmation. The work is framed by a commitment to contribute through open science, education, and a one health perspective, while acknowledging that positions of authority are at times misused, including within academic settings, to normalize harm and undermine responsibility. The dissertation calls for robust ethical foundations, accountable governance, and evidence-based practice across contexts, emphasizing that even subtle abuses of power can have decisive effects when individuals are vulnerable. It concludes by advocating for systems that prioritize protection, integrity, and collective progress, with science and education oriented toward dignity, transparency, and the capacity to thrive.
As a final note, this message also invites empirically grounded contributions to an open access edited volume on reprisals against individuals exposing systemic harm across health, science, academia, and governance. The volume and event focuses on documented forms of retaliation with strict evidentiary standards, and will publish under a diamond model with open peer review, followed by a free to attend dissemination conference in late 2027.