Paper short abstract:

We map international knowledge production on Chagas disease to understand how research is shaping (or coproducing) it and defining possible ways to address the social problem. We show how research on Chagas produces a “universal/purified” scientific problem while disregards the real use of knowledge.

Paper long abstract:

Chagas disease affects over ten million individuals in Latin America and a growing figure in developed countries (OMS 2012). While it has been classified as a "neglected tropical disease" lacking of safe treatment, Chagas biomedical research captures substantial funding from both developing and developed regions. Here we map knowledge production from various sources including 40,000 papers from WoS and SCIELO, data of European projects and interviews with their leaders in order to understand how scientific knowledge is shaping (or co-producing) the disease and therefore defining specific modes of addressing the problem.

Scientific knowledge has played a crucial role in defining Chagas both as a public and as a scientific problem. From the 70's on, molecular biology has become the main producer of knowledge on the disease through the study of its etiological agent (Trypanosoma cruzi) in a context of increasing support from global funding agencies. While holding a strong rhetoric of addressing a social issue, Chagas research represents a clear case of Applicable Knowledge Not-Applied: it meets international standards of excellence and visibility, but fails to address the social needs it was supposed to attend (Kreimer & Zabala 2007).

Using a framework that examines international scientific networks, funding structures, scientific production and their effects on local research agendas, we expand the evidence base gathering data that has not been, so far, analysed jointly. We aim to show the themes, sub-disciplines, approaches, and networks that dominate Chagas research and help in co-producing the disease as a "universal" (or "purified") scientific problem.