Navigating Trust, Journalism, and Health in the Age of Populism The Dengvaxia Vaccine Scandal in the Philippines

Preface

1. Navigating Trust and Legitimacy in the Age of Populism: Setting the Stage for the Dengvaxia Scandal

2. The Trust Cultures Framework: A Relational Politics of Legitimacy

3. Media, Morality, and the Staging of Legitimacy

4. Journalism’s Role in Trust Culture: Objectivity, Watchdog, and Affective Engagement

5. Parental Trust Culture and the Demand for Care

6. Rebuilding Trust: Care, Legitimacy, and Governance Beyond Populism

Learning to Be Held—Reflections on Trust, Relational Sovereignty, and the Emotional Life of Publics

Appendix A—Methodological Note

Appendix B—Researching as Becoming: A Reflexive Note on the PhD Journey

Appendix C—Resources for Teaching Using This Book

Index

Biography

Karl Patrick R. Mendoza is Associate Professor at the Department of Communication Research, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, and Assistant Professorial Lecturer at the Department of Sociology and Behavioral Sciences, De La Salle University. He earned his PhD from the University of Canterbury in 2023.

‘In a time of post-truth, it is necessary to understand how societies overcome epistemological, political and other divisions. In his study of a vaccine scandal in the Philippines, Mendoza provides a superb analysis about why trust is important for understanding post-truth and disinformation, and for studying why communication is essential to rebuilding relationships between governments, health experts, and the public.  The book is packed with valuable insights and grounded in solid theoretical foundations. It should be of interest to scholars across communication studies.’

Silvio Waisbord, Professor of Media and Public Affairs, School of Media and Public Affairs, George Washington University

‘In a time marked by epistemic uncertainty and surging populist sentiment, Navigating Trust offers a timely and incisive analysis of the Dengvaxia vaccine scandal, illuminating how relational trust, institutional legitimacy, and media dynamics shape public health responses—and offering critical insights for understanding democratic fragility.’

Sheila S. Coronel, Toni Stabile Professor of Professional Practice in Investigative Journalism Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia University

‘Navigating Trust offers a compelling account of the Dengvaxia vaccine controversy, illustrating how political resentment, media narratives, and institutional failures shaped public perception and state response. Rich in insight and empirically grounded, this book is essential reading for those interested in trust, governance, and the sociology of communication.’

Randolf S. David, Professor Emeritus of Sociology, University of the Philippines Diliman

‘A powerful and timely interrogation of public trust, Navigating Trust masterfully weaves political psychology, media critique, and care ethics to illuminate the moral ruptures of health governance in the Global South.’

Antonio P. Contreras, Professor of Environmental Science and Management, University of the Philippines Los Baños