Research Interests
Dr Aechtner's research analyses science scepticism and science-religion discourse, with a focus on vaccine hesitancy, antievolutionism, scientism, mass persuasion, and public perceptions of science. He also has secondary research interests associated with religion in the African diaspora, Pentecostalism, and Global Christianity.
Current Research Project
Tom has been a Westpac Research Fellow and a UQ Foundation Research Excellence Award recipient on the project “Improving Vaccination Rates in Australia: Analysing Media, Religion and Policy.” This has involved researching Australian-specific sources of vaccine hesitancy, including media persuasion and religious concerns, while considering how to positively deliver vaccination information.
Tom developed AVAXX101, the world’s first massive open online course dedicated to responding to antivaccination claims and vaccine hesitancy. He also developed the UQVaccinationChoice website.
Aechtner, Thomas (2023). Antivaccination and vaccine hesitancy: A professional guide to foster trust and tackle misinformation. London, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003312550
Book Chapter: Better advocacy
Aechtner, Thomas (2023). Better advocacy. Antivaccination and Vaccine Hesitancy. (pp. 164-189) London: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003312550-6
Book Chapter: Questioning safety
Aechtner, Thomas (2023). Questioning safety. Antivaccination and Vaccine Hesitancy. (pp. 96-129) London: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003312550-4
(2020–2023) University of Birmingham
The Queensland Atlas of Religion
(2019–2023) ARC Linkage Projects
Religion and Vaccine Hesitancies in Australia: A Survey of Social Attitudes
(2019) UQ Foundation Research Excellence Awards
Darkness & Light: A Myth Analysis of Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada's Early Discourse on Science
Doctor Philosophy
Cohering Isaiah: A Relevance-theoretic perspective
(2023) Doctor Philosophy
An Investigation into the socio-cultural and/or religious influences on Young Earth Creationism in Queensland in the 1970s and early 1980s
Doctor Philosophy
Aechtner, Thomas (2023). Antivaccination and vaccine hesitancy: A professional guide to foster trust and tackle misinformation. London, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003312550
Media and science-religion conflict: mass persuasion in the evolution wars
Aechtner, Thomas (2020). Media and science-religion conflict: mass persuasion in the evolution wars. Abingdon, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9780429356544
Health, wealth, and power in an African diaspora church in Canada
Aechtner, Tom (2015). Health, wealth, and power in an African diaspora church in Canada. New York, NY, United States: Palgrave Macmillan. doi: 10.1057/9781137485496
Aechtner, Thomas (2023). Better advocacy. Antivaccination and Vaccine Hesitancy. (pp. 164-189) London: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003312550-6
Aechtner, Thomas (2023). Questioning safety. Antivaccination and Vaccine Hesitancy. (pp. 96-129) London: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003312550-4
Aechtner, Thomas (2023). Starting strong. Antivaccination and Vaccine Hesitancy. (pp. 130-163) London: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003312550-5
Aechtner, Thomas (2023). Suspicious hesitancy. Antivaccination and Vaccine Hesitancy. (pp. 66-95) London: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003312550-3
Understanding vaccination and antivaccination
Aechtner, Thomas (2023). Understanding vaccination and antivaccination. Antivaccination and Vaccine Hesitancy. (pp. 1-27) London: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003312550-1
Why do people have vaccine hesitancy?
Aechtner, Thomas (2023). Why do people have vaccine hesitancy?. Antivaccination and Vaccine Hesitancy. (pp. 28-65) London: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003312550-2
Aechtner, Thomas (2021). Science. Brill's Encyclopedia of Global Pentecostalism. (pp. 568-571) edited by Michael Wilkinson, Conny Au, Jörg Haustein and Todd M. Johnson . Leiden, Netherlands: Brill.
Teaching warfare: Conflict and complexity in contemporary university textbooks
Aechtner, Thomas H. (2019). Teaching warfare: Conflict and complexity in contemporary university textbooks. Rethinking History, Science, and Religion: An Exploration of Conflict and the Complexity Principle. (pp. 160-180) edited by Bernard Lightman. Pittsburgh, United States: University of Pittsburgh Press.
Aechtner, Thomas (2018). Social scientists. The Warfare between Science and Religion: The Idea That Wouldn’t Die. (pp. 302-323) edited by Jeff Hardin, Ronald L. Numbers and Ronald A. Binzley. Baltimore MD, United States: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Christianity and Science: A Messy Relationship Worth Studying
Aechtner, Tom (2014). Christianity and Science: A Messy Relationship Worth Studying. Christianity for the Curious: Why Study Christianity?. (pp. xx-xx) edited by Vaidya, Kishor. online: Curious Academic Publishing.
Aechtner, Thomas H. (2012). Standing at the crux: pentecostalism and identity formation in an African diaspora Christian community. Global Pentecostal movements: migration, mission, and public religion. (pp. 171-194) edited by Michael Wilkinson. Boston, United States: Brill.
Religion, trust, and vaccine hesitancy in Australia: an examination of two surveys
Aechtner, Thomas and Farr, Jeremy (2022). Religion, trust, and vaccine hesitancy in Australia: an examination of two surveys. Journal for the Academic Study of Religion, 35 (3), 218-244. doi: 10.1558/jasr.22476
Evolving religion-science perspectives of the Bhaktivedanta Institute and ISKCON
Zambon, Oliver and Aechtner, Thomas (2022). Evolving religion-science perspectives of the Bhaktivedanta Institute and ISKCON. Nova Religio, 25 (3), 57-86. doi: 10.1525/nr.2022.25.3.57
COVID-19 vaccine uptake: A précis of formative research findings about Queenslanders
Raciti, Maria, Brosnan, Kylie, Lagasca, Carmela, Gordon, Ross and Aechtner, Thomas (2022). COVID-19 vaccine uptake: A précis of formative research findings about Queenslanders. Australian Association of Social Marketing Viewpoint, 11 (1), 6-8.
Creationism with an Australian accent: Politics, schools, and global exportation
Aechtner, Thomas (2021). Creationism with an Australian accent: Politics, schools, and global exportation. Almagest, 12, 124-148. doi: 10.1484/j.almagest.5.125388
Aechtner, Thomas (2020). Distrust, danger, and confidence: a content analysis of the Australian Vaccination-Risks Network Blog. Public Understanding of Science, 30 (1), 963662520963258-35. doi: 10.1177/0963662520963258
Improving evolution advocacy: translating vaccine interventions to the evolution wars
Aechtner, Thomas (2020). Improving evolution advocacy: translating vaccine interventions to the evolution wars. Zygon, 55 (1), 27-51. doi: 10.1111/zygo.12577
Cues, values and conflict: reassessing evolution wars media persuasion
Aechtner, Thomas (2020). Cues, values and conflict: reassessing evolution wars media persuasion. Scientia et Fides, 8 (2), 249-284. doi: 10.12775/SETF.2020.021
Convergent antievolutionism and the Hare Krishnas
Aechtner, Thomas and Zambon, Oliver (2019). Convergent antievolutionism and the Hare Krishnas. Theology and Science, 17 (3), 292-296. doi: 10.1080/14746700.2019.1632516
Science and religion perspectives at St. John’s University of Tanzania (SJUT)
Aechtner, Thomas and Buchanan, Malcolm S. (2018). Science and religion perspectives at St. John’s University of Tanzania (SJUT). Journal of Contemporary Religion, 33 (2), 337-345. doi: 10.1080/13537903.2018.1469280
Vaishnavism, antievolutionism, and ambiguities: revisiting ISKCON's Darwin-skepticism
Zambon, Oliver and Aechtner, Thomas (2018). Vaishnavism, antievolutionism, and ambiguities: revisiting ISKCON's Darwin-skepticism. Zygon, 53 (1), 67-94. doi: 10.1111/zygo.12395
Terrorism in the evolution wars: mass media and human nature
Aechtner, Tom (2016). Terrorism in the evolution wars: mass media and human nature. Theology and Science, 14 (4), 495-517. doi: 10.1080/14746700.2016.1231983
Challenging the Darwin skeptics: examining proevolutionist media persuasion
Aechtner, Thomas (2016). Challenging the Darwin skeptics: examining proevolutionist media persuasion. Journal of Media and Religion, 15 (2), 78-99. doi: 10.1080/15348423.2016.1177346
Galileo still goes to jail: conflict model persistence within introductory anthropology materials
Aechtner, Thomas (2015). Galileo still goes to jail: conflict model persistence within introductory anthropology materials. Zygon, 50 (1), 209-226. doi: 10.1111/zygo.12149
Darwin-skeptic mass media: examining persuasion in the evolution wars
Aechtner, Thomas (2014). Darwin-skeptic mass media: examining persuasion in the evolution wars. Journal of Media and Religion, 13 (4), 187-207. doi: 10.1080/15348423.2014.971559
Aechtner, Thomas H (2011). Review of 'Science and the spirit: a Pentecostal engagement with the sciences' edited by James K. A. Smith and Amos Young. Canadian Journal of Pentecostal-Charismatic Christianity, 2 (1), 166-170..
Online in the evolution wars: an analysis of young earth creationist cyber-propaganda
Aechtner, Thomas H. (2010). Online in the evolution wars: an analysis of young earth creationist cyber-propaganda. Australian Religion Studies Review, 23 (3), 277-300. doi: 10.1558/arsr.v23i3.277
Review - God: the failed hypothesis: how science shows that God does not exist, by Victor J. Stenger
Aechtner, Thomas H (2010). Review - God: the failed hypothesis: how science shows that God does not exist, by Victor J. Stenger. Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture, 4 (3), 231-232. doi: 10.1558/jsrnc.v4i3.231
Aechtner, Thomas H (2009). Review of 'Saving Creation: Nature and Faith in the Life of Holmes Rolston III', by Christopher J. Preston. Theological Book Review, 21 (2), 62-63.
Vaccine deniers are a minority in Australia, but a successful rollout hinges on facts and honesty
Aechtner, Thomas (2021, 01 14). Vaccine deniers are a minority in Australia, but a successful rollout hinges on facts and honesty The Guardian
Aechtner, Thomas (2020). UQ Vaccination Choice. St Lucia, QLD Australia: University of Queenlsand.
(2020–2023) University of Birmingham
The Queensland Atlas of Religion
(2019–2023) ARC Linkage Projects
Religion and Vaccine Hesitancies in Australia: A Survey of Social Attitudes
(2019) UQ Foundation Research Excellence Awards
Improving Vaccination Rates in Australia: Analysing Media, Religion and Policy
(2018–2021) Westpac Foundation
Immunisation Hesitancies: Analysing Religion, Persuasion, and Anti-Vaccination Media in Australia
(2017) UQ Early Career Researcher
Evolution, Atheism, and Mass Persuasion: The Uses and Abuses of Biology in New Atheist Propaganda
(2012–2014) The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion
Darkness & Light: A Myth Analysis of Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada's Early Discourse on Science
Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Other advisors:
An Investigation into the socio-cultural and/or religious influences on Young Earth Creationism in Queensland in the 1970s and early 1980s
Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Other advisors:
Technologies of Presence: Practices of Mediation among Pentecostals in Queensland
Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Other advisors:
Islam and Queensland: assessing generational patterns
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
Cohering Isaiah: A Relevance-theoretic perspective
(2023) Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
A Mimetic Reading of Capital Punishment in the Pentateuch
(2020) Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
(2018) Master Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Measuring miracles in young-earth creationism
(2018) Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Other advisors:
The Origins of the "Conflict Thesis": Draper, White, and the Protestant Tradition
(2017) Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors: