Discussing Health Disinformation: Politicizing Pestilence | Discutindo a Desinformação em Saúde: Politizando a Pestilência
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How to Cite

Cabral, F. (2022). Discussing Health Disinformation: Politicizing Pestilence | Discutindo a Desinformação em Saúde: Politizando a Pestilência. Political Observer | Revista Portuguesa De Ciência Política (Portuguese Journal of Political Science), (17). https://doi.org/10.33167/2184-2078.RPCP2022.17/pp.157-171

Abstract

The COVID Pandemic refreshed the Global Society’s collective memory of just how vital Human Security is to its inner workings. However, it also opened a niche of action for Powers bent on sabotaging and domineering their rivals. In managing death and disease many hard to shed historical sensibilities come to light, making them into prime targets for Disinformation. By cross-referencing material on the evolution of the social perception of immunization we can pinpoint three specific fragilities in Western consciousness towards Pandemic Responses: Institutional Exceptionalism; Discrimination Enablement; and Parental Protectiveness. By focusing the aforementioned categories, a malicious actor can increase the unease within its target, revitalizing an ongoing Health Crisis and ultimately facilitate its subversion. Admittedly, the political roots of issues such as these has long since been reflected upon by Foucault in his essays on Biopolitics. These anxieties – spurred by our inherently Biological selves – are intrinsic, thus easily spilling into the domain of Civil Society and of its administration. Aaltola later expanded on the unseen political power of Pandemics and how it facilitates the hijacking of State Governance into predatory ritualistic behaviours.

https://doi.org/10.33167/2184-2078.RPCP2022.17/pp.157-171
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