COVID-19 and the genealogies of biopolitics: A pandemic history of the present

Abstract

In this paper we approach the COVID-19 pandemic through the genealogical analysis of biopolitics. We recognize two key discontinuities in the genealogy of biopolitics. First, we have the transformation of the ?old biological regime? and the emergence of the gaze as a technology of power/knowledge. This was essentially the epoch of the birth of biopolitics, and the period when life ?entered? the sphere of politics. We then note the emergent discontinuity in biopolitical technologies today, during the pandemic of COVID-19, as we are witness to the transformations of biopolitical measures on the global scale. We also recognize important lessons from the genealogy of biopolitics as a ?history of the present?. During just one historical epoch, biopolitics emerged as the power over life. That was the period of the so called ?epistemic break? and the emergence of life as the new dynamic force of productivity, power, trade, cities, urbanization, population, and capitalism. This is how the risk that was once the base of ?life function? instability became the central problem of biopolitics. It is the same concern of biopolitics today, but in completely novel social settings.

Bio-Politics and Calculative Technologies in COVID-19 Governance: Reflections From England

“…This paper examined how the government of England deployed calculative technologies to govern their citizens, particularly during the first wave of COVID-19. Foucauldian literature on COVID-19 in other countries, [5][6][7][8][9][10] and the general COVID-19 literature in the UK, 1-…”

“…Instead their works largely refer to broader governance technologies, such as a complex set of ‘liberal’ and/or ‘coercive’ technologies that are used to rationalise the political power of governments. 5 - 10 For instance, through the genealogical analysis of COVID-19 bio-politics, Marinković and Major 9 recognize first, the transformation of the old biological regime and the emergence of the ‘gaze’ as a technology of power/knowledge, and then the emergence of biopolitical power over life and the central problem of instability in a ‘new normalcy’ without explicit reference to specific calculative technologies. Applying a triad of concepts – sovereignty, governmentality, and post-liberalism analysis of a corona-imposed state of emergency in Estonia and Finland – Makarychev and Romashko 5 report how biopolitical anti-crisis management techniques are used to persuade people to sacrifice personal liberties for the sake of public safety.…”

“…Major9 recognize first, the transformation of the old biological regime and the emergence of the 'gaze' as a technology of power/knowledge, and then the emergence of biopolitical power over life and the central problem of instability in a 'new normalcy' without explicit reference to specific calculative technologies. Applying a triad of concepts -sovereignty, governmentality, and post-liberalism analysis of a corona-imposed state of emergency in Estonia and Finland -Makarychev and Romashko 5 report how biopolitical anti-crisis management techniques are used to persuade people to sacrifice personal liberties for the sake of public safety.…”

“…[5][6][7][8][9][10] For instance, through the genealogical analysis of COVID-19 bio-politics, Marinković and INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH POLICY AND MANAGEMENT (IJHPM) ONLINE ISSN: 2322-5939 JOURNAL HOMEPAGE: HTTPS://WWW.IJHPM.COM/ 5…”

Biopolitics of othering during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Furthermore, during the current pandemic of COVID-19, "some populists and autocrats have blamed minorities or migrants and other so-called outsiders, creating a link between the disease and specific population groups" (Bieber, 2020, p. 18). The ongoing pandemic has once again put to the test the patterns of social relations, but also unveiled the fragility of human bonds, and introduced "new forms of ignorance and exclusion" (Marinković and Major, 2020).…”