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Normal Island: COVID-19, Border Control, and Viral Nationalism in UK Public Health Discourse.
- Source :
- Sociological Research Online; Jun2023, Vol. 28 Issue 2, p596-606, 11p
- Publication Year :
- 2023
-
Abstract
- In this contribution, I present emergent analysis of a preoccupation with managing COVID-19 through border control, among non-Governmental public health actors and commentators. Through a reading of statements, tweets, and interviews from the 'Independent Sage' group – individually and collectively – I show how the language of border control, and of maintaining immunity within the national boundaries of the UK, has been a notable theme in the group's analysis. To theorize this emphasis, I draw comparison with the phenomenon of 'green nationalism', in which the urgency of climate action has been turned to overtly nationalistic ends; I sketch the outlines of what I call 'viral nationalism,' a political ecology that understands the pandemic as an event occurring differentially between nation states, and thus sees pandemic management as, inter alia, a work of involuntary detention at securitized borders. I conclude with some general remarks on the relationship between public health, immunity, and national feeling in the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- BORDER security
PUBLIC health
COVID-19
NATIONALISM
POLITICAL ecology
GREEN movement
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 13607804
- Volume :
- 28
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Sociological Research Online
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 164310311
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1177/13607804211049464