On pandemics, panics, and China.
The 2019 Novel Coronavirus is yet another new epidemic to appear on the scene this century. What accounts for their increasing frequency, and who decides if an epidemic is classed as a pandemic? More importantly, what governs that choice? The WHO and the whole intergovernmental management of health has 'securitised' these questions. Are they privileging the free flow of capital over public health? And what of China's draconian response and lockdown of Wuhan - is it effective? And who will bear the blame if things go wrong? Might Coronavirus become a threat to Xi Jingping and the Chinese regime?
Readings:
Guests' books:
Mark Honigsbaum: The Pandemic Century: One Hundred Years of Panic, Hysteria and Hubris
Lee Jones (& Shahar Hameiri): Governing Borderless Threats: Non-Traditional Security and the Politics of State Transformation
Running order:
UNLOCKED /328/ The New Scramble for Africa
Excerpt: /354/ Reading Club: Legitimacy (II)
/353/ Bunga Sells Out ft. Jason Myles
Excerpt: /352/ Cold War Marxism, East & West ft. Sean Sayers
Excerpt: /351/ Eating the Left’s Lunch? ft. Cecilia Lero & Tamás Gerőcs
Excerpt: /350/ Reading Club: Legitimacy (1)
/349/ The PMC & Their Politics ft. Dan Evans & Catherine Liu
Excerpt: /348/ Aufhebonus Bonus: June 2023
Excerpt: /347/ Feminists Touch Grass w/ Amber A’Lee Frost
Silvio Berlusconi: An Oral History
UNLOCKED: /87/ Berluscoming
Excerpt: /345/ Who Is The New Elite? ft. Matt Goodwin
/344/ Don’t Do The Work ft. Ben Hickman
Excerpt: /343/ Reading Club: Freedom (4)
Excerpt: /342/ Maybe Don’t Abolish the Family? w/ Amber A’Lee Frost
/340/ How to Grow a Backbone ft. Russell Jacoby
/339/ Erdogone? People vs Nation in Turkey ft. Alp Kayserilioglu
/338/ The Energy Theory of Everything ft. Matt Huber
/337/ Nigeria Rising Downwards ft. Sa’eed Husaini
Excerpt: /336/ Reading Club: Freedom (3)
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