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:
Excerpt: /311/ Reading Club: The Precariat
Excerpt: /310/ Do You Want to De-Grow?
/309/ Sack of Potatoes ft. Anton Jäger
Excerpt: /308/ A Balance-Sheet of the Left
Excerpt: /307/ Aufhebonus Bonus (Dec 2022)
Excerpt: /306/ Reading Club: AI Capitalism
/305/ Techno-Feudal Unreason
/303/ The Failure of the French Forever War ft. Yvan Guichaoua
OK BUNGER! The Problem of Generations (FULL)
Excerpt: /302/ Aufhebonus Bonus (Nov 2022)
Excerpt: /301/ Reading Club: Neo-Feudalism
/300/ Bunga at the End of the World
/299/ Micropower & Transcendence in Brazil (Bungazão 2022) ft. Miguel Lago
/298/ Working For Freedom ft. Alex Gourevitch
/297/ Bungazão 2022 (Clean & Godly) ft. Benjamin Fogel
Excerpt: /296/ Last-Gasp Neoliberalism (Trussonomics)
Excerpt: /295/ Aufhebonus Bonus: October
Excerpt: /294/ Reading Club: Conspiracy Theory
Excerpt: /293/ Goodbye 20th Century (RIP Gorby)
/292/ Bungazão 2022: Unrealistic Pragmatism, ft. Unbridled Possibility Collective
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