Deconstructing COVID Time

J Bioeth Inq. 2023 Dec;20(4):675-683. doi: 10.1007/s11673-023-10284-1. Epub 2023 Aug 25.

Abstract

This essay explores the problem of trust and truth in states of emergency. Drawing on Giorgio Agamben's theory of biopolitics and his objections to political managerialism I argue that the real problem exposed by the pandemic was not a lack of trust in authority but an unscientific and uncritical attachment to expertise.

Keywords: Agamben; Biopolitics; COVID-19; Critical bioethics; State of exception.

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • Humans