From Nuclear Colonialism to Covid-19 Scepticism

Navigating Political Suffering in French Polynesia

Bibliographic Data

ID2175213
AuthorsClaudia Ledderucci (University of Turin, corresponding author)
Year2025
Volume26
Issue3
Pages1-18
Publication date2025-03-03
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCanberra Anthropology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0314-9099 • E-ISSN: 1740-9314
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14442213.2025.2462046
OpenAlexW4408115420
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited22

This article explores the intertwined legacies of colonialism and contemporary resistance to state-led health measures in Mā’ohi Nui/French Polynesia, focusing on vaccine scepticism during the COVID-19 pandemic. By examining local responses, the article demonstrates how historical grievances—particularly those related to nuclear testing and colonial violence—continue to shape political dynamics in the region. The refusal of the vaccine and the embrace of traditional medicine are framed as acts of dissent against the perceived colonial system and the weakness of the local government. Drawing on ethnographic examples, the article challenges the homogenisation of vaccine resistance in French media, highlighting the role of local cosmologies and nationalistic aspirations in shaping these movements. By contextualising these events within a broader decolonial framework, the article reveals how resistance to health mandates serves as both a rejection of external control and a reaffirmation of local autonomy. Ultimately, this study argues that health resistance in Mā’ohi Nui/French Polynesia is a continuation of long-standing struggles for sovereignty, illustrating how historical suffering, from colonial exploitation to nuclear testing, remains a critical factor in the politics of suffering and self-determination today.

2019-20 coronavirus outbreak · Archaeology · Colonialism · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Epistemology · Infectious disease (medical specialty · Outbreak · Pathology · Political science · Politics · Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 · Skepticism · History · Island Studies and Pacific Affairs · Law · Medicine · Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies · Philosophy · Vietnamese History and Culture Studies · Virology

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