Beyond ‘Infodemic

Complexity, Knowledge and Populism in Covid-19 Crisis Governance

Bibliographic Data

ID6451963
AuthorsMarko-Luka Zubčić (0000-0002-7637-2455, University of Rijeka, corresponding author), Gabriele Giacomini (0000-0001-8482-7643, University of Udine, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume39
Issue1
Pages56-76
Publication date2024-06-04
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueSocial Epistemology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0269-1728 • E-ISSN: 1464-5297
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/02691728.2024.2356528
OpenAlexW4399335223
LanguageEN
References cited53

The concept of the 'infodemic' has become a popular explanation for the rejection of anti-COVID-19 crisis governance measures. In this paper, we argue that infodemic is an inherent property of society under free institutions misused to pursue an epistemically vicious political epistemology. Furthermore, we provide an alternative account of political epistemology of COVID-19 governance and popular resistance to it. Namely, we argue that 1) pandemics represent a complex problem, and some level of resistance to governance which restricts liberties while informed by ongoing scientific and political learning processes is inevitable, and 2) the resistance is exacerbated by the history of technocratization of governance and the exclusionary socio-economic inequalities which condition political and epistemic deficiencies easily exploitable by the political entrepreneurs of right-wing populism, particularly under the conditions of social media which gamifies public discourse. Thus, we argue, the correct response to the cultures of rejection of anti-COVID-19 measures is to change the underlying political and economic conditions and not to limit speech or restrict franchise as the infodemic diagnosis suggests

2019-20 coronavirus outbreak · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Corporate governance · Economics · Management · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Populism · Positive economics · Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 · Sociology · Global Security and Public Health · Law · Medicine · Misinformation and Its Impacts · Populism, Right-Wing Movements · Virology

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