ImmunityImmunityRoberto Esposito and the Paradigm of Roberto Esposito and the Paradigm of

ImmunizationImmunization

BiopoliticsBiopoliticsBios = lifeBios = life

Biopolitics = the bringing together of Biopolitics = the bringing together of life and politicslife and politics

For Esposito, ‘no power exists external For Esposito, ‘no power exists external to life, just as life is never given outside to life, just as life is never given outside of relations to power. From this angle, of relations to power. From this angle, politics is nothing other than the politics is nothing other than the possibility or the instrument for possibility or the instrument for keeping life alive.’ (keeping life alive.’ (Bios,Bios, 46) 46)

ImmunityImmunityHobbes = Immunizing yourself fearfully against Hobbes = Immunizing yourself fearfully against othersothers

Rousseau = Immunizing yourself to protect your Rousseau = Immunizing yourself to protect your ‘liberties’‘liberties’

Immunizing in this context means ‘taking out of Immunizing in this context means ‘taking out of common’ and protecting oneself from what might be common’ and protecting oneself from what might be ‘common’: community, society, etc. But it also means ‘common’: community, society, etc. But it also means defending oneself from that which is deemed as defending oneself from that which is deemed as dangerous to what is immunized. dangerous to what is immunized.

By looking at the ‘restricted-policy’ document it By looking at the ‘restricted-policy’ document it becomes clear how the Coalition are aiming to becomes clear how the Coalition are aiming to perpetuate assumptions about fear and liberality. perpetuate assumptions about fear and liberality.

It also becomes clear how they directed by a It also becomes clear how they directed by a paradigm of immunization.paradigm of immunization.

Biopolitics and Biopolitics and ImmunityImmunity

As the realm of politics retracts from social life As the realm of politics retracts from social life (funding cuts to the welfare state in support of (funding cuts to the welfare state in support of ‘Big Society’ for example – or to comprehensive ‘Big Society’ for example – or to comprehensive schools in favour of academies), certain schools in favour of academies), certain immunities take over from others. immunities take over from others.

Individuals are no longer immunized against Individuals are no longer immunized against predatory private business interest - man is no predatory private business interest - man is no longer protected from economic wolves in longer protected from economic wolves in relation to basic necessities such as food, shelter, relation to basic necessities such as food, shelter, education and health (companies like Tesco, buy-education and health (companies like Tesco, buy-to-letters, and the privatization of healthcare are to-letters, and the privatization of healthcare are particularly interesting to consider here).particularly interesting to consider here).

As society immunizes itself against state As society immunizes itself against state intervention it becomes subject to other intervention it becomes subject to other ‘diseases’.‘diseases’.

ImmunityImmunityImmunity is complicit in community; for Immunity is complicit in community; for Esposito you cannot have one without the Esposito you cannot have one without the other. However, if the immunitary paradigm other. However, if the immunitary paradigm takes over, what it is protecting sometimes takes over, what it is protecting sometimes becomes rather difficult to determine.becomes rather difficult to determine.

Putting a microscope over the immunitary Putting a microscope over the immunitary paradigm allows us to see how it frequently paradigm allows us to see how it frequently breaks down liberal communal values in favour breaks down liberal communal values in favour of biological life and individual or group of biological life and individual or group specific liberties. ‘Human nature’ frequently specific liberties. ‘Human nature’ frequently plays a big part in deciding what to immunize plays a big part in deciding what to immunize against.against.

What is What is immunized immunized

against?against?The Nazis immunized themselves firstly against Jews, Gypsys, The Nazis immunized themselves firstly against Jews, Gypsys, homosexuals, the disabled and so on. But this immunisation was homosexuals, the disabled and so on. But this immunisation was also to include the non-German (or even non-Aryan as far as also to include the non-German (or even non-Aryan as far as eugenics was concerned) in general.eugenics was concerned) in general.

The Aryan race was theoretically to be immunized against all The Aryan race was theoretically to be immunized against all others.others.

Neo-liberal capitalism (or free market liberal democracy) Neo-liberal capitalism (or free market liberal democracy) immunises itself against state sector workers, single mothers, immunises itself against state sector workers, single mothers, the poor, the unemployed, the unemployable (including many the poor, the unemployed, the unemployable (including many disabled people), non-commercial enterprise, high taxation for disabled people), non-commercial enterprise, high taxation for the wealthy, and, in a general sense, anything that gets in the the wealthy, and, in a general sense, anything that gets in the way of making more money.way of making more money.

The individual is to be immunized against anything that would The individual is to be immunized against anything that would restrict its ability to gain capital (this is not the same as giving restrict its ability to gain capital (this is not the same as giving everyone equal opportunities to gain capital).everyone equal opportunities to gain capital).

Try to think what ‘competition’ immunizes itself againt.Try to think what ‘competition’ immunizes itself againt.

Immune Immune thoughts…thoughts…

Diplomatic immunity?Diplomatic immunity?

Problems of antibiotics?Problems of antibiotics?

How does this relate to rigidity, How does this relate to rigidity, plasticity and flexibility?plasticity and flexibility?

How does it relate to the supplement?How does it relate to the supplement?

Have a look at this: Have a look at this: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfrhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/dec/07/cutting-disabled-ill-ee/2011/dec/07/cutting-disabled-ill-people-benefitspeople-benefits

Essay Guidance‘Utilise the developments in sociobiology and philosophy featured in the module’s expansion of the nature/nurture debate in a critique of the assumptions made in the leaked ‘restricted-policy’ document’.

The document can be found here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/interactive/2011/sep/13/leaked-memo-women-coalition-government

Introduction

Identify the main assumptions of the document you aim to critique and briefly outline the theoretical perspectives you will use to do so. You will be aiming to apply at least three of the major concepts we have covered in the module (e.g. plasticity, the supplement, immunity, etc) to your critique. A focus on the ethical problems of the document in relation to the theory can also be outlined here.

First sectionCritique what might be broadly conceived as the ‘natural’ assumptions of the ‘restricted-policy’ document (e.g. that ‘fear’ is the basis of women’s concern with the government). You can be creative here, so if you feel anything implies an assumption then outline what that assumption might be and critique it.

Second sectionCritique what might be broadly conceived as the ‘nurture’ based assumptions of the ‘restricted-policy’ document (e.g. increasing the symbolic value of women within the system will change their perspective on the government). You can be creative here, so if you feel anything implies an assumption then outline what that assumption might be and critique it.

Third section and conclusion

Illustrate how you critiques of the natural and nurture based assumptions of the document relate to one another, particularly locating where they might either support one another or remain antithetical to one another. Conclude with a general statement on the scientific and ethical problems now faced by the document after undergoing critique.