Necropolitics, power and meanings of the coronavirus pandemic: An anthropological approach

Abstract

The year 2020 was marked by the coronavirus pandemic. Brazil, a country particularly affected by the disease, is a terrible example on the world stage thanks to the high number of contaminated and dead people as a result of denialism and lack of programs and policies aimed at preventing and fighting the disease. This article, through literature analysis, media reports, and posts on the social media, aims to think through the Brazilian context by taking an anthropological perspective in face of the pandemic under two registers: the first is about the impact of government responses related to ideological issues based on necropolitics; the second concerns the fact that isolation and quarantine have had a major impact on society due to routine changes. Thus, the study seeks to analyze the symbolic meanings produced by the disease in relation to changes in habits and behaviors, especially with regard to the use of masks and practices for disinfecting environments and objects.