Bugs in the Blog:: immunitary moralism in Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR)

Nicholas Gerard Francis Brown; Sarah Joan Nettleton

doi:10.1057/s41285-017-0030-9

Bugs in the Blog: immunitary moralism in Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR)

Nicholas Gerard Francis Brown, Sarah Joan Nettleton

Sociology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This paper examines social theoretical literatures on immunity in the context of contemporary biopolitical debates about antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). An exploration of contributions to the online forum ‘Mumsnet’ about antibiotic use and AMR serves as an empirical anchorage to these literatures. Five themes emerge from these data: ‘temporal constraints and technological fixes’; ‘restorative bodies’; ‘spatial othering’; ‘moral accountabilities’ and ‘domestic immunitary environments’. We offer the concept ‘immunitary moralism’ to capture the way antibiotics prompt moral reflection on immunity, biopolitical citizenship, bodily integrity and communal probity. We reveal how the moral politics of blame and immunitary othering are present in online debates about AMR, and explore the way these registers resonate with writings in biopolitical philosophy on the ascendency of immunitary individualism and tensions between community and immunity (communitas and immunitas).

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1-21
Number of pages	21
Journal	Social Theory and Health
Early online date	25 Apr 2017
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1057/s41285-017-0030-9
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 25 Apr 2017

Bibliographical note

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2017. This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details.

Access to Document

10.1057/s41285-017-0030-9

Brown and Nettleton - Social Theory and Health (accepted March 2017)
© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2017. This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details.
Accepted author manuscript, 246 KB

CFH2a KIT - Architectures for a post antibiotic age: the codesign of an exhibition
Brown, N. (Principal investigator), Martin, D. (Co-investigator), Nettleton, S. (Co-investigator) & Buse, C. (Co-investigator)
1/09/18 → 30/09/19
Project: Other project › Other internal award
Pathways, Practices and Architectures: Containing Antimicrobial Resistance in the Cystic Fibrosis Clinic (PARC)
Brown, N. (Principal investigator), Buse, C. (Co-investigator), Martin, D. (Co-investigator) & Nettleton, S. (Co-investigator)
AHRC
29/01/18 → 28/01/20
Project: Research project (funded) › Research

Cite this

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title = "Bugs in the Blog:: immunitary moralism in Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR)",

abstract = "This paper examines social theoretical literatures on immunity in the context of contemporary biopolitical debates about antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). An exploration of contributions to the online forum {\textquoteleft}Mumsnet{\textquoteright} about antibiotic use and AMR serves as an empirical anchorage to these literatures. Five themes emerge from these data: {\textquoteleft}temporal constraints and technological fixes{\textquoteright}; {\textquoteleft}restorative bodies{\textquoteright}; {\textquoteleft}spatial othering{\textquoteright}; {\textquoteleft}moral accountabilities{\textquoteright} and {\textquoteleft}domestic immunitary environments{\textquoteright}. We offer the concept {\textquoteleft}immunitary moralism{\textquoteright} to capture the way antibiotics prompt moral reflection on immunity, biopolitical citizenship, bodily integrity and communal probity. We reveal how the moral politics of blame and immunitary othering are present in online debates about AMR, and explore the way these registers resonate with writings in biopolitical philosophy on the ascendency of immunitary individualism and tensions between community and immunity (communitas and immunitas). ",

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Bugs in the Blog: immunitary moralism in Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR)

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Access to Document

Projects

CFH2a KIT - Architectures for a post antibiotic age: the codesign of an exhibition

Pathways, Practices and Architectures: Containing Antimicrobial Resistance in the Cystic Fibrosis Clinic (PARC)

Cite this