With WHO declaring H1N1 a pandemic international travels in the last two weeks has been, if anything, an ethnographic experience (which of course begs the question of what isn't an ethnographic experience, but methodological/existential quandaries aside...). Flying into Tokyo last week meant extensive quarantine paperwork, having fully biohazard suited people come on board to check on anyone with symptoms, and heat detection monitoring.
Biopolitics at the borders? State of exception?
Ironically, my travels to India today (post-pandemic declaration) have made me feel less like "bare life." And the busy consumerism of duty free shopping at Singapore airport provide happy distraction (oh wait, are we in a global economic crisis?).
Would be interested to hear how H1N1 is perceived/experienced in our different field sites!
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Did you know that preventing the spread of H1N1 is the responsibility of everyone? At some point in our last few weeks at camp some folks came in from the Ministry of Health to test everyone for malaria (spoiler alert: we do not have malaria) and they stapled H1N1 prevention propaganda around our kitchen. It had cartoon depictions of responsible citizens throwing away their trash and washing their hands, irresponsible citizens kissing each other in greeting, and then somebody fearlessly hugging a pig.
I should say that I spoke too soon. I blogged earlier from Singapore Airport, but Indian authorities managed to notch up the inordinate time it takes to get through immigration and customs by adding health inspections.
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