ideias 132 – lposse

IDeIAS Nº 132e, the English version of IDeIAS Nº 132p, by Lúcio Posse, is now available. It reflects, based on the “Risk Society” theory, on how the meanings and senses about COVID-19 have been shaping the speeches and attitudes of the Mozambican society. It argues that these meanings and senses result in the production of “subjective risk”, which is interpreted as resulting from the experiences, cultures, values, emotions and interests of a society. For instance, on one hand, the feeling of panic that installed itself among Mozambicans led to the dictation of measures for which the state was not prepared to implement. On the other hand, it led to the emergence of stereotypes, “us”, Mozambicans, the healthy, and the “others”, the Chinese, the sick, in their association with the disease.