Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Biopolitics and the Value of Life: Dystopian Narratives and Stories about Illness, Lefkosia, Kıbrıs (Gkry), 3 - 04 Nisan 2025, ss.4
The concept of biopolitics, as conceptualised by philosophers like Michel Foucault, refers to the ways in which governments manage and regulate populations by controlling bodies and biological processes. P. D. James’ novel The Children of Men (1992) depicts a dystopian future where humanity is on the verge of extinction due to infertility on a global scale, with no children having been born for nearly two decades. In this setting, where a global phenomenon is threatening to wipe off civilisation, the state exerts control over the population’s reproductive capacity through strict measurements and medical procedures. It can be argued that this biopolitical dynamic is reminiscent of the mechanisms that were in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, where governments made critical decisions regarding vaccine distribution, healthcare allocation, and public safety measures. In that sense, both The Children of Men and the COVID-19 pandemic expose the complexities of state intervention in managing human life during crises. The novel’s portrayal of a society where reproductive rights are tightly controlled and life is subject to state regulation resonates with how the governments have navigated the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, this study aims to explore the moral and political conundrums that occur when governments assert biopolitical authority over their populations through an analysis of both fictional and real-world responses to crises. Thus, it seeks to discuss how these dynamics shape the value and meaning of life in times of profound uncertainty and crisis.