Inge Mutsaers, Radboud University, the Netherlands
Infected politics and the moral implications of immunological discourse


6 pm, room 303, Pavilion Parade, on Thursday 7 March.

ALL WELCOME


Abstract


Peter Sloterdijk has developed the idea of immunology as a paradigm or leitmotiv in his comprehensive work, which revolves around the idea of immunisation as a fundamental and inevitable category of human existence. In diagnosing a wide array of contemporary societal and political developments, ranging from increased security measures and re-bordering attempts to protective regulations to counter viral and microbial threats, the notion of immunisation is becoming increasingly important. Building on Sloterdijk, I analyse the role and significance of biomedical immunisation and biomedical discourse in the ‘immunisation paradigm’ of contemporary culture, focussing on the (moral) implications of the redefinition of biological immunity for its use as a metaphor in contemporary (political) discourse and cultural critique.

Biography


Inge Mutsaers studied Biology (2000) and Philosophy (2003-2004) at Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands. After five years working as project advisor for European Research Programmes at the Ministry of Economic affairs and at UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, she started her PhD at the Department of Philosophy and Science Studies at Radboud on ‘Immunisation and its discontents’.

Inge was a visiting fellow at CAPPE from 4 – 15 March 2013.