Metacrime, thoughtcrime and the rise of scientific authoritarianism: lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic for South Africa

One of the key observations from the Covid-19 pandemic was the rise of scientific authoritarianism, in the wake of contesting narratives around scientific and government overreach in the management of the outbreak. The emergence of cancel culture and digital policing of voices criticising the domina...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Petrus, Theodore (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2024
In: African journal of law and criminology
Year: 2024, Volume: 14, Issue: 1, Pages: 64-78
Online Access: Volltext (kostenfrei)
Journals Online & Print:
Drawer...
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Keywords:
Criminality
Variance Crime
Scientific Authoritarianism
Covid-19
South Africa
Description
Summary:One of the key observations from the Covid-19 pandemic was the rise of scientific authoritarianism, in the wake of contesting narratives around scientific and government overreach in the management of the outbreak. The emergence of cancel culture and digital policing of voices criticising the dominant narratives of vaccination and imposed lockdowns, reflected the criminalisation of dissent. Opposition to government and scientific pronouncements on the pandemic was met with sanction. This article foregrounds the warnings from the pandemic, of the growing policing of metacrime and thoughtcrime in South Africa, as a response to criticism of scientific (and governmental) authoritarianism. The article presents an interdisciplinary perspective on metacrime, thoughtcrime and scientific authoritarianism, within the context of the global and local response to the pandemic, with specific reference to South Africa.
Item Description:Literaturverzeichnis: Seite 75-78
ISSN:2045-8525