Migrating Metaphors: Why We Should Be Concerned About a ‘War on Mental Illness’ in the Aftermath of COVID-19
In the aftermath of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there is a predicted (and emerging) increase in experiences of mental illness. This phenomenon has been described as “the next pandemic”, suggesting that the concepts used to understand and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic are being transferred to...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Programmes de bioéthique, École de santé publique de l'Université de Montréal
2023-04-01
|
| Series: | Canadian Journal of Bioethics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://cjb-rcb.ca/index.php/cjb-rcb/article/view/519 |
| _version_ | 1797845308027174912 |
|---|---|
| author | Kaitlin Sibbald |
| author_facet | Kaitlin Sibbald |
| author_sort | Kaitlin Sibbald |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
In the aftermath of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there is a predicted (and emerging) increase in experiences of mental illness. This phenomenon has been described as “the next pandemic”, suggesting that the concepts used to understand and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic are being transferred to conceptualize mental illness. The COVID-19 pandemic was, and continues to be, framed in public media using military metaphors, which can potentially migrate to conceptualizations of mental illness along with pandemic rhetoric. Given that metaphors shape what is considered justifiable action, and how we understand justice, I argue we have a moral responsibility to interrogate who benefits and who is harmed by the language and underlying conceptualizations this rhetoric legitimates. By exploring how military metaphors have been used in the context of COVID-19, I argue that this rhetoric has been used to justify ongoing harm to marginalized groups while further entrenching established systems of power. Given this history, I present what it may look like were military metaphors used to conceptualize a “mental illness pandemic”, what actions this might legitimate and render inconceivable, and who is likely to benefit and be harmed by such rhetorically justified actions.
|
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:36:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-024f2a1589b6491fae1bb26931f9538a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2561-4665 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:36:58Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | Programmes de bioéthique, École de santé publique de l'Université de Montréal |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Canadian Journal of Bioethics |
| spelling | doaj.art-024f2a1589b6491fae1bb26931f9538a2023-04-17T13:14:31ZengProgrammes de bioéthique, École de santé publique de l'Université de MontréalCanadian Journal of Bioethics2561-46652023-04-016110.7202/1098554arMigrating Metaphors: Why We Should Be Concerned About a ‘War on Mental Illness’ in the Aftermath of COVID-19Kaitlin Sibbald0School of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada In the aftermath of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there is a predicted (and emerging) increase in experiences of mental illness. This phenomenon has been described as “the next pandemic”, suggesting that the concepts used to understand and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic are being transferred to conceptualize mental illness. The COVID-19 pandemic was, and continues to be, framed in public media using military metaphors, which can potentially migrate to conceptualizations of mental illness along with pandemic rhetoric. Given that metaphors shape what is considered justifiable action, and how we understand justice, I argue we have a moral responsibility to interrogate who benefits and who is harmed by the language and underlying conceptualizations this rhetoric legitimates. By exploring how military metaphors have been used in the context of COVID-19, I argue that this rhetoric has been used to justify ongoing harm to marginalized groups while further entrenching established systems of power. Given this history, I present what it may look like were military metaphors used to conceptualize a “mental illness pandemic”, what actions this might legitimate and render inconceivable, and who is likely to benefit and be harmed by such rhetorically justified actions. https://cjb-rcb.ca/index.php/cjb-rcb/article/view/519metaphorswarmilitaryCOVID-19mental illnessjustice |
| spellingShingle | Kaitlin Sibbald Migrating Metaphors: Why We Should Be Concerned About a ‘War on Mental Illness’ in the Aftermath of COVID-19 Canadian Journal of Bioethics metaphors war military COVID-19 mental illness justice |
| title | Migrating Metaphors: Why We Should Be Concerned About a ‘War on Mental Illness’ in the Aftermath of COVID-19 |
| title_full | Migrating Metaphors: Why We Should Be Concerned About a ‘War on Mental Illness’ in the Aftermath of COVID-19 |
| title_fullStr | Migrating Metaphors: Why We Should Be Concerned About a ‘War on Mental Illness’ in the Aftermath of COVID-19 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Migrating Metaphors: Why We Should Be Concerned About a ‘War on Mental Illness’ in the Aftermath of COVID-19 |
| title_short | Migrating Metaphors: Why We Should Be Concerned About a ‘War on Mental Illness’ in the Aftermath of COVID-19 |
| title_sort | migrating metaphors why we should be concerned about a war on mental illness in the aftermath of covid 19 |
| topic | metaphors war military COVID-19 mental illness justice |
| url | https://cjb-rcb.ca/index.php/cjb-rcb/article/view/519 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kaitlinsibbald migratingmetaphorswhyweshouldbeconcernedaboutawaronmentalillnessintheaftermathofcovid19 |