Planetary Confinement: Bio-Politics and Mutual Aid.

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Political Theory
• Sociology

Background:

• Michel Foucault's theories on sovereign, disciplinary, and bio-political power structures have largely shaped contemporary understandings of power and societal norms.
• Existing frameworks for organizing life and power are heavily influenced by Foucault's concepts, making alternative perspectives challenging to consider.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore Peter Kropotkin's concept of mutual aid as an alternative to hierarchical power structures.
• To demonstrate how mutual aid practices challenge the notion of a societal 'norm'.
• To re-evaluate contemporary societal claims of a 'new normal', particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of Foucault's and Kropotkin's theories.
• Examination of the historical and contemporary manifestations of mutual aid.
• Case study analysis of mutual aid group emergence during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Main Results:

• Mutual aid offers a framework for life management based on cooperation and care, distinct from hierarchical power models.
• The widespread emergence of mutual aid groups during the COVID-19 pandemic highlights their relevance and challenge to established norms.
• The concept of a 'new normal' is critiqued as a rhetorical device that reinforces existing power structures.

Conclusions:

• Mutual aid presents a viable alternative to dominant power structures, emphasizing cooperation over hierarchy.
• The study challenges the idea of a fixed societal norm, suggesting that mutual aid practices actively disrupt and redefine it.
• Contemporary claims of a 'new normal' are deconstructed, revealing their function in maintaining the status quo rather than reflecting genuine societal transformation.