The Swine Flu

During the last two weeks, the Mexican government has developed strict measures over its population in order to avoid the proliferation of the swine flu. As a news reporter from the New York Times says, “the government-decreed restrictions on public activities apply all over Mexico…the restrictions are part of the government’s effort to discourage people from gathering in large groups and transmitting the newly discovered flu strain, H1N1” (Rohter 2009). Mexican authorities are using mass media to spread the message that people must stay in home and change hygiene and physical contact habits. Foucault’s microphysics of power factors can be found in the Mexican situation. The Mexican government has used experts’ knowledge, has objective the flu epidemic, and has used mass media to ‘educate’ about the swine flu. The Mexican population has paid attention and internalized this message and has restricted its activity. Social control in Mexico, as a consequence of the swine flu, is an example of the discipline that can be reached in a population by using scientific reasons through the mass media.

Do you consider that Foucault’s theory could be applied to the Mexican situation?