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Humanity over economy: biopolitical responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana

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  • James McKeown

Abstract

This study posits that pandemics should be regarded as complex, open-ended phenomena that cannot be reduced to biology and epidemiology. The research assesses Ghana's effectiveness in governing the COVID-19 pandemic contrary to apocalyptic predictions. This paper critiques Ghana's responses to the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of Foucault's biopolitics . The main result of this study showed that Ghana survived the pandemic because of effective policies, not providence.

Suggested Citation

  • James McKeown, 2022. "Humanity over economy: biopolitical responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2022-146, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2022-146
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    File URL: https://www.wider.unu.edu/sites/default/files/Publications/Working-paper/PDF/wp2022-146-humanity-over-economy-biopolitical-responses-COVID-19-pandemic-Ghana.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Dingel, Jonathan I. & Neiman, Brent, 2020. "How many jobs can be done at home?," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    2. Kofi Takyi Asante, 2022. "Residual capacity and the political economy of pandemic response in Ghana," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2022-44, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
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