Biopolitics and Governmentality During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Authoritarianism in Turkey

DİŞCİ DEMİRTAŞ Z.

Journal of Asian and African Studies, vol.60, no.4, pp.2640-2653, 2025 (SSCI, Scopus) identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 60 Issue: 4
  • Publication Date: 2025
  • Doi Number: 10.1177/00219096231224678
  • Journal Name: Journal of Asian and African Studies
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, IBZ Online, International Bibliography of Social Sciences, Periodicals Index Online, American History and Life, Anthropological Literature, ATLA Religion Database, Geobase, Historical Abstracts, Index Islamicus, MLA - Modern Language Association Database, Political Science Complete, Public Affairs Index, Sociological abstracts, Worldwide Political Science Abstracts
  • Page Numbers: pp.2640-2653
  • Keywords: authoritarianism, Biopolitics, COVID-19 epidemic, governmentality, Turkey
  • Uşak University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This article aims to show the relationship of Turkish pandemic politics with the concepts of biopolitics and governmentality. It argues that Turkey’s pandemic policy should be considered under the concept of authoritarian governmentality. In this context, the first part of the article theoretically evaluates the relationship between biopolitics and governmentality. The second part shows how Turkey’s COVID-19 policy is related to biopolitics and governmentality. The last part shows how and why biopolitics and governmentality have an authoritarian character in Turkey. In this way, the character of the policy pursued by the Turkish government becomes clear.