Julia LeMonde | University of Queensland (original) (raw)
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Thesis Chapters by Julia LeMonde
In March 2020 the Australian government announced that two cases of community transmission of a n... more In March 2020 the Australian government announced that two cases of community transmission of a novel coronavirus had been detected in the country. In response, the government implemented movement and containment measures which were publicly justified by the warning that the infectious disease COVID-19 was a serious health threat. In the month of March 2020 the Australian way of life was drastically and swiftly transformed as a result of the government's actions. The lived experience of events can be unpacked through diarised entries and media analysis using the perspective of Foucauldian governmentality concepts and social constructionist theory. This illustrates the ways in which the population was incrementally managed and directed with the goal of keeping cases of COVID-19 to a minimum until a vaccine was deployed to keep the population safe from the virus threat. The justifications used by the government to implement controls are questionable because at the time COVID-19 presented as a mild illness in approximately 80% of cases and was found to predominantly adversely affect the elderly, the majority of whom were in aged care facilities. This article offers a critical analysis of the government directives, and justifications used to coerce the population to comply with measures taken to control them.
Recent Australian vaccination legislation targeting "anti-vaxers" has provoked a proliferation of... more Recent Australian vaccination legislation targeting "anti-vaxers" has provoked a proliferation of underground pro-choice vaccine groups and movements. Despite anthropological critiques examining biomedicine as a form of social control, this critique is rarely applied to vaccination ideology. In this thesis I utilise a Foucauldian framework to critique vaccination ideology and explore the "subjugated knowledges" of the "anti-vaxer" perspective. Firstly, historical analysis reveals a consistent thread of "disqualified Knowledges." Current vaccination ideology elides a long history of vaccination opposition from scientists, historians and laypeople. Secondly, ethnographic research into the current "anti-vaxer" perspective concludes that some Australians reject vaccination ideology in favour of alternative health care models for a variety of reasons. These "parallel and marginal knowledges" are often deligitimised and erased within the biomedical and political domain. I examine these perspectives utilising a person-centred approach. This thesis concludes that vaccination ideology needs to be subjected to overt anthropological critique from outside of the biomedical paradigm. I argue that ethnographic analysis of stigmatised people can contribute to continued anthropological critiques of biomedical and political hegemony.
Papers by Julia LeMonde
Journal of Population Ageing, Aug 11, 2022
Malta is experiencing a strong trend toward population ageing. In 2014, the government implemente... more Malta is experiencing a strong trend toward population ageing. In 2014, the government implemented an active ageing policy designed to address the perceived economic and social ramifications of an ageing population. In a commitment to break away from perceptions of ageing that equate with infirmity and decline, the policy underscores independence, productivity, and activity as meaningful goals in later life. Ethnographic data gathered from conversations with both Gozitan-born and English expatriate retirees (UK expats), investigated their perceptions of ageing. Tensions were revealed between the active ageing paradigm and core values and notions of personhood favoured by older adults. Respondents resisted identification with an ageing cohort, whilst valuing a safe and relaxed lifestyle and intergenerational social and familial relationships. These early findings destabilise the neoliberal and universalistic claims of the active ageing-paradigm, raising questions for further research.
Prometheus, Jun 1, 2021
News Corp Australia recently initiated a campaign to pressure the Australian government to amend ... more News Corp Australia recently initiated a campaign to pressure the Australian government to amend its childhood vaccination policies. In 2015, the government legislated amendments in accord with the campaign's demands despite criticism from experts in children's health and vaccine advocacy, research and surveillance. A narrative review was conducted of newsprint articles which featured during the media campaign between 2013 and 2015. Findings indicate that the campaign focused on moral attributes that stigmatised conscientious objector parents as 'anti-vaxers', baby-killers, and hippies and loons. The decision to change vaccination legislation is compatible with the creation of a media-manufactured moral panic concerning conscientious objector parents. When deconstructing moral panics, a careful analysis of the roles of different media sectors is important. The alliance between News Corp Australia and Australian politicians to introduce new vaccination legislation represents an innovation in health policy formation which illustrates how expert opinion on public health policies can be sidelined.
Prometheus, 2021
News Corp Australia recently initiated a campaign to pressure the Australian government to amend ... more News Corp Australia recently initiated a campaign to pressure the Australian government to amend its childhood vaccination policies. In 2015, the government legislated amendments in accord with the campaign's demands despite criticism from experts in children's health and vaccine advocacy, research and surveillance. A narrative review was conducted of newsprint articles which featured during the media campaign between 2013 and 2015. Findings indicate that the campaign focused on moral attributes that stigmatised conscientious objector parents as ‘anti-vaxers’, baby-killers, and hippies and loons. The decision to change vaccination legislation is compatible with the creation of a media-manufactured moral panic concerning conscientious objector parents. When deconstructing moral panics, a careful analysis of the roles of different media sectors is important. The alliance between News Corp Australia and Australian politicians to introduce new vaccination legislation represents ...
Journal of Population Ageing, 2018
Malta is experiencing a strong trend toward population ageing. In 2014, the government implement... more Malta is experiencing a strong trend toward population ageing. In 2014, the government implemented an active ageing policy designed to address the perceived
economic and social ramifcations of an ageing population. In a commitment to
break away from perceptions of ageing that equate with infrmity and decline, the
policy underscores independence, productivity, and activity as meaningful goals in
later life. Ethnographic data gathered from conversations with both Gozitan-born
and English expatriate retirees (UK expats), investigated their perceptions of ageing. Tensions were revealed between the active ageing paradigm and core values
and notions of personhood favoured by older adults. Respondents resisted identifcation with an ageing cohort, whilst valuing a safe and relaxed lifestyle and intergenerational social and familial relationships. These early fndings destabilise the
neoliberal and universalistic claims of the active ageing-paradigm, raising questions
for further research
boasblogs, 2020
This diary excerpt is part of a longer project for Curare Corona Diaries which publishes topic re... more This diary excerpt is part of a longer project for Curare Corona Diaries which publishes topic related blogs in the tradition of anthropological debate, for a series known as 'boasblogs.' This paper details my lived experience of Australian government measures relating to COVID-19 in March of 2020.
Prometheus, 2021
News Corp Australia recently initiated a campaign to pressure the Australian government to amend ... more News Corp Australia recently initiated a campaign to pressure the Australian government to amend its childhood vaccination policies. In 2015, the government legislated amendments in accord with the campaign's demands despite criticism from experts in children's health and vaccine advocacy, research and surveillance. A narrative review was conducted of newsprint articles which featured during the media campaign between 2013 and 2015. Findings indicate that the campaign focused on moral attributes that stigmatised conscientious objector parents as 'anti-vaxers', baby-killers, and hippies and loons. The decision to change vaccination legislation is compatible with the creation of a media-manufactured moral panic concerning conscientious objector parents. When deconstructing moral panics, a careful analysis of the roles of different media sectors is important. The alliance between News Corp Australia and Australian politicians to introduce new vaccination legislation represents an innovation in health policy formation which illustrates how expert opinion on public health policies can be sidelined.
In March 2020 the Australian government announced that two cases of community transmission of a n... more In March 2020 the Australian government announced that two cases of community transmission of a novel coronavirus had been detected in the country. In response, the government implemented movement and containment measures which were publicly justified by the warning that the infectious disease COVID-19 was a serious health threat. In the month of March 2020 the Australian way of life was drastically and swiftly transformed as a result of the government's actions. The lived experience of events can be unpacked through diarised entries and media analysis using the perspective of Foucauldian governmentality concepts and social constructionist theory. This illustrates the ways in which the population was incrementally managed and directed with the goal of keeping cases of COVID-19 to a minimum until a vaccine was deployed to keep the population safe from the virus threat. The justifications used by the government to implement controls are questionable because at the time COVID-19 presented as a mild illness in approximately 80% of cases and was found to predominantly adversely affect the elderly, the majority of whom were in aged care facilities. This article offers a critical analysis of the government directives, and justifications used to coerce the population to comply with measures taken to control them.
Recent Australian vaccination legislation targeting "anti-vaxers" has provoked a proliferation of... more Recent Australian vaccination legislation targeting "anti-vaxers" has provoked a proliferation of underground pro-choice vaccine groups and movements. Despite anthropological critiques examining biomedicine as a form of social control, this critique is rarely applied to vaccination ideology. In this thesis I utilise a Foucauldian framework to critique vaccination ideology and explore the "subjugated knowledges" of the "anti-vaxer" perspective. Firstly, historical analysis reveals a consistent thread of "disqualified Knowledges." Current vaccination ideology elides a long history of vaccination opposition from scientists, historians and laypeople. Secondly, ethnographic research into the current "anti-vaxer" perspective concludes that some Australians reject vaccination ideology in favour of alternative health care models for a variety of reasons. These "parallel and marginal knowledges" are often deligitimised and erased within the biomedical and political domain. I examine these perspectives utilising a person-centred approach. This thesis concludes that vaccination ideology needs to be subjected to overt anthropological critique from outside of the biomedical paradigm. I argue that ethnographic analysis of stigmatised people can contribute to continued anthropological critiques of biomedical and political hegemony.
Journal of Population Ageing, Aug 11, 2022
Malta is experiencing a strong trend toward population ageing. In 2014, the government implemente... more Malta is experiencing a strong trend toward population ageing. In 2014, the government implemented an active ageing policy designed to address the perceived economic and social ramifications of an ageing population. In a commitment to break away from perceptions of ageing that equate with infirmity and decline, the policy underscores independence, productivity, and activity as meaningful goals in later life. Ethnographic data gathered from conversations with both Gozitan-born and English expatriate retirees (UK expats), investigated their perceptions of ageing. Tensions were revealed between the active ageing paradigm and core values and notions of personhood favoured by older adults. Respondents resisted identification with an ageing cohort, whilst valuing a safe and relaxed lifestyle and intergenerational social and familial relationships. These early findings destabilise the neoliberal and universalistic claims of the active ageing-paradigm, raising questions for further research.
Prometheus, Jun 1, 2021
News Corp Australia recently initiated a campaign to pressure the Australian government to amend ... more News Corp Australia recently initiated a campaign to pressure the Australian government to amend its childhood vaccination policies. In 2015, the government legislated amendments in accord with the campaign's demands despite criticism from experts in children's health and vaccine advocacy, research and surveillance. A narrative review was conducted of newsprint articles which featured during the media campaign between 2013 and 2015. Findings indicate that the campaign focused on moral attributes that stigmatised conscientious objector parents as 'anti-vaxers', baby-killers, and hippies and loons. The decision to change vaccination legislation is compatible with the creation of a media-manufactured moral panic concerning conscientious objector parents. When deconstructing moral panics, a careful analysis of the roles of different media sectors is important. The alliance between News Corp Australia and Australian politicians to introduce new vaccination legislation represents an innovation in health policy formation which illustrates how expert opinion on public health policies can be sidelined.
Prometheus, 2021
News Corp Australia recently initiated a campaign to pressure the Australian government to amend ... more News Corp Australia recently initiated a campaign to pressure the Australian government to amend its childhood vaccination policies. In 2015, the government legislated amendments in accord with the campaign's demands despite criticism from experts in children's health and vaccine advocacy, research and surveillance. A narrative review was conducted of newsprint articles which featured during the media campaign between 2013 and 2015. Findings indicate that the campaign focused on moral attributes that stigmatised conscientious objector parents as ‘anti-vaxers’, baby-killers, and hippies and loons. The decision to change vaccination legislation is compatible with the creation of a media-manufactured moral panic concerning conscientious objector parents. When deconstructing moral panics, a careful analysis of the roles of different media sectors is important. The alliance between News Corp Australia and Australian politicians to introduce new vaccination legislation represents ...
Journal of Population Ageing, 2018
Malta is experiencing a strong trend toward population ageing. In 2014, the government implement... more Malta is experiencing a strong trend toward population ageing. In 2014, the government implemented an active ageing policy designed to address the perceived
economic and social ramifcations of an ageing population. In a commitment to
break away from perceptions of ageing that equate with infrmity and decline, the
policy underscores independence, productivity, and activity as meaningful goals in
later life. Ethnographic data gathered from conversations with both Gozitan-born
and English expatriate retirees (UK expats), investigated their perceptions of ageing. Tensions were revealed between the active ageing paradigm and core values
and notions of personhood favoured by older adults. Respondents resisted identifcation with an ageing cohort, whilst valuing a safe and relaxed lifestyle and intergenerational social and familial relationships. These early fndings destabilise the
neoliberal and universalistic claims of the active ageing-paradigm, raising questions
for further research
boasblogs, 2020
This diary excerpt is part of a longer project for Curare Corona Diaries which publishes topic re... more This diary excerpt is part of a longer project for Curare Corona Diaries which publishes topic related blogs in the tradition of anthropological debate, for a series known as 'boasblogs.' This paper details my lived experience of Australian government measures relating to COVID-19 in March of 2020.
Prometheus, 2021
News Corp Australia recently initiated a campaign to pressure the Australian government to amend ... more News Corp Australia recently initiated a campaign to pressure the Australian government to amend its childhood vaccination policies. In 2015, the government legislated amendments in accord with the campaign's demands despite criticism from experts in children's health and vaccine advocacy, research and surveillance. A narrative review was conducted of newsprint articles which featured during the media campaign between 2013 and 2015. Findings indicate that the campaign focused on moral attributes that stigmatised conscientious objector parents as 'anti-vaxers', baby-killers, and hippies and loons. The decision to change vaccination legislation is compatible with the creation of a media-manufactured moral panic concerning conscientious objector parents. When deconstructing moral panics, a careful analysis of the roles of different media sectors is important. The alliance between News Corp Australia and Australian politicians to introduce new vaccination legislation represents an innovation in health policy formation which illustrates how expert opinion on public health policies can be sidelined.