Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MOBILISE (‘Stay home’: emergency, (im)mobility, and the liberal subject)
Reporting period: 2021-07-01 to 2023-06-30
The key aim of the MOBILISE project was to investigate how restrictive (im)mobility measures, imposed to limit the spread of COVID-19, have challenged and (re)shaped the relation between emergency, (im)mobility and the liberal subject. The key focus was to investigate the meaning - and possible transformation - of EU citizenship under conditions of (im)mobility. If what constitutes European citizenship is freedom — freedom of movement, of assembly and, above all, of choice — is our conceptualisation of the ‘liberal citizen’ applicable during times of emergency? Do emergencies require a radical change in citizens’ attitude? Did we assist, during COVID-19 pandemic, to a transformation of EU citizens from active subjects into passive ones? Did any EU governments attempt to operate this transformation?
Since the COVID-19 emergency, many academics have focussed on the health and security dilemmas that the current pandemic has generated, the many emergency measures that governments have introduced, the lack of democratic scrutiny and the many restrictions imposed upon the citizenry, particularly lockdown measures and social distancing and stay-at-home policies. At the beginning of the pandemic, most studies tended to focus on the many technologies of control that discipline and transform citizens into subjects. By focusing on Michel Foucault’s concepts of biopolitics, discipline, and sovereignty (1977; 2002; 2008), studies largely concentrated their attention on states’ power to impose certain technologies of control that (biologically) transform subjects into disciplined and docile bodies. If we were to look at the many COVID-19 emergency norms that most of the EU states have introduced to ban, restrict or encourage certain behaviours, as well as the role of medical experts in advising which health measures and mechanisms of surveillance and monitoring to adopt, it seemed that Western countries were adopting a biopolitical approach. However, by focusing on biopolitics, discipline and sovereignty, little attention was given to citizens’ capacity to contest sovereign decisions, and more specifically on the interrelation between political systems and modalities of subjection.
By scrutinising the level of (non-)conformity as well as the reasons for it, it has been possible to map not only how common EU citizens have experienced the pandemic, but most importantly, what kinds of subjects/citizens have emerged out of it. Who is the ‘citizen of emergency’? Or perhaps even better: what defines a good citizen during an emergency? Is it freedom? Is it democratic participation? Or is it responsibility? What does it mean to act as a responsible citizen? Should recent protests be investigated through the prism of citizenship and freedom, as traditionally done? Or should protests-during-emergencies be investigated through a different prism? These are some of the key questions that the MOBILISE project has investigated.
Since the COVID-19 emergency, many academics have focussed on the health and security dilemmas that the current pandemic has generated, the many emergency measures that governments have introduced, the lack of democratic scrutiny and the many restrictions imposed upon the citizenry, particularly lockdown measures and social distancing and stay-at-home policies. At the beginning of the pandemic, most studies tended to focus on the many technologies of control that discipline and transform citizens into subjects. By focusing on Michel Foucault’s concepts of biopolitics, discipline, and sovereignty (1977; 2002; 2008), studies largely concentrated their attention on states’ power to impose certain technologies of control that (biologically) transform subjects into disciplined and docile bodies. If we were to look at the many COVID-19 emergency norms that most of the EU states have introduced to ban, restrict or encourage certain behaviours, as well as the role of medical experts in advising which health measures and mechanisms of surveillance and monitoring to adopt, it seemed that Western countries were adopting a biopolitical approach. However, by focusing on biopolitics, discipline and sovereignty, little attention was given to citizens’ capacity to contest sovereign decisions, and more specifically on the interrelation between political systems and modalities of subjection.
By scrutinising the level of (non-)conformity as well as the reasons for it, it has been possible to map not only how common EU citizens have experienced the pandemic, but most importantly, what kinds of subjects/citizens have emerged out of it. Who is the ‘citizen of emergency’? Or perhaps even better: what defines a good citizen during an emergency? Is it freedom? Is it democratic participation? Or is it responsibility? What does it mean to act as a responsible citizen? Should recent protests be investigated through the prism of citizenship and freedom, as traditionally done? Or should protests-during-emergencies be investigated through a different prism? These are some of the key questions that the MOBILISE project has investigated.
While the original objective was to look at protests — protests against lockdowns and protests under lockdowns — by the time the project started, it seemed more appropriate to investigate everyday acts of resistance, defiance and counter-practices. As scrutinised in Dr. Puggioni’s first publication (2022), the declaration of the state of emergency in Italy, in January 2020, did not introduce an illiberal rationality of government. By looking at quotidian, miniscule practices of mobility, it was possible to highlight the modalities through which the people — despite mobility restrictions — were still able to decide how to govern themselves. The following counter-practices tended to be used: going to the supermarket and buying only a few items to get out again on another day; taking a longer route to reach the shop; buying a dog, or even borrowing one from a neighbour, to justify being outside; meeting family and friends in the same residential building or visiting during the late evenings when fewer controls were in operation; scrutinising which routes were less patrolled and thus viable; wearing sportswear to justify taking long walks; organising parties, especially in isolated villas, and the like.
While the ‘liberal’ element was certainly important, the research also (indirectly) suggested that liberal approach might be problematic when facing emergencies that require a greater level of adherence to governmental policies. The liberal approach was also dominant in the second publication (Puggioni, 2023), even attention was mostly focussed on the relation between (in)security, anxiety and creativity. This was done by combining International Relations security literature with the work of the (existentialist) philosopher, Søren Kierkegaard. Rather than focusing on the restrictions, illiberal norms and negative emotions that emerged during the pandemic years, Dr Puggioni investigated the many creative mechanisms that people adopted to (re)appropriate their lives and (re-)create a new normalcy. The existential approach allowed to read insecurity and anxiety in connection with freedom.
The followings papers have been presented at international conferences/workshops:
a. ‘COVID-19 crisis: freedom, creativity and response-ability’, European Workshops in International Studies, University of Amsterdam, 12-14 July 2023;
b. 'Evading immobility and creative citizenship in Europe', winter school, 23-27 Jan 2023, organised by O.P. Jindal Global University (India) and North South University (Bangladesh).
c. ‘Forget COVID-19 trauma and death toll: Privileging freedom to trauma’, European International Studies Association, Atheion University, 1-4 Sep. 2022;
d. ‘COVID-19 emergency and (ir)responsibility: everyday practices of mobility, evasion and protests’, European Consortium for Political Research, University of Innsbruck, 22-26 Aug. 2022.
While the ‘liberal’ element was certainly important, the research also (indirectly) suggested that liberal approach might be problematic when facing emergencies that require a greater level of adherence to governmental policies. The liberal approach was also dominant in the second publication (Puggioni, 2023), even attention was mostly focussed on the relation between (in)security, anxiety and creativity. This was done by combining International Relations security literature with the work of the (existentialist) philosopher, Søren Kierkegaard. Rather than focusing on the restrictions, illiberal norms and negative emotions that emerged during the pandemic years, Dr Puggioni investigated the many creative mechanisms that people adopted to (re)appropriate their lives and (re-)create a new normalcy. The existential approach allowed to read insecurity and anxiety in connection with freedom.
The followings papers have been presented at international conferences/workshops:
a. ‘COVID-19 crisis: freedom, creativity and response-ability’, European Workshops in International Studies, University of Amsterdam, 12-14 July 2023;
b. 'Evading immobility and creative citizenship in Europe', winter school, 23-27 Jan 2023, organised by O.P. Jindal Global University (India) and North South University (Bangladesh).
c. ‘Forget COVID-19 trauma and death toll: Privileging freedom to trauma’, European International Studies Association, Atheion University, 1-4 Sep. 2022;
d. ‘COVID-19 emergency and (ir)responsibility: everyday practices of mobility, evasion and protests’, European Consortium for Political Research, University of Innsbruck, 22-26 Aug. 2022.
A few results have been achieved beyond the expected results:
1) Although not originally considered in the project, information on mobility, flashmob and activism have been gathered via social media and especially through the Twitter platform. All these data have been collected but not yet published.
2) An European project, not originally considered, has been submitted under the ERASMUS+ programme. The proposal has passed the first stage. The Grant Preparation stage has started with the following University: O.P. Jindal Global University (India). Dr Puggioni will engage with the RADAR project, no. 101127065, from Jan. 2024 to Dec. 2026, under the Jean Monnet Chair in EUropean Borders: Security, Solidarity, Responsibility, with a total grant of € 50.000,00.
3) A third publication, not originally included in the project, is underway and is expected to be submitted by mid-September: ‘COVID-19 and civic (ir)responsibility: mobility as ethically driven counter-practice’, to be re-submitted to Open Research Europe, under the collection ‘The Future of Democracy’.
4) A call for a special issue has been submitted, and accepted: Beyond (the subjects of) emergency: (in)security, mobility and creativity, in the journal Societies. Dr. Puggioni and Dr. MJ Trombetta will be the guest editors.
5) A book proposal will be submitted under the following working title: ‘The liberal way of emergency: challenges and limits’.
1) Although not originally considered in the project, information on mobility, flashmob and activism have been gathered via social media and especially through the Twitter platform. All these data have been collected but not yet published.
2) An European project, not originally considered, has been submitted under the ERASMUS+ programme. The proposal has passed the first stage. The Grant Preparation stage has started with the following University: O.P. Jindal Global University (India). Dr Puggioni will engage with the RADAR project, no. 101127065, from Jan. 2024 to Dec. 2026, under the Jean Monnet Chair in EUropean Borders: Security, Solidarity, Responsibility, with a total grant of € 50.000,00.
3) A third publication, not originally included in the project, is underway and is expected to be submitted by mid-September: ‘COVID-19 and civic (ir)responsibility: mobility as ethically driven counter-practice’, to be re-submitted to Open Research Europe, under the collection ‘The Future of Democracy’.
4) A call for a special issue has been submitted, and accepted: Beyond (the subjects of) emergency: (in)security, mobility and creativity, in the journal Societies. Dr. Puggioni and Dr. MJ Trombetta will be the guest editors.
5) A book proposal will be submitted under the following working title: ‘The liberal way of emergency: challenges and limits’.