Covid War(S)? The Influence of Military Rhetoric on Government Discursive Practices During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Abstract

Abstract During the COVID-19 pandemic, which has had an unprecedented impact and far-reaching consequences on the global community, governments worldwide (aided by media outlets) have often resorted to military and even war-specific discourse and terminology, in a sustained and coordinated effort to make the general public aware of the pandemic’s devastating implications, painting the virus and the pandemic situation in typical war vocabulary by making use of terms such as “enemy”, “war”, “invader”, etc. In doing so, governments hoped to awaken a sense of urgency and responsibility in the general population. However, in spite of such rhetoric being unquestionably useful in mobilizing all forces in society in situations of extreme emergency, the frequent use of military vocabulary in the governments’ communication with the population often resulted in an undermining of the efforts to control the virus. The present paper analyses the type of military vocabulary employed by governments during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact upon the general public’s perception and consequent desire to collaborate with the authorities.