Beyond the politics of bare life. AIDS and the neoliberal order

Abstract

This article examines the complex interplay between the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the late modern neoliberal order, particularly in Africa. It explores how this epidemic, initially perceived as a dire moral warning during the Reagan era, has evolved into a symbol of global inequality, shaped by and reinforcing neoliberal capitalism. This article discusses the biopolitical implications of HIV/AIDS, highlighting how the disease exposes and exacerbates existing social inequalities and geopolitical boundaries. The analysis delves into how HIV/AIDS has reshaped our moral geography, creating new forms of inclusion and exclusion, prosperity and poverty, and control and chaos.

The article argues that the neoliberal response to the epidemic has often been characterized by a utilitarian view of life, where the marginalized are seen as expendable. This has led to a stark contrast between the privileged who have access to life-saving treatments and the impoverished who continue to suffer. The article critiques the commodification of healthcare and the monopolistic control over life-saving drugs, suggesting that activists must challenge these structures to reclaim a sense of civic duty and political mission. Through the lens of biopolitics, it illustrates how HIV/AIDS, much like other crises such as Hurricane Katrina and the Paris riots, reveals the colonial legacies inscribed in the contemporary neoliberal world order