Sociology and Space, Vol. 59 No. 219, 2021.
Preliminary communication
https://doi.org/10.5673/sip.59.0.3
When Audience Becomes an Actor of Securitization: A Shift of the Security Paradigm in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Vladimir Ajzenhamer
; University of Belgrade, Faculty of Security Studies, Sebia
Vanja Rokvić
orcid.org/0000-0002-8382-4616
; University of Belgrade, Faculty of Security Studies, Sebia
Abstract
This paper deals with a shift of existing security paradigm and proposes a revision of securitization
theory in accordance with current security trends. These trends originate from the new
practice of political and security communication, which predominantly relies on the Internet
and digital networking. Authors presume that the expansion of the Internet, online media
and social networks, has led to the emergence of a new type of securitization, whose core is
no longer the state and its elites. Rather, it is conducted by digitally networked citizens. Such
securitization, which operates horizontally in the world of digital social networks (and which
is largely conditioned by the phenomenon of online virality) authors define as securitization
“from below” and call it BTL (below the line) securitization. BTL securitization implies that
citizens are no longer assigned the role of (relatively passive) audience, which is the case with
the original securitization framework. On the contrary, they appropriate for themselves attributes
of the bearer of the securitizing discourse, act as securitizing actor and develop their
potential for the implementation of securitization measures.
The described shift is currently most noticeable in the field of health security, where the action
of so-called anti-vaccine movement gave the first tangible arguments in favor of the initial
claim of this paper - the hypothesis of viral „dethronement“ of political elites from the position
of the dominant securitizing actor. Anti-vaccination movement activities show another important
feature of this new securitizing „trend“ - discursive identification of the state (as legitimate
securitizer) with the threat that needs to be securitized. In other words, due to the introduction
of unpopular measures to combat health threats (e.g., vaccination, quarantine and other types
of social restrictions), the government itself is perceived as an existential threat. An illustrative
example of this phenomenon is the viral “securitizing” narrative that began spreading among
the citizens of Serbia, through social networks, after the outbreak of the COVID-19 global
pandemic.
Keywords
securitization; BTL; anti-vaxxers; social networks; virality; actor; audience; COVID-19; Republic of Serbia
Hrčak ID:
255046
URI
Publication date:
1.4.2021.
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