Not a political statement: Psychoanalytic notes on the measures to fight the pandemic and the responses to them

Giorgi, Liana

This article critically examines some of the measures installed to fight the Covid‐19 pandemic, such as the face mask, and the responses these have called forth. It relies on clinical material and on popular culture. The purpose is twofold. First, to exemplify the unique contribution of psychoanalysis for decoding both the political narrative and its reception thus helping understand and better address societal challenges. Second, to inform the debate in the political sciences as to what is a good crisis management strategy. The main argument is that an effective communication, in general, but especially in emergency situations, needs to allow for the unconscious responses to both the danger itself and to the measures imposed to deal with it. Failure to consider this unconscious dimension impacts on the effectiveness of the policy.