Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Full Professor, Department of Cultural Studies, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran
2 MA in Cultural Studies, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
The emergence of the corona pandemic led to a state of exception that expedited the dominance of public opinion in matters of health, which has been designated as "medical dominance." Over five hundred videos, photos, and texts produced by ordinary Instagram users during the pandemic have been scrutinized, revealing the codes of "frontline," "support lines," and "traitors against Corona." Semiotics was employed to analyze all these contents, leading to the uncovering of these three main codes. These codes embody the upper and subaltern meanings and signals. The signifiers of "health defenders,” "health martyrs," "readiness of the warriors," and "sacrifice of the medical staff" represent an "epic, sacred, and upper" narrative about the medical staff, particularly the female medical staff. On the other hand, the "home front," "citizens," "organizational," and "institutional struggles" reflect a "hopeful, empathetic, supportive, and upper" narrative of the fight to combat the disease. The signifiers of the lack of support for medical staff and the pressure they experienced during the epidemic portrayed a "tragic, sad, and subaltern" narrative of the days of the pandemic. However, during this health crisis, medicine effectively controlled every aspect of life through the implementation of health guidelines (e.g., identifying vulnerable groups and imposing self-quarantine measures). In memory, medical staff were elevated to almost "sacred" status. "Inattentive people" and "Nowruz travelers" were considered adversaries and "evil". According to popular memory, "people" are held accountable for the spread of the disease more so than both the "government" and the "health care system". This perception arises from the exercise of bio-power and the politics of memory that have concealed the foundations of medical power-knowledge within Iran.
Introduction
Throughout history, the world has witnessed numerous incidents and epidemic phenomena, including war, famine, drought, and disease. However, the consequences and effects of none of those past events have been as expansive and intricate as those of the current corona virus epidemic. In Iran, this epidemic has significantly reinforced the dominance of "medical" knowledge over other associated fields within society.
The struggle against the corona virus has been largely dominated by medical knowledge, leaving little space for other specialties and sciences to contribute to the fight against the disease in Iran. Medical knowledge has played a significant role in combatting the virus, but there is a palpable absence of other fields of expertise, especially sociology. The ascendancy of medical knowledge in the handling of epidemic diseases has ushered in a distinct understanding of the term "vulnerable group." Moreover, the operationalization of "home quarantine" adheres precisely to this redefined meaning of the vulnerable group.
By categorizing groups into "vulnerable" and "non-vulnerable" entities, medical knowledge has assumed control over numerous facets of people's lives and daily management. Medical treatment methods such as gene therapy, drug treatment, and surgical interventions have led to a significant escalation in the degree of medical surveillance, extending to encompass aspects of citizens’ behavior, bodies, and minds. The Corona pandemic has ushered in a novel form of "medical-dominated" knowledge surveillance and discourse, which has significantly intruded on the daily lives of citizens. This knowledge has augmented its influence over public opinion by drawing upon the "exceptional situation" created through the application of the ideological emotional discourse of martyrdom. While the sacrifices of treatment staff are undeniably admirable, the martyrdom of numerous individuals amongst them was caused by flaws in administration or the absence of adequate protection measures and necessary equipment.
As medical discourse asserts its dominance, we inadvertently overlook social criticisms directed towards doctors due to their exceptional financial and economic benefits, legal immunity, increasing corruption in hospitals, and the overall inefficiency of the health and treatment system, the latter being a product of misguided privatizations in this sector. With the spread of the epidemic in Iran and the interruption of face-to-face interactions, the significance of virtual space, primarily social networks, notably Instagram, has strengthened. It serves as a prominent platform for multimedia communication in economic, social, political, and cultural matters within Iran.
Instagram stands as the preeminent platform for expressing emotions within Iran. Regular users of Instagram have utilized it as a medium to convey their feelings about various aspects related to the Corona virus. By monitoring the pages of ordinary users, a clear picture of public opinion under home quarantine conditions can be discerned. Furthermore, the process of forgetting and replacing the blame with hero-like figures represented in these pages can be regarded as an indicator of modifications in collective memory. To comprehensively understand the intricate relationship between the dominance of medical knowledge and the impact it wields on the memory of people within society, it is imperative to explore and address the following queries.
How has the "popular memory" demonstrated through the Instagram social network been influenced by the Corona virus pandemic?
What are the dual manifestations of popular memory in the context of the Corona virus pandemic?
How does "medical knowledge-power" exert its influence over popular memory during the course of the Corona virus pandemic?
Methodology
In this study, a total of 500 data samples, consisting of 350 texts, 150 photos, and 50 videos, have been subjected to semiotic analysis. The data selection was carried out through rigorous qualitative sampling, focusing on the intensity and variety of the samples. This approach enhances the ability to identify the magnitude of the phenomenon (Gelman & Cortina, 2009; Denzin et al., 2011). The data collected for this study stemmed from the personal pages of regular Instagram users, comprising both Iranian men and women residing in various regions of Iran. These individuals had comprehensive biographical information on their profiles, and their pages were neither affiliated with organizations, specific individuals, nor involved in selling goods or catering to fan clubs. Therefore, the written content of these regular Instagram users has been considered as representative of "popular memory."
The semiotics of social networks can be interpreted as the hermeneutics of "public thoughts" and "popular memory." This is because a) the study of representations within public opinion and the portrayal of cultural trauma in the digital age is not confined to non-digital media, and b) the messages and images uploaded by ordinary users convey autobiographical memories. Therefore, these texts can be viewed as an expression of their individual memory. The "dominance of medical knowledge in public opinion during the corona disease pandemic" can be understood as a "structure" that emerges from the intersection of the "epidemic of a disease" and "popular memory." Simultaneously, this "exercise of power" in the field of "medical knowledge" is in a "state of exception" and is intimately connected to the specific "militaristic" circumstances of the pandemic.
An in-depth analysis of the content of each page of regular Instagram users provided us with a profound understanding of the interwoven relationships between "the epidemic of a disease" and "popular memory," as well as the complex dynamics between "power relations that are in a state of exception" and the "knowledge of medical power" specifically associated with the epidemic. The lens of "disease" and "popular memory" serves as our guiding principle as we delve into the semiotics of the 500 videos, photos, and texts generated by regular Instagram users from April 2019 to September 2019. Through the categorization of documents on the dual axes of "coexistence" and "substitution," the significant focus observed in the republished texts, images, and videos by Instagram users on the "heroic portrayal of women" calls for deeper reflection and analysis. This profound reflection cannot be achieved without acknowledging the far-reaching cultural debates surrounding women's roles within society over the last two decades. "Popular memory" contemplates the experiences of women faced with these contentious issues during the Corona virus epidemic.
Findings & Discussion
The profound social sufferings that stem from "cultural trauma" or "social crises" are swiftly depicted on multiple platforms and social networks, owing to their potent impact on the emotions and psyches of users. The portrayal of the "Coronavirus" pandemic from the standpoint of ordinary Instagram users (representing "popular memory" and "public opinion") is symbolized as a "bloody war." In stark contrast to the era of the Holy Defense, the representation of this war in public opinion is not "man-centric"; instead, greater emphasis is placed on "women." Surprisingly, this portrayal of women in virtual networks deviates from previous research findings, as it does not primarily focus on personal and family issues. Rather, it revolves around the hardships and ordeals endured by "women" laboring in medical and healthcare settings during the height of the Corona pandemic.
This form of representation has elevated these women to the status of "heroes" in "popular memory" and "public thoughts." Admittedly, this process is imbued with an ideological undertone that leans towards "sanctification". This ideological undercurrent is manifestly perceptible in the "heroic" narratives and portrayals of these women in the virtual space. In these accounts, female nurses and doctors navigate the battlefield alone. Such depictions should not be misconstrued as a reflection of the "reality" faced by society but are undoubtedly influenced by the national media. It is crucial to recognize that the alignment of "popular memory" with the "politics of memory" is not solely the result of the common sentiments of the populace. The intricate dimensions of this alignment have been thoughtfully and thoroughly examined in the concluding section. For a comprehensive synthesis of all codes, signifiers, and signifieds, they are succinctly presented in Table 1.
Table 1. Instagram social network codes
Signified
Signifier
Codes
The gesture of the medical staff with clothes isolated
Health defenders
The frontline of the fight against Corona
Giving a victory sign by the medical staff
Remembrance of martyrs of medical staff
Health martyrs
Showing masks, alcohol and medical equipment
readiness of the warriors
The gesture in isolation clothes to wash the passages
Dance and joy of therapy staff at work
Fatigue and sleepiness of the medical staff
sacrifice of the medical staff
Wearing masks, glasses and shields by the medical staff
Medical staff infected with corona
Expressing the longing of the medical staff for the family members
People's financial aid to fight against Corona
Home front
The support lines against Corona
Making masks and other sanitary equipment in home workshops
Accompaniment of celebrities with quarantine
Staying at home
peoples’ struggles
Medical services by phone and online
Compliance with social distancing
Official Health Advice
Organizational and institutions’ struggles
Closing offices, educational and shopping centers, religious places
Compliance with health protocols at work
Compulsory quarantine
Inattention of people and officials to Corona
lack of support from the medical staff
Traitors against Corona
Travel
Infection of people and officials with corona virus
Pressure on the medical staff
Profiteering in the sale of masks and alcohol
Results
The Corona virus pandemic has resulted in a mix of positive and negative consequences. A prominent change is increased mindfulness regarding personal and public health. However, this crisis has concurrently strengthened the "dominance of medical knowledge" over public opinion. While the Corona crisis has unfortunately attracted scarce recognition from humanities researchers globally, it is worth noting that the healthcare system's shortcomings have been a principal contributor to the elevated mortality rates experienced by medical staff and patients in major cities in Iran, with the exception of the capital city (Masoumbeigi & Ghanizadeh, 2020; Bagheri Sheykhangafshe, Saeedi & Eds, 2021). Conversely, the authoritative medical knowledge imposed through directives like identifying vulnerable groups and issuing guidelines for home quarantine wield significant influence over the daily lives of citizens.
Undoubtedly, in the exceptional circumstances of the pandemic, despite the inefficiencies of the healthcare system, doctors have assumed command in the fight against Corona. The "dominance of medical knowledge" has led to a systemic erasure of shortcomings within the medical field from public awareness. This mechanism has induced a collective amnesia in popular memory regarding the facts previously emphasized by artists and sociologists.
The doubles associated with the pandemic days were examined through the semiotics of 500 videos, photographs, and texts generated by regular Instagram users (representing popular memory). These contents are engaged in a dual struggle. Public opinion perceives itself as a sacred defense in a war characterized by cultural and objective congruences. This conflict has led to alignment between the people and authority figures.
In our discussion of each code, we examined the lower and upper signifiers and signifieds. The frontline combatants, backup units, and traitors in the struggle against Corona constitute the primary codes for this war. The codes related to health defenders, health martyrs, the military preparedness of warriors, and the dedication of medical personnel contribute to an "epic, sacred, and exalted" narrative of the medical forces, with particular emphasis on female healthcare professionals. The republished images, videos, and texts by ordinary users bear resemblance to segments of "Conquest Narratives" documentaries from the frontlines of the imposed war. Signifiers such as "home front", "citizens' struggles", and "organizational and institutional efforts" contribute to a "hopeful, empathetic, helpful, and generous" narrative of combating the Corona disease. Social campaigns like "stay at home," "don't travel," and "financial aid and production of domestically produced disease prevention equipment" reflect a resurgence of hope within public opinion. On the flip side, it serves as a reminder of the people's efforts on the supporting front, notably in the home front. Conversely, the signifiers of a lack of support from medical personnel and the burden on medical staff provide a "tragic, disheartening, and subordinate" narrative of the epidemic days of the disease. In these signifiers, the "popular memory" aligns the enemy and traitor against allies and servants in the form of negligent individuals, government officials, medical supply profiteers, hoarders, and individuals who traveled during Nowruz, juxtaposed against the quarantined, medical supply donors, producers, and medical staff.
In reality, the malevolent elements in the narrative of the users are considered the adversaries and traitors in the fight against Corona, and the degree of hate expressed towards them by users is evident through their desire for their demise.
The fluctuation of republished content between superior and subordinate narratives, despite the diverse levels of education and residence of users, highlights the profound impact of the pandemic. However, these negative elements are influenced by the dualities generated by medical knowledge and power, particularly during epidemics. The prevalence of both signifieds related to "plague" and "people's indifference towards Corona" in the codes for "traitors fighting against Corona" reveals "popular memory" emphasizing the duties of the populace. If the "people" do not assume a more significant role in disease control compared to the "government" and the "healthcare system," this sleight of hand projection emanates from a strategic politics of memory. Moreover, this policy itself springs from the convoluted and hidden relationship between medical knowledge and power within Iran, as posited by Heydari (2017). The growth of "medical dominance" over "popular memory," particularly on Instagram, accentuates the importance of undertaking more comprehensive research in the future. Additionally, the pressing question emerges: "With the expanding trend of "medical dominance," what will become of social sciences in Iran?" However, we assert that a successful research endeavor aims to generate not just answers but also thought-provoking questions and challenges.
Keywords
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