Responding to Bioterrorism, Thesis Paper Example

Diseases play a common role in impacting the way we live and adapt our daily activities in response to the pathogens infecting the people and society around us.  Currently, there are around 49 emerging and reemerging infections around the world that threaten our way of life and cause for great panic in many parts of the world (Joralemon 55).  The impact of bioterrorism has always been in existence and causes fear where individuals or terrorist groups utilize these emerging and reemerging pathogens to intentionally infect others.  The United States shows evidence of being the culprit and victim of bioterrorism from sending the Native Americans blankets with the small pox virus to the anthrax letters in 2001.

In attempting to determine possible predicting factors, the medical anthropologist should use many of the skills and theoretical framework that we have learned thus far in this course.  For instance, the socioeconomic factors that come into play are critical in determining the potential impact of bioterrorism.  Areas that are stereotypically less advanced are more prone to disease and pathogenic infection.  However, as we can tell from the previous examples of bioterrorism, much of the terrorist activity does not necessarily involve less advanced societies as the victims.  Instead, the more advanced societies are greater threats to victimization for many social, economic, historical and religious reasons.  Age-old disputes should be considered and many of the more advanced countries and their governments should be closely monitored for bioterrorist attacks.

This provides us with an excellent opportunity to discuss the political-economic theory that could be utilized for predicting a potential bioterrorist attack.  The purpose of this theory is to examine the political and economic confines in which a country interacts.  For instance, capitalism is not favorable to make third world nations or nations where this economic style and practice is inherently opposed to their natural system of beliefs.  In many cases, capitalism poses a threat to the way in which many cultures live and it is directly resisted and even attacked as a result.  Furthermore, democracy and equal rights presents two major philosophical problems for many of the countries around the world.  The stance that women are equal with men is not accepted everywhere around the world, which was a major concern in the most recent Presidential election for the United States as Hilary Clinton ran for office.  She is widely acknowledged as a powerful political actor in this democracy, but would also not be recognized throughout the world as a sovereign power.  For this reason, the country is a major target because many of these ideals are threatening the philosophy and political-economic practices throughout a majority of the world.  Therefore, countries that are inherently opposed to a particular way of life may be a viable victim for bioterrorist activity.  Furthermore, much of the attacks are likely o occur that would directly impact our government or economic infrastructure that would cause the most damage.

A medical interpretive point-of-view should also be analyzed in predicting such activity.  The reemergence of the swine flu has taught the world that many health systems are not prepared for genetically enhanced pathogens.  A long analysis should be conducted to determine previous health threats that may have long since been forgotten.  For instance, the text mentioned that the small pox vaccine actually kills one to two people for every 1 million that are inoculated (Joralemon 63).  Clearly, a similar disease pathogen that has disappeared where a vaccine may actually threaten the lives of those that are inoculated should also be considered.  It should be suggested that governments and societies conduct strong annual inventories of their current health supplies for possible bioterrorist attacks.  Furthermore, predicting theories such as those described here should be utilized to engage in preventative behavior that may allow political, environmental and medical changes or enhancements to reduce the impact of bioterrorist activity.

Works Cited

Joralemon, Donald. Exploring Medical Anthropology. Third ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2010.