The Ins and Outs of Biosecurity: Bird 'flu in East Anglia and the Spatial Representation of Risk

Authors: Nerlich, Brigitte¹; Brown, Brian²; Wright, Nick³

Source: Sociologia Ruralis, Volume 49, Number 4, October 2009 , pp. 344-359(16)

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Abstract:

Avian influenza, or `bird 'flu' arrived in Norfolk in April 2006 in the form of the low pathogenic strain H7N3. In February 2007 a highly pathogenic strain, H5N1, which can pose a risk to humans, was discovered in Suffolk. We examine how a local newspaper reported the outbreaks, focusing on the linguistic framing of biosecurity. Consistent with the growing concern with securitisation among policymakers, issues were discussed in terms of space (indoor-outdoor; local-global; national-international) and flows (movement, barriers and vectors) between spaces (farms, sheds and countries). The apportioning of blame along the lines of `them and us'- Hungary and England - was tempered by the reporting on the Hungarian operations of the British poultry company. Explanations focused on indoor and outdoor farming and alleged breaches of biosecurity by the companies involved. As predicted by the idea of securitisation, risks were formulated as coming from outside the supposedly secure enclaves of poultry production.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9523.2009.00488.x

Affiliations: 1: Institute for Science and SocietyWest Wing, Law and Social Sciences BuildingUniversity Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK, Email: brigitte.nerlich@nottingham.ac.uk 2: De Montfort University, School of Applied Social SciencesHawthorn Building, The Gateway, Leicester LE1 9BH, UK 3: Centre for Applied Bioethics, School of BiosciencesThe University of NottinghamSutton Bonington CampusLoughborough Leicester, LE12 5RD, UK

Publication date: 2009-10-01