Body and immunization paradigm: reflections on territory, health and gender from the blood metaphor

Abstract

This work intends to contribute to the clarification of the human body position in the nation-state development between late nineteenth and early 20^th centuries, by means of blood metaphor as analytical reference. The modern states’ biopolitics and biopower apparatuses, engendered by the paradigm of immunization and through a mix of hygienist and eugenic theories blended with germ and gene languages, promoted an overlap of the nation frontier meanings beyond its territorial limits. Indeed, we believe that performing blood metaphor as a nation state comprehensive heuristic key could give new insights into the role of biopolitics-immune apparatuses in the national identity building. Actually, such apparatuses acting on the human bodies were integrated with certain former colonies nationalist schedules since theirs geographic territory to theirs citizens private life. In this context, a mixing of biomedical, scientific, politics and moral discourses grounded a set of behaviors, beliefs and knowingness about human body and territory that were involved in theirs nationalist projects.