Society's ‘New Normal’? The Role of Discourse in Surveillance and Silencing of Dissent During and Post Covid-19

Abstract

Within the historical materialist tradition, communication is principally understood to occur in concrete social contexts which are continually shifting in real socio-historical environments. Such a view of language and communication enables for an examination of media narratives in fast changing political landscapes surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic, in particular the manner in which normalisation of the discourses of surveillance takes place in the time of the health crisis. In examining surveillance practices and silencing of dissent in capitalism, we point to the dangers of a newly emergent narrative of the ‘new normal’ which threatens a violation of human rights and civil liberties.

Keywords: surveillance, discourse, history writing, historical materialism, Marxism, media narrative