COVID Communication : Exploring Pandemic Discourse

This book focuses on how we understand COVID-19―medically, socially, and rhetorically. Given the expectation that other flu pandemics will occur, it stresses the importance of examining how the public response is shaped in the face of global health emergencies. It considers questions such as how can pandemic language both limit and expand our understanding of disease as biomedical, social, and experiential? In what ways can health communication be improved through the study and application of rhetoric and the health humanities? COVID Communication fills a gap in the pandemic literature by promoting interdisciplinary analysis of communication methods, realized through a health humanities approach. It centers human experience and culture within conversations about the biological reality of a pandemic. This volume will be a welcome contribution to the scientific investigations and practice of psychology and public health professionals. Interdisciplinary perspective New insights on how a pandemic is understood Highlights the relevance to important usually neglected relevance for psychology and public health professionals Endorsements of COVID Communication “In an era of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, COVID Communication provides a smart, urgent alternative to our collective downward spiral, not only offering a fiery critique of our selfish and self-destructive present but also providing galvanizing, positive visions of what futures we might hope for.” ― Shailendra Saxena, King George’s Medical University, India; editor of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Therapeutics “ COVID Communication shows that the pandemic affects us not only because it makes us sick or ruins our economy, but also because of how it is spoken, written, and thought about, ultimately because of how it is socially constructed. An original and very necessary look to arm ourselves intellectually against the pandemic.” ― Alberto del Campo Tejedor, Pablo de Olavide University, Spain; author of La infame fama del andaluz “The COVID-19 pandemic represented a global challenge that needed nations and their people to come together, find a joint response, and build a narrative that was clear, consistent, inclusive, and respectful of people. The reality, however, is that the responses to the pandemic reflected the ideologies of national leaders, political leaders, media outlets, and activists, leading to a fragmented and at times polarized global discourse. This important work examines the different narratives that circulated within the information environment to explore how these may have led to differing levels of trust in politicians, in science, and in one another. Through an analysis of rhetoric across diverse nations and platforms, the chapters provide a framework that is crucial for understanding the interplay between discourse, cognition, and behavior.” ― Darren Lilleker, Bournemouth University, UK; co-editor of Political Communication and COVID-19: Governance and Rhetoric in Times of Crisis “This book presents a collection of must-read scholarly chapters that illustrate a panoramic view of how people from different countries and cultures communicate about this global pandemic. These chapters paint a rich canvas of thoughts, emotions, reactions, and actions through communication expressions, ranging from intuitive rhetoric and probing cartoons to emotional memes and creative advertising. The book is a great resource for aiding health communication scholars, instructors, professionals, journalists, and students in enhancing their COVID-19 research, teaching, practice, reporting, and learning.” ― Carolyn A. Lin, University of Connecticut, USA; co-editor of Communication Technology and Social Change: Theory and Implications “In an era of cultural anxiety caused by the global pandemic and social unrest, COVID Communication could not be timelier. Presenting broad cross-cultural and multi-modal perspectives on media portrayals of the illness that has caused so much suffering and uncertainty, this insightful book offers a ‘rhetorical toolkit’ that gives us tools to navigate the maze of modern communication with a deeper understanding of the power of language in the time of social media. It is a perfect resource for classes on media literacy, while it is useful to anyone who wants to become a more active, independent, and secure consumer of the media in the age of information abundance.” ― Katja Plemenitaš, University of Maribor, Slovenia; co-author of Josip Hutter and the Dwelling Culture of Maribor “COVID-19, as a disaster and series of converging crises, has forever shaped society. COVID Communication offers an easy-to-read, unparalleled academic-practitioner focus to help understand the cultural, social, economic, political, community health, and personal risk assessment aspects of communication during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, in a ground- breaking analysis that enhances the rich intellectual tradition of the field of communications, each chapter in COVID Communication offers readers the opportunity to view multiple media sources and approaches that engender a deeper understanding of health information and communication during and after COVID-19 and its ensuing crises.” ― DeMond S. Miller, Rowan University, USA; co-editor of Community Disaster Recovery and Resiliency: Exploring Global Opportunities and Challenges “With its twenty-one chapters exploring a wide spectrum of issues ranging from individual and social responses to the global coronavirus breakout to the divergent narrative patterns identified from various countries, COVID Communication is indeed a timely and significant guide to understanding the recent pandemic. The collection makes the reader realize and acknowledge the multitude of complex, intersecting factors and processes that are relevant to comprehend the coronavirus pandemic and to cope with its various representations.” ― Şemsettin Tabur, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Turkey; author of Contested Spaces in Contemporary North American Novels: Reading for Space Preface 8 Contents 10 Contributors 13 Chapter 1: Introduction: The Rhetoric of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Investigating Health Literacy and Disease Knowledge 19 A Public Health Emergency 19 COVID-19 20 Pandemic Rhetoric 21 Health/Medical Humanities, Rhetorics of Science, Technology, Health, and Medicine 23 The Current Volume 25 Pandemic Constructions 25 Visual Discourse 27 Pandemic Communities 28 Discourses of Dissent 30 References 32 Part I: Political and Media Discourses: Pandemic Constructions 34 Chapter 2: The Rhetoric of Pandemics: Health, Politics, and the Public 35 Introduction 35 The WHO and the Pandemic Definition Problem 36 Pandemics in Politics: President Trump’s Response 39 Social Media Engagements with #Pandemic 41 The Uncertainty of Pandemic 43 References 43 Chapter 3: Rhetorical Media Devices and COVID-19: Comparing U.S. News and Social Media Responses to National Events Since 9/11 46 Devices, 9/11, Cable News, and COVID-19 47 Journalistic Devices and Cognitive Bias 49 Rhetorical Exhaustion, Trolls, and Social Media Irony 52 Discussion 53 References 54 Chapter 4: COVID-19 as Metaphor: Fighting the Virus of Racism, Becoming the Vaccine 56 The Fight, the Grey Rhino, the Perfect Storm 57 Metaphor Makes the Unknown Known 59 Demonstrating Metaphorical Ills in the Body Politic 61 Nature Is Healing, We Are the Virus 63 The Virus of Racism 65 Associative Animals: Fighting or Playing Chess? 68 References 69 Chapter 5: Tweeting the Pandemic Away: A Look at How Academics, Activists, Politicians, and the Media Interact with the Public on Twitter 76 Introduction 76 Literature Review 77 Research Methods 78 Analysis 82 The Media and Politicians 85 QAnon 86 Discussion and Conclusion 86 References 87 Chapter 6: Textual Analysis of Cartoons on Nigerian Politicians’ Reactions to COVID-19 Pandemic on Social Media 89 Introduction 89 Social Media and Political Discourse in Nigeria 91 Cartoons as Communicative Media 92 Use of Cartoons as Political Tools 92 Theoretical Framework 93 Methodology 94 Analysis 94 Discussions 98 Conclusion 99 References 99 Part II: Visual Discourse: Pandemic Information Distribution 101 Chapter 7: The Rhetoric of Visual Representations: Visualizing the COVID-19 Pandemic in Polish Media 102 Literature Review 103 Methods 105 Intercoder Reliability 106 Results 106 Discussion 107 Limitations 110 References 111 Chapter 8: Countering the Infodemic through Comics: COVID-19 and Graphic Medicine 113 COVID-19: The Pandemic-Turned-Infodemic 113 Graphic Medicine and Healthcare 114 The Edifying Role of Graphic Medicine 116 The Sly Hues of the Infodemic: Choice of Colors in Health Educational Comics 119 Conclusion 121 References 122 Chapter 9: This Is What Pandemic Looks Like: Visual Framing of COVID-19 on Search Engines 124 Theoretical Background 126 Methodology 127 Data Collection 127 Data Analysis 128 Findings 128 Conclusions 131 References 133 Chapter 10: Advertising in the Time of COVID-19: A Thematic and Social Engagement Analysis of Messages and Consumer Feedback 135 Introduction 135 Uses and Gratifications in Consumption of Pandemic Advertisements 136 Social Media Influence on COVID-19 Advertisements 136 Thematic and Social Media Analysis of Pandemic Advertisements 137 Methodology 137 Cognitive Needs and Safety, Security, and Sales Promotion Advertisements 138 Empathetic Needs and Emotionally Supportive Advertisements 140 Socially Integrative Needs and Community Connection Advertisements 142 Summary 144 Future Directions 145 References 146 Part III: Discourses of Inclusion/Exclusion: Pandemic Communities 148 Chapter 11: Self-Isolation and Consubstantiality: COVID-19 Terminology and Collective Identity 149 Identification, Persuasion, and Consubstantiality 150 Actions of Unity 153 Actions of Division 155 Conclusion 158 References 158 Chapter 12: Personifying Coronavirus Through Social Media 161 The (Most) Mediatized Pandemic 162 A Solitary Invader 163 Something Between Frankenstein and Shrek 163 A Swarm of Visitors 165 When Human and Virus Meet 167 Conclusion 168 References 169 Chapter 13: Social Distancing as Border Performance 170 Social Distancing Constrains Borders 170 Borders Are Performances 171 Border Performances on Twitter 172 Masks as Border Transversal(s) 175 Disinformation Architecture on Twitter 176 References 178 Chapter 14: Social Distancing from COVID-19 by Buying Toilet Paper: Critiquing “Self-Protective” Consumerism Through Memes 180 Introduction 180 The Great Toilet Paper Panic and Consumption 181 The Meme Analysis 182 Consumption and Nostalgia 182 The Perceived Worth of Toilet Paper 184 The Use of Alternatives 185 A Critique of Consumer Practices 187 Toilet Paper as a Means of Protection 188 Conclusion 192 References 193 Chapter 15: Unmasking the Pandemic: Self, Other, and the Mask as a Visual Signifier of COVID-19 195 Introduction 195 On or Off: Masks in the Public 196 Unmasking Local Power Paradoxes Within Globalized Agricultural Practices 198 N95: The Abject, The Carnivalesque, The Supplement 199 To Prevent Something From Being Seen or Noticed 199 A Covering for All or Part of the Face that Protects, Hides, or Decorates the Person Wearing It 200 Appearance or Behavior That Hides the Truth 200 Unmasked: Unseen Ubiquity 201 Conclusions and Considerations 203 References 203 Chapter 16: Going Corona-Viral with a Bilateral Phenomenon of Laughter: Othering and Prejudice in Memes Depicting (Early) Reactions to COVID-19 205 Introduction 205 Social Stigma and Social Distancing 206 Virus Reactions in Literature and Media 207 Socio-critical Reflections of Memes in Media 209 The Meme Analysis 210 Chinese Coronavirus Memes 210 Italian Coronavirus Memes 213 Mexican Coronavirus Memes 217 Conclusion 221 References 222 Part IV: Discourses of Dissent: Pandemic Reactions to Misinformation 226 Chapter 17: Varieties of Church Pandemic Literacy During the 1918 and 2020 Epidemics 227 References 234 Chapter 18: “Some of you may die, but it’s a sacrifice I am willing to make”: Memes and the Social Media Critique by the UK Public in Response to COVID-19 236 Introduction 236 Memes and Public Policy 237 Methodology 238 “Some of you may die, but it’s a sacrifice I am willing to make” 239 #GetWellSoonBoris 240 From Trolls to Public Discourse 242 References 243 Chapter 19: Don’t Hold Your Breath: Motives and Anxiety in Facebook COVID-19 Viral Shares 245 Introduction: The Breathing Test and Medical Credibility 245 Social Media and the Sharing of Misinformation 247 Efforts to Halt Hoax Transmission 248 The Perceived Value of Fake Ethos Claims 250 Conclusion 253 References 253 Chapter 20: Idols of COVID-19: Francis Bacon and the Pandemic of 2020 256 References 263 Chapter 21: The Epic Spectator Meets the War on the Coronavirus 266 References 275 Index 277