Pandemic and Face: The Blind Spots and Limits of Agamben’s Political Philosophy

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine the blind spots and limits of Giorgio Agamben’s political philosophy, which were recognized in a series of debates caused by himself during the COVID-19 pandemic situation. The controversy was brought about by the core concepts of Agamben’s political philosophy. He criticized the government-led containment measures and quarantine guidelines as deriving individual citizens of their right of freedom. The problem underlying his concepts is that he only focuses on the abstract conceptual universality of humanity and politics, ignoring their historical conditions and contexts. Moreover, he employs the politico-philosophical significance of particular historical events as a tool for philosophical abstraction. He also disregards the various factors and causes by which the COVID-19 pandemic is conditioned and contextualized, failing to overcome the dichotomy of domination and oppression. As a consequence, he cannot recognize or explain the various and complex problems with regard to the working of state power. In particular, the concept of face is predicated upon the universal and abstract concept of politics itself, which proves the blind spots and limits of Agamben’s humanism and reductionism.