Securitizing Health and Suppressing Democracy: COVID-19 Policy Measures and Political Implications

Juni Bahuguna began her role as Assistant Director, Student & Visitor Programs at CASI in January 2023. Previously, she'd served as Administrative Coordinator at CASI since August 2021. Prior to CASI, she worked as a teacher's assistant in north Philadelphia, where she managed a classroom of high-energy children, tailoring activities to stimulate and engage their young minds as they progressed.
Nafis Aziz Hasan is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Amsterdam. Previously, he was a Postdoctoral Research Scholar at Florida State University and a CASI Postdoctoral Research Fellow (2021-22).
Building on already worrying dynamics, misinformation has abounded on Indian social media since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Claims that the virus was deliberately spread, or that minority groups are conspiring to accelerate its spread, have been common. Recommendations for miracle cures have also dominated online spaces, with fact-checkers debunking an unprecedented amount of false remedies.