Why has Political Attention

to Bioweapons Increased?

Katie Burke

Contents“Why has Political Attention to Bioweapons Increased?”

Context of a post-9/11 world

What are bioweapons?

Is there a risk of a bioweapon attack?

What measures have been put into place by Governments?

Why put these measures in place?

What is a risk society?

Context - Post 9/11

Globalisation

Increased availability of knowledge and communication

Crime also benefits from advancements

Absence of effective governance - internet (Wagley 2006)

‘New’ Terrorism: “premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against

noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents” (US Federal

Government)

Global reach

Innovative tactics

Diffused networks

Strong ideology (Zedner, 2010)

What do you think

bioweapons are?

–UN (2014)

“Biological weapons are complex systems that

disseminate disease-causing organisms or toxins to

harm or kill humans, animals or plants.”

-WHO (1970)

“Biological agents include those that depend for

their effects on multiplication within the target

organism, and are intended for use in war to cause

disease or death in man, animals or plants.”

Bioweapons

–CDC (2007)

“The deliberate release of viruses, bacteria, or other germs (agents)

used to cause illness or death in people, animals, or plants.”

“A biological attack is the intentional release of a pathogen…

against humans, plants, or animals. An attack against people could

be used to cause illness, death, fear, societal disruption, and

economic damage. An attack on agricultural plants and animals

would primarily cause economic damage, loss of confidence in the

food supply, and possible loss of life..”

- U.S. Department of Homeland Security (2004)

Bioterrorism

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JJ3hBd_Njs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cs-X_dVSuwE

Is there a Risk of a Bioweapon Attack?

Overall very little risk

Two types of weapon: Weapon of Mass Destruction(/Death) and Terror

Weapon

Norm against WMD from state-actors particularly because of BWC

Terrorists interested but there’s a belief it will hurt their political agenda

(recruitment) and there is a better return on explosives

“Biological terror seems particularly difficult for people” (Lentzos 2014)

Biothreat greater than a nuclear attack due to accessibility of material

Need for highly skilled individual(s) but no need for biodefence lab

Fear of complacency

What measures are in place?

National - USA Focus

Bioterrorism Act 2002

Bioterrorism Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP)

Proposed Model State Emergency Health Powers Act 2001 (MSEHPA 2001)

CDC and Homeland Security Guidelines

International

UN

1925 Geneva Procol

Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) 1972

WHO

Australia Group

EU - AniBioThreat

Given that there is a low risk why have

these measures been put into place?

Risk Society (Ulrich Beck)

It is about what might be happening - not what the risk actually is.

Risk vs. Catastrophe

Known risks, unknown risks, unknown-unknown risks

Risk society is within Dillon’s (1996) “politics of (in)security”

Increasingly about managing risk - requires action

Absence of perceived danger in future equally about faulty risk assessment

and successful risk management

Lupton - governmental strategy for regulating power by monitoring and

managing populations

Translational responses are the only effective responses

Thank you for listening