Thinking about Pandemic and War: Meanings, Discourses, Perspectives [Ragionando su pandemia e guerra: significati, discorsi, prospettive]

Thinking about Pandemic and War: Meanings, Discourses, Perspectives Abstract: Is there a common language between “pandemic” and “war”? We are still in the middle of a pandemic crisis and, at the same time, in the heart of Europe, a new war has broken out. Given this premise, this paper will propose a path of analysis to identify possible common elements and conceptual differences between pandemic and war. In particular, the discourses relating to the two terms considered, the linguistic tools used and the functions with which they are used will be critically examined. Finally, some considerations will be proposed regarding the role of scholars during and after a catastrophic event, such as a pandemic or war, and their responsibility, for the reflections and decisions that must be taken, especially with a view to the future.