Dispersed Destinies. Bio-politics after Deepwater Horizon

Swiss Diploma Thesis from the year 2012 in the subject Ethnology / Cultural Anthropology, grade: 1,5, University of Zurich (Ethnologisches Seminar der Universität Zürich), language: English, abstract: The story about the impacts of the Deepwater Horizons oil spill is one of ongoing health problems that will likely continue into the future. The fast dispersion of oil at the spill site is juxtaposed with the long-term health impacts caused by chemical exposure. People affected continue to fight for redress, demanding free treatment facilities and financial compensation. They build their claims on a damaged biological integrity, contesting notions of state and corporate responsibility. Worries about future chronic epidemics in the form of cancer are widespread. Posttraumatic stress shouldn¿t be neglected in this case, but neither should physical health problems. The impacts of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, which had tremendous outcomes on the people who worked in the clean up, is an example of how physical health impacts are an issue that need to be taken seriously.