Securitization and the US Response to the 2013-2016 Ebola Outbreak: More Than a Health Crisis

“Rich in detail about the responses to the West African Ebola outbreak and elegantly written, Jessica Kirk’s book is a welcome addition to the health securitization literature.”—Jeremy Youde, Dean, College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, University of Minnesota Duluth “Kirk’s nuanced analysis shines new light on the media, political, and public discourses that shaped the US’s Ebola response, and in turn its reactions to subsequent disease crises.”—Simon Rushton, Professor of Politics and International Relations, University of Sheffield “A compelling, must-read that squarely confronts the problem of global health security being about many things, but never the health of the most vulnerable. Kirk is an important voice in how we think about security in the world.”—Sophie Harman, Professor, Queen Mary University of London “Discussions about securitization in global health often revolve around frustratingly vague and unexamined claims. This book demonstrates how relevant and fruitful the analysis of securitization can be. Leaving no stones unturned, it delivers a detailed analysis of the US response to the West Africa Ebola outbreak. But it does more. By examining the interaction of discourses within securitization processes, the book reveals the contested and open-ended character of health security. Its analysis of the interplay between ideas, practices and material conditions raises the bar in securitization studies and in the global health literature more generally. I think the impact of this book will be lasting and wide-ranging.”—João Nunes, Senior Lecturer, International Relations, Director of Postgraduate Taught Programmes, Department of Politics, University of York