Biopower and the construction of an ethnic disease (based on the example of the Kashubians)

Abstract

The notion of biopower signifies managing populations by regulating and controlling life-related processes. This power medicalizes society, and in the age of genetics, a unique role is played by genetic research, which has led to the discovery of new diseases, one of them being the LCHAD enzyme deficiency, which is relatively common in the Kashubian population. In this case study, I present the process of constructing this rare genetic disease into an ethnic disease. I argue that a significant role in this was played by doctors and journalists who, using cultural capital, symbolic violence, and the power wielded by news media, spread the term “Kashubian gene,” suggesting that it is a common disease in this ethnic-regional group. Despite adverse effects, the hype has also yielded some positive consequences: it contributed to introducing newborn screening tests aimed at diagnosing the disease, thus saving human lives.