Those people are our people

Press/Media: Expert Comment

Description

Article for the Belgian (Flemish) newspaper De Standaard. In a covid press conference the Minister-President of Flanders expressed his gratitude for the hard work of 'those people in hospitals'. His choice of words was telling. Talking of care workers as 'those people' is a mark of their not belonging to the policy maker' tribal we. Succesfull sportmen or CEOs are never called 'those' people. They are 'our sportsmen, 'our entrepreneurs who put us on the map'. In spite of easy expressions of gratitude, those who are called 'those' people, will remain the first targets of the following cut backs of neo-liberal austerity policies.

Period19 Nov 2021

Media contributions

1

Media contributions

  • TitleThose people are our people
    Degree of recognitionInternational
    Media name/outletDe Standaard
    Media typePrint
    Duration/Length/Size900 words
    Country/TerritoryBelgium
    Date19/11/21
    DescriptionArticle for the Belgian (Flemish) newspaper De Standaard. In a covid press conference the Minister-President of Flanders expressed his gratitude for the hard work of 'those people in hospitals'. His choice of words was telling. Talking of care workers as 'those people' is a mark of their not belonging to the policy maker' tribal we. Succesfull sportmen or CEOs are never called 'those' people. They are 'our sportsmen, 'our entrepreneurs who put us on the map'. In spite of easy expressions of gratitude, those who are called 'those' people, will remain the first targets of the following cut backs of neo-liberal austerity policies.
    Producer/AuthorTom Hannes
    URLhttps://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20211118_98002524
    PersonsTom Hannes

Keywords

  • covid
  • care workers
  • neo-liberalism
  • politics