Resumo

FERNANDEZ-PONCELA, Anna María. Epidemic of rumors: expression of fears, risks and distrust. Convergencia [online]. 2014, vol.21, n.65, pp.193-218. ISSN 2448-5799.

This text focuses on the review of some features of contemporary society: risk and uncertainty, the fear of humanity in general, and the culture of mistrust, particularly in Mexico. This is part of the precedents of the effervescence of rumors as a cultural and emotional story, the pandemic of AH1N1 flu in the year 2009 in Mexico. It is intended to show how rumors are the product of a concrete society and at the same time a social construction of said society. In this case, the result from specific existential and local ancestral fears and global contemporary risks: distrust in governmental authorities, fear of an American invasion and fear toward the international pharmaceutical industry are the most noticeable examples in this case study.

Palavras-chave : risk; uncertainty; mistrust; fear; rumor.

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