This open access book provides a multidisciplinary examination of the governance of the human body in the post-pandemic public health landscape. It delves into how the body is regulated, policed, protected, and politicized in times of emergency, drawing on the expertise of a wide range of scholars—including experts in public, health, and comparative law, as well as philosophers, sociologists of law, and specialists in biopolitics, complexity theory, systems theory, and the history of medicine. At its core is the idea of the body as a contested site, subject to legal control, political intervention, and societal scrutiny during public health emergencies. Through the examination of issues like consent, surveillance, the marginalization of vulnerable groups, and the intersections of gender and health, the book critically assesses how emergency measures have not only challenged but reshaped our understanding of freedom, citizenship, and social norms. It interrogates the state’s role in governing health and bodies, analyzing contemporary legal debates and philosophical inquiries about the boundary between “normality” and “crisis”, and how this impacts democracy, rights, and the rule of law.

By grounding its analysis within historical and theoretical frameworks, the book traces the evolution of health crisis governance and reflects on lessons for present and future challenges. Its interdisciplinary approach offers both deep theoretical insights and timely analysis of the current health landscape. Ultimately, the book challenges readers to rethink how we address health crises, the legal frameworks that emerge, and their broader societal implications. 

Mauro Balestrieri, is Associate Professor of Comparative Law at the University of Turin. His research explores comparative jurisprudence, legal theory, and the cultural and historical formation of legal institutions. He is co-author of Quantitative Methods in Comparative Law (Edward Elgar, 2023) and co-editor of The Grand Strategy of Comparative Law (Routledge, 2024).

Alice Cauduro, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Administrative Law at the Department of Law, University of Turin, where she teaches Health Law and Pharmaceutical Administrative Law. Her research specializes in health and pharmaceutical law, with particular emphasis on regulatory transparency, public participation, and access to information, especially within the medical field. Dr. Cauduro is a frequent speaker at academic conferences and has contributed to national television programs and medical journals. She is actively involved in interdisciplinary research groups, serves on several editorial boards, and has published extensively on issues of pharmaceutical law and access to medicines. In 2024, she undertook a research period at the Law, Medicines and Life Sciences Centre in Cambridge, UK, focusing on the governance of medicine costs in the UK and Italy.