Deconstructing the tuberculosis 'threat' from 1946-1985

• Main Author: Goh, Zhao Jie
• Other Authors: Park Hyung Wook
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2019
• Subjects: DRNTU::Humanities::History::Asia::Singapore
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/76652
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Tuberculosis is often perceived as a disease of the past and has been all but eliminated. Therefore, the resurgence of tuberculosis in recent times comes as a surprise to many. This dissertation suggests that tuberculosis had never vanished but had been merely reframed to concern certain groups of individuals who are perceived as tuberculosis ‘threats’. Through the deconstruction of what constituted tuberculosis “threats” after the Japanese Occupation, this dissertation finds that the idea of threat was constantly being redefined by medical professionals and government bodies who have distilled a singular narrative for the population to consume. The dissertation encourages one to re-evaluate how they view diseases in relation to society. Critical analysis of medical information via mass media can also be deconstructed to uncover blatant lies and new truths.