Borderless disease
Harris Ali
Chapter in Edited Book, 2018
Ali, S. H. (2018). Borderless disease. In G. Ritzer (Ed.), The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology. Wiley-Blackwell.
Borderless diseases refer to those infectious disease agents that exhibit considerable global mobility. In particular, the increased speed of travel, a greater degree of human migration, intensified urbanization, and increasing human encroachment on untouched natural habitats have all enhanced the potential for pathogens to spread internationally in very short periods of time. In common with other transboundary issues, such as environmental pollution, international terrorism, and the international trade in narcotic drugs, the management of infectious disease spread is challenging because programs and policies aimed at disease containment necessarily implicate a myriad of other issues, especially those related to the ability of sovereign states to govern autonomously, border regulation, the tension between ensuring free trade while protecting public health, and balancing the rights of the individual versus those of the collective.