TY - JOUR
T1 - Coronavirus (COVID-19), pandemic psychology and the fractured society
T2 - a sociological case for critique, foresight and action
AU - Monaghan, Lee F.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness
PY - 2020/11
Y1 - 2020/11
N2 - In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and mass lockdowns that continue to shake the world, sociologists of health and illness have been advised to undertake research only when the time feels right and to avoid premature evaluation. Such advice makes sense, especially amidst an epidemic of interpretation that has resulted in substandard work. However, this contribution argues that when trying to understand and perhaps analyse early societal responses to COVID-19, medical sociology comprises a toolbox of ideas that are ‘good to think with’ and should not be ignored. Indeed, our community is well placed to make its presence felt sooner rather than later as we collectively live through a deepening critical situation. Divided into two sections, this piece first offers a critical appreciation of Philip Strong’s classic essay on ‘epidemic psychology’, noting some insights and posing research questions for pandemic times. Second, going from micro- to macro-sociological concerns, it builds on Graham Scambler’s calls for not only critique but also foresight and action within a ‘fractured society’ comprising class-generated fissures and tensions. Early interventions from other leading medical sociologists and publicly engaged intellectuals are also cited when asking ‘what sort of society are we heading towards and what sort of world do we want to share?’.
AB - In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and mass lockdowns that continue to shake the world, sociologists of health and illness have been advised to undertake research only when the time feels right and to avoid premature evaluation. Such advice makes sense, especially amidst an epidemic of interpretation that has resulted in substandard work. However, this contribution argues that when trying to understand and perhaps analyse early societal responses to COVID-19, medical sociology comprises a toolbox of ideas that are ‘good to think with’ and should not be ignored. Indeed, our community is well placed to make its presence felt sooner rather than later as we collectively live through a deepening critical situation. Divided into two sections, this piece first offers a critical appreciation of Philip Strong’s classic essay on ‘epidemic psychology’, noting some insights and posing research questions for pandemic times. Second, going from micro- to macro-sociological concerns, it builds on Graham Scambler’s calls for not only critique but also foresight and action within a ‘fractured society’ comprising class-generated fissures and tensions. Early interventions from other leading medical sociologists and publicly engaged intellectuals are also cited when asking ‘what sort of society are we heading towards and what sort of world do we want to share?’.
KW - COVID-19
KW - disaster capitalism
KW - inequality
KW - political economy
KW - social psychology
KW - sociology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85096691896&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/1467-9566.13202
DO - 10.1111/1467-9566.13202
M3 - Review article
C2 - 33156551
AN - SCOPUS:85096691896
SN - 0141-9889
VL - 42
SP - 1982
EP - 1995
JO - Sociology of Health and Illness
JF - Sociology of Health and Illness
IS - 8
ER -