Pandemic Response and the Cost of Lockdowns

Global Debates from Humanities and Social Sciences

Yossi Nehushtan editor Sinéad Murphy editor Peter Sutoris editor Aleida Mendes Borges editor

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd

Published:30th Nov '22

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Pandemic Response and the Cost of Lockdowns cover

This book critically examines the political decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the implications of lockdowns and the neglect of humanities and social sciences. Pandemic Response and the Cost of Lockdowns offers valuable insights for future policymaking.

The book Pandemic Response and the Cost of Lockdowns employs a comprehensive analytical framework from the humanities and social sciences to scrutinize the political decisions made during the tumultuous years of 2020 and 2021. It emphasizes the need for a critical examination of the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly the swift implementation of lockdown measures that often lacked thorough debate or consideration of their broader implications.

Throughout Pandemic Response and the Cost of Lockdowns, the authors argue that while governments claimed to follow scientific guidance, they frequently overlooked the insights offered by humanities and social sciences. This neglect is indicative of a longstanding trend where these disciplines have been marginalized in policy discussions, leading to significant consequences during the pandemic. The book highlights how this oversight not only affected public health responses but also the socio-economic fabric of societies worldwide.

Furthermore, this interdisciplinary work advocates for a future where the complexities of power dynamics, societal biases, and the multifaceted nature of crises are acknowledged and integrated into decision-making processes. By showcasing the value of humanities and social sciences in navigating global emergencies, Pandemic Response and the Cost of Lockdowns serves as a crucial resource for students, scholars, and policymakers, urging them to learn from past mistakes and to embrace a more holistic approach in the future.

"This is an important book, which will become required reading for scholars and students of pandemic lockdowns. It is the first volume to offer a genuinely interdisciplinary approach from the humanities and social sciences which addresses as a totality the humanistic and social costs of lockdowns. By the end of the book, the reader is in no doubt that, had perspectives from the humanities and social sciences been incorporated into the pandemic response, the response would have been materially different – and this shift in perspective is a huge achievement."

Toby Green, King's College London, UK

"This is an important contribution to issues which are being swept under the carpet – an impressive demolition of the social and moral case for lockdowns and a reminder of their devastating collateral consequences."

Lord Jonathan Sumption, former judge of the Supreme Court of the UK

"Social scientists were not just ignored during the COVID-19 pandemic but typically silent or even supportive of measures that inflicted enormous harm. This important volume starts to correct this tragedy, ranging widely across disciplines and societies to explore questions of scientism, moralism, freedom, harm, and more. Essential reading for anyone longing for critical perspectives on the disasters that unfolded after March 2020."

Lee Jones, Professor of Political Economy and International Relations, Queen Mary University of London, UK

"A thought-provoking set of essays which go well beyond standard criticisms of the pandemic response, investigating the deeper harms and questioning our understanding of concepts such as health and immunity, as well as being one of the rare texts to document the effects of pandemic policies on the Global South."

Sunetra Gupta, Professor of Theoretical Epidemiology in the Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, UK

ISBN: 9781032194714

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 621g

236 pages