COVID-19: Cultural Change and Institutional Adaptations

'This extraordinary volume edited by J. Michael Ryan examines very different and important issues regarding the social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic: consequences on health care workers, changes in the interaction order, the role of social stigma, paranoia and discrimination, ways of policing, social class and stratifications, the role of misinformation and fake news, the importance of culture, the role of the WHO, among others. The different edges of the problematic of social impact of the pandemic are analyzed in very consistent and original ways and each of the chapters contributes in a deeper understanding of the consequences of the COVID-19 crisis worldwide.'

Daniel Feierstein, Director of the Center of Genocide Studies, National University of Tres de Febrero, Argentina

'Taking readers inside the social and cultural changes fueled by the pandemic, COVID-19: Cultural Change and Institutional Adaptations brilliantly unravels the contradictions wrought by the pandemic whether in the travel sector, the economy, or the police. By deftly considering the acceleration of cultural change, each chapter offers a new discovery, the essays collectively gaining strength through their diverse and sometimes surprising perspectives. The book’s impressive global reach yields valuable insight from the deepening of casteism hidden behind the veil of social distancing in India to the fast and slow violence against Asian people in America, to the stress of health care workers in Poland. Refreshing too is the consideration of consumers of misinformation in terms of counterculture and subculture. Collectively, this group of social scientists has done much not only to help us understand but to move beyond the world of COVID-19. This book is a must-read for all those grappling with the deep impact of the pandemic on our institutional lives.'

Irene Gammel, Canada Research Chair in Modern Literature and Culture and Professor of English, Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada

'This book warrants considerable attention to anyone interested in the experienced cultural shifts due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The general theme running throughout this book is that of cultural changes, followed by institutional reactionary measures and different modes of adaptation. Various chapters deal with important and timely topics on both micro and macro shifts impacting lived experiences, including changes in the understanding of social class and social stigma. These topics are tied together by a general interest in making sense of the ‘syndemic’, that is, an understanding of the social, cultural, economic, political and environmental factors of the pandemic, beyond medical implications.'

Valerie Visanich, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, University of Malta, Malta