The Covid-19 pandemic presents the profoundest public health and economic crisis of our times. The seemingly impossible has happened: borders have closed, nations have locked down, and individuals have socially isolated for the collective good. We find ourselves involved in an unprecedented social experiment. This living laboratory is ripe for sociological analysis. In this introductory article, we provide a broad sociology of Covid-19, paying attention to the production of pandemics and the creation of vulnerabilities. We acknowledge the dystopian elements of the pandemic: it will provide opportunities for ‘disaster capitalists’ to profit, it will enhance certain forms of surveillance, and it will impact some constituencies far more negatively than others (here we pay particular attention to the pandemic’s gendered consequences). Yet there are also resources for hope. We are witnessing altruistic acts the world over, as mutual aid groups form to render assistance where needed. Notions of welfare reform, progressive taxation, nationalisation and universal basic income now seem more politically palatable. Some even predict the imminent demise of neoliberalism. While this may be too hopeful, reactions to the pandemic thus far do at least demonstrate that other ways of living are within our grasp. As Arundhati Roy has said: the virus is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next.

中文翻译：

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Covid-19的社会学

Covid-19 大流行是我们这个时代最严重的公共卫生和经济危机。看似不可能的事情发生了：边界关闭，国家封锁，个人为了集体利益而在社会上孤立。我们发现自己卷入了一场前所未有的社会实验。这个活的实验室进行社会学分析的时机已经成熟。在这篇介绍性文章中，我们提供了 Covid-19 的广泛社会学，关注流行病的产生和漏洞的产生。我们承认大流行的反乌托邦元素：它将为“灾难资本家”提供获利的机会，它将加强某些形式的监视，并且它将对某些选区的影响远远超过其他选区（这里我们特别关注大流行的性别化结果）。然而，也有希望的资源。我们正在目睹世界各地的利他行为，因为互助团体成立以在需要时提供援助。福利改革、累进税制、国有化和普遍基本收入的概念现在在政治上似乎更受欢迎。有些人甚至预测新自由主义即将消亡。虽然这可能过于乐观，但迄今为止对大流行的反应至少表明，我们可以掌握其他生活方式。正如 Arundhati Roy 所说：病毒是一个门户，是一个世界和另一个世界之间的门户。有些人甚至预测新自由主义即将消亡。虽然这可能过于乐观，但迄今为止对大流行的反应至少表明，我们可以掌握其他生活方式。正如 Arundhati Roy 所说：病毒是一个门户，是一个世界和另一个世界之间的门户。有些人甚至预测新自由主义即将消亡。虽然这可能过于乐观，但迄今为止对大流行的反应至少表明，我们可以掌握其他生活方式。正如 Arundhati Roy 所说：病毒是一个门户，是一个世界和另一个世界之间的门户。