Women, Work and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Paving the Path Forward

This paper focuses on the pandemic's impact on women's participation in the economy. The author outlines the various barriers to the full and equal participation of women in the Indian economy such as the gender division of labour which requires women to shoulder the burden of unpaid domestic work, the occupational segregation of the labour market, gender-blind development policies, regressive social norms and patriarchal attitudes. The challenge facing women only increased with the pandemic which led to large numbers of women dropping out of the workforce. The author suggests that in the immediate future the State has a crucial role in redressing this injustice. In the longer term, she calls for rethinking the dominant models of development that pursue economic growth and rise in GDP as the panacea for all problems. Such models have given rise to the rampant exploitation of labour, among whom women are the most vulnerable. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023.

ANALYSIS OF THE INCIDENCE OF COVID-19 IN ORGANIZED MILITARY COLLECTIVES OF VARIOUS TYPES

Against the background of the global spread of the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, the prevention of infections with airborne mechanisms of transmission has become a priority in the Armed Forces. The development of effective COVID-19 prevention measures requires consideration of the peculiarities of military service and everyday life due to the inability of organized military collectives to comply with the requirements of the lockdown regime introduced at the peak of morbidity by the civilian health system. The patterns of incidence of COVID-19 in military personnel of the Western Military District in organized military collectives were studied in relation to the conditions of training and combat activities and the characteristics of military service. It was found that the dynamics of the incidence of COVID-19 among military personnel of the Western Military District in 2020–2021 exhibited a wave-like character and included four epidemic rises that coincided with epidemic waves among the civilian population. At the same time, from April to December 2020, the morbidity rate in military personnel was significantly higher than that in the general population, and from January to December 2021 against the background of mass vaccination of military personnel against COVID-19, the incidence rate in military personnel decreased by 50% relative to that in the general population. The effectiveness of anti-epidemic measures has increased significantly in recent months. The average number of patients in the epidemic outbreak decreased by 46.3%, the average duration of the outbreak decreased by 12.4%, and the proportion of group morbidity in the structure of the overall incidence of COVID-19 decreased by 19.8%. It is shown that the incidence of COVID-19 in various types of military collectives depends on the conditions of military service and the specifics of daily activities. The highest epidemiological significance of COVID-19 was detected in military units of constant readiness, as well as in medical and military educational organizations. © 2023 Nutritec. All rights reserved.

Housing Activism and Urban Space during the Covid19 Pandemic. Research Notes on the Bairro of Arroios, Lisbon

This paper presents some research notes from an on-going project on housing activism in Lisbon in the last decade, describing its ascendant trajectory (2012-2019) and the impact that the Covid epidemic had on the local activist community (2020-2022). In particular, the paper focuses on two of the main protagonists of local housing activism, the association Habita and the collective Stop Despejos, and on the relation that they have developed in time with an ecosystem (of sites, groups, projects) that have developed in the last ten years in the neighbourhood of Arroios, which have found a characteristic spatial infrastructure in the coletividades (a Portuguese expression that identifies spaces managed by no-profit associations or collectives). The paper examines this relation against the background of two bodies of literature, namely contributions that have examined (i) the nexus between collective action and space and (ii) the different forms of political agency represented by the conceptual pole of "contentious" and "everyday politics". This research is based on extensive data collection (through ethnographic notes, documental analysis, and in-depth interviews, 2020-2022) and on the authors' status of insiders in the process observed.

Antecedents of agriculture supply chain performance during COVID-19: an emerging economy perspective

COVID-19 led to several complications like labor shortage, inadequate availability of supply chain facilities, price fluctuation, panic behavior, and uncertainty. Despite the challenges, the farmers and stakeholders adopted different strategies for sustaining the agricultural supply chain performance. Hence, the study proposes to explore the antecedents that led to the ASC performance and their linkages. The study combines literature review and qualitative methods to understand and recognize antecedents that impact ASC performance in developing countries. The conceptual model is built with the underpinning theory (the theory of commitment and organization). A quantitative survey follows the study to validate the theoretical model empirically using covariance-based structure equation modeling (AMOS). The ASC performance in the earlier phase of COVID-19 was disrupted. With time, ASC performance was managed by linking different antecedents. The findings reveal the application and linkage of organization theory and theory of commitment which led to ASC performance. The study finds a unique contribution among academia and practitioners by paving directions to manage the uncertainty during COVID-19 and any such risk triggers in the future. The study offers essential insights for practitioners and policymakers to develop a road map for ASC during the calamities.

La construction de l'action collective solidaire en contexte pandémique

Par son intensité, la pandémie de Covid-19 a révélé la vulnérabilité des organisations tout en témoignant de capacités de réponses collectives imprévues. Cet article montre que le contexte extrême a engendré de multiples ruptures, mais aussi des improvisations collectives, propices à l'expérimentation et à l'apprentissage, portées par des valeurs de solidarité.Alternate :The intensity of the Covid-19 pandemic revealed the vulnerability of organisations, while at the same time demonstrating unforeseen collective response capacities. This article shows that the extreme context generated multiple disruptions, but also collective improvisations, conducive to experimentation and learning, supported by values of solidarity.

The humanitarian catastrophe and the centrality of the social: Collective health surveillance and horizontal solidarity networks in Rio de Janeiro favelas during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This article approaches the emergence of social subjects - associativism - and the formation of horizontal circuits of solidarity, both of which were decisive processes for saving lives in favelas and suburbs in Rio de Janeiro during the Covid-19 pandemic.The impact of the pandemic has been enormous collective trauma that accentuated the collapse of health surveillance systems and generated a catastrophe and humanitarian crisis in the city. Solidarity and local collective cooperation processes had decisive effects as a new protagonism, generating synergy with health actions and social programmes. They contributed decisively to actions that made forms of immunological protection, food security, and access to basic care possible in adverse contexts with weak policies and severe limitations for social isolation.Highlighting the importance of collective health surveillance and assistance actions from local associations, this paper discusses public health actions in the favela territories that demonstrate how communities, universities, public officials, and public health networks can develop policies and projects to confront Covid-19 in the favelas.

The social landscape after the pandemic crisis in Southern European societies

The COVID-19 pandemic has become one of critical junctures of our times. The social sciences, and sociology in particular, are making important efforts to understand how the crisis is evolving and to foresee how our societies may be affected. The impacts of the crisis are unevenly distributed among geographic areas, activity sectors and social collectives. In particular, several areas of Europe have been affected in distinctive ways. This special issue is dedicated to investigating a range of social effects in Southern Europe with a focus on the "social landscape" that is emerging post-crisis. The background assumption of this editorial and the articles in this special issue is that socioeconomic conditions, social arrangements, and institutions have shaped the social impact of the pandemic, together with the capacities to react in the public sphere and citizens' resilience. Southern European countries are a strategic research site for observing such effects, because of their distinctive social configurations. The five articles in the special issue study in detail the hidden unemployment in vulnerable collectives, the reactions expressed on digital social networks, the effects on and collective action of cultural workers and artists, health perception during confinement, and social innovation related to caring for childhood. Some contributions are of a comparative nature and look at several countries. Others focus on specific countries and regions. They provide key insights for understanding the social significance of the pandemic and the peculiarities of Southern Europe.

COVID-19–a crisis of care and what we can learn from the SEWA experience in India

As women across the globe continue to be overburdened with child-care responsibilities owing to the closure of institutional child-care facilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this paper attempts to posit a viable disaster-resilient model through the idea of community-based care infrastructure. Based on research conducted among parents from low-income groups, whose children attended child-care centres run by Sangini Co-operative of Self-employed women's association (SEWA) in Gujarat in western India, this paper wants to highlight the spontaneity with which the Cooperative responded to the pandemic, underlining the efficacy of community-based interventions in times of crisis. This paper argues that solidarity between care workers and the larger community is only likely to increase during times of crisis, which makes community-based solutions an integral part of addressing future care emergencies. © 2022 Oxfam KEDV.

Control and Insecurity in Australian and Canadian Universities during the COVID-19 Pandemic

We studied 14 universities across Canada and Australia to examine how the COVID-19 crisis, mediated through management strategies and conflict over financial control in higher education, influenced workers’ job security and affective outcomes like stress and happiness. The countries differed in their institutional frameworks, their union density, their embeddedness in neoliberalism and their negotiation patterns. Management strategies also differed between universities. Employee outcomes were influenced by differences in union involvement. Labour cost reductions negotiated with unions could improve financial outcomes, but, even in a crisis, management might not be willing to forego absolute control over finance, and it was not the depth of the crisis that shaped management decisions. Alternate :Cette étude examine comment la pandémie de COVID-19 et les stratégies mises en oeuvre par la gestion universitaire ont influencé la sécurité d'emploi, le stress et le bonheur des travailleurs de l'enseignement supérieur. Les données quantitatives et qualitatives primaires proviennent d'une enquête menée dans quatorze universités en Australie et au Canada, complétée par des recherches secondaires. L'analyse examine les réponses des institutions et des travailleurs à la pandémie, ainsi que les conflits qui en résultent en matière de contrôle financier et ce, tant aux niveaux macro (secteur), méso (université) et micro (individu). Au niveau macro, les réponses des universités ont été façonnées par les politiques publiques de l'État aux niveaux national et infranational. Dans les deux pays l’approche avait une forme nettement " néolibérale ". Toutefois, les universités australiennes ont été davantage exposées à la pression financière en faveur des suppressions d'emplois, et la direction de ces universités a peut-être été plus encline à procéder à des mises à pied que l'ensemble des universités canadiennes. Les différences au niveau du soutien institutionnel au syndicalisme au niveau macro ont influencé la manière dont le personnel universitaire a été affecté aux niveaux méso et micro. La restructuration des universités, dans les deux pays, a eu un impact négatif sur la sécurité d'emploi et les perspectives de carrière, ce qui a entraîné une diminution de la satisfaction professionnelle et une augmentation du stress. Pour de nombreux membres du personnel professionnel, le travail à domicile était nouveau et libérateur, tandis que pour d’autres membres du personnel universitaire, le travail à domicile était une expérience négative. Notre analyse démontre que les expériences du personnel universitaire ont été influencées par d'autres facteurs que les modalités de travail mises en place par les universités pendant la pandémie de COVID-19. Les approches des universités en matière de protection de l'emploi, de restructuration et d'engagement avec le personnel par le biais des syndicats semblent influencer la satisfaction, le stress et le bonheur du personnel. Nos résultats s'inscrivent dans le prolongement de la littérature qui documente la manière dont les processus de néolibéralisation sont régulièrement contestés par le personnel universitaire dans le cadre de diverses actions individuelles et collectives, en particulier en temps de crise. Nous soutenons que la théorisation des luttes pour le contrôle du travail devrait être étendue aux luttes pour le contrôle des finances.

Antecedents of agriculture supply chain performance during COVID-19: an emerging economy perspective

COVID-19 led to several complications like labor shortage, inadequate availability of supply chain facilities, price fluctuation, panic behavior, and uncertainty. Despite the challenges, the farmers and stakeholders adopted different strategies for sustaining the agricultural supply chain performance. Hence, the study proposes to explore the antecedents that led to the ASC performance and their linkages. The study combines literature review and qualitative methods to understand and recognize antecedents that impact ASC performance in developing countries. The conceptual model is built with the underpinning theory (the theory of commitment and organization). A quantitative survey follows the study to validate the theoretical model empirically using covariance-based structure equation modeling (AMOS). The ASC performance in the earlier phase of COVID-19 was disrupted. With time, ASC performance was managed by linking different antecedents. The findings reveal the application and linkage of organization theory and theory of commitment which led to ASC performance. The study finds a unique contribution among academia and practitioners by paving directions to manage the uncertainty during COVID-19 and any such risk triggers in the future. The study offers essential insights for practitioners and policymakers to develop a road map for ASC during the calamities.

Marginal Walking

I propose the concept of marginal walking as a critically creative framework that nourishes and supports the spaces of the margins as a corrective and a prescription to the stresses of everyday racism, which is difficult to see or describe, but underlies every interaction in everyday public spaces. Drawing from my reflections on the increase of anti-Asian hate during the global pandemic of 2020 to 2021, I investigate how news of racist incidents circulates through digital networks that are entangled with quotidian places such as parks, grocery stores, and public transit. Through such concepts as autocartography and strata-mapping, as explored through my own research-creation practices as well as through participatory walks given by my artist collective Hamilton Perambulatory Unit (HPU), I look at how conscious acts of sensing and intervening in marginal everyday space can contribute to the creation of alternative narratives and knowledge that is necessary for change. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Qualitative Inquiry is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Pockets of Resilience – the Digital Responses of Youth Collectives in Contemporary Art Museums During Lockdown

When museums across the world closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and staff struggled to rethink their new roles in a challenging and unprecedented context, youth collectives – long-term programs for teens and young adults, aged 15–24 – reinvented themselves. The focus of my research is the digital projects developed during lockdown by youth collectives in three metropolitan contemporary art museums. These include MOCA Teens, the MCA Youth Committee and Duchamp & Sons, based, respectively, at LA MOCA (U.S.A.), MCA Australia, and Whitechapel Gallery (U.K.). They adjusted quickly to the new digital pace and devised creative communication and mediation strategies that allowed their collaborative work to continue online. For this research, I combined the analysis of the digital content they produced – websites, social media and podcasts – with interviews I did with the museum educators leading each program. The success of these projects is grounded on a shared trust between museums, educators, and participants. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Museum Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)