The social evolution of COVID-19: pandemics as total social facts.

The COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented global event in recent history. Beginning with an initial outbreak in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, the virus spread rapidly across the globe, causing millions of deaths and triggering an unprecedented health, economic, and social crisis. The initial response to the outbreak in many countries was the implementation of social distancing measures, including the closure of schools and businesses, the cancellation of mass events, and the banning of travel. These measures were aimed at reducing the virus' spread and preventing health systems from being overwhelmed by the numerous severe COVID-19 cases. However, these measures also had a devastating economic impact, especially on precarious workers and freelancers, as well as those who were unable to work from home. As the pandemic (also considered a syndemic or synergistic epidemic) dragged on, countries adopted more flexible approaches to dealing with the virus, adopting mitigation measures rather than social distancing measures. These included the use of masks, testing and contact tracing, and the opening of businesses and schools with the implementation of additional safety measures. This paper highlights the social consequences of the pandemic, ultimately arguing that it is a total social fact (from the French fait social total), based on Marcel Mauss' categorization, since it encompassed and impacted all facets of human life.

Una Historia Social de la corporeidad: del cuerpo físico al cuerpo vivido / Uma História Social da corporeidade: do corpo físico ao corpo vivido / A Social History of corporeity: from the physical body to the living body

In this work, a review of the different perceptions of the body that different societies have had throughout history is carried out. It will be seen how, in some moments, positive meanings predominated in the social representation of the body, while at other times the body was perceived from a negative point of view. For the realization of this article qualitative research was carried out based on the review of documents of the history of thought and social theory on the construction of social representations of the body. For this, the theoretical framework of systemic constructivism has been used -in particular, the theory of social imaginaries of Juan Luis Pintos- and the notion of epistemological rupture of Gaston Bachelard. Special attention is also paid to the gender perspective when carrying out the study. It can be concluded that the social representations of the body have been affected by a process of secularization and medicalization, affecting in different ways the perception of the female body, than that of the male. Building throughout the time a representation of the body as something changing and that assumes an identity role for people.(AU)

En este trabajo se realiza una revisión de las distintas percepciones del cuerpo que han tenido diferentes sociedades a lo largo de la historia. Se verá cómo, en algunos momentos, predominaron en la representación social del cuerpo significados de tipo positivo, mientras que en otros momentos se percibió desde un punto de vista negativo. Para la realización de este artículo se llevó a cabo una investigación cualitativa basada en la revisión de documentos de la his toria del pensamiento y de lateoría social sobre la construcción de las representaciones sociales del cuerpo. Para ello se ha utilizado el marco teórico del constructivismo de carácter sistémico -en concreto, la teoría de los imaginarios sociales de Juan Luis Pintos- y la noción de ruptura epistemológica de Gaston Bachelard. Se presta, además, una especial atención a la perspectiva de género a la hora de la realización del estudio. Se puede concluir que las representaciones sociales del cuerpo se han visto afectadas por un proceso de secularización y medicalización; afectando de modos distintos a la percepción del cuerpo femenino, que a la del masculino. Construyéndose a lo largo del tiempo una representación del cuerpo como algo cambiante y que asume un papel identitario para las personas.(AU)

Neste trabalho, é realizada uma revisão das diferentes perceções do corpo que as diferentes sociedades tiveram ao longo da história. Verseá como, em alguns momentos, os significados positivos predominavam na representação social do corpo, enquanto noutras alturas o corpo era percebido de um ponto de vista negativo. Para a realização deste artigo foi realizada uma investigação qualitativa com base na revisão de documentos da história do pensamento e da teoria social sobre a construção de representações sociais do corpo. Para isso, o quadro teórico do construtivismo sistémico tem sido usado -em particular, a teoria dos imaginários sociais de Juan Luis Pintos -e a noção de rutura epistemológica de Gaston Bachelard. É também dada especial atenção à perspetiva de género na realização do estudo. Pode concluir-se que as representações sociais do organismo foram afetadas por um processo de secularização e medicina; afetando de diferentes maneiras a perceção do corpo feminino, do que a do macho. Construindo ao longo do tempo uma representação do corpo como algo que muda e que assume um papel de identidade para as pessoas.(AU)