Abstract
A provocation looking at urban responses to pandemics and economic shocks in historical perspective.
Political debates could be enriched through greater input from historians. We can learn from history to understand how economic crashes and pandemics transform the societies they affect. This article draws from a range of case studies to explore how cities have responded to and been shaped by shocks. Looking at the Black Death (1346-53), Spanish Flu (1918-20), and AIDS (1981-present), it charts effects of pandemics. Turning to focus on the city scale, the effect of economic collapse on post-2008 Athens demonstrates how crisis and inequality can boil over into dangerous ‘us-versus-them’ polarisation and radical movements also seen in the interwar period. Finally, the case of Aberdeen, an oil city hit by a rapid downturn since 2014, suggests responses to sudden economic challenges.
This piece contends that observing historical experiences can help inform responses to the shock of Covid-19. It also considers the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on accelerating trends towards remote working and digital retail. The piece argues for developing mechanisms for economic and political justice to ensure that no groups are “left behind” in the post-pandemic world.
Political debates could be enriched through greater input from historians. We can learn from history to understand how economic crashes and pandemics transform the societies they affect. This article draws from a range of case studies to explore how cities have responded to and been shaped by shocks. Looking at the Black Death (1346-53), Spanish Flu (1918-20), and AIDS (1981-present), it charts effects of pandemics. Turning to focus on the city scale, the effect of economic collapse on post-2008 Athens demonstrates how crisis and inequality can boil over into dangerous ‘us-versus-them’ polarisation and radical movements also seen in the interwar period. Finally, the case of Aberdeen, an oil city hit by a rapid downturn since 2014, suggests responses to sudden economic challenges.
This piece contends that observing historical experiences can help inform responses to the shock of Covid-19. It also considers the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on accelerating trends towards remote working and digital retail. The piece argues for developing mechanisms for economic and political justice to ensure that no groups are “left behind” in the post-pandemic world.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publisher | WMREDI |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jul 2021 |
Keywords
- Megatrends in the West Midlands
- Pandemics
