As the world is going through the crucial phase of Covid-19 vaccination, a post pandemic era is what the people are eagerly waiting for. Medical science will undoubtedly play a key role in the post pandemic world but another branch of study that cannot be undermined is social science. Social science includes a wide range of subjects like psychology, history, sociology, law, political science, communication, development studies, cultural studies and economics. In other words, it is a study that promotes efficient citizenry. Social science researchers have already started pondering upon the idea of how the post pandemic world would look like through surveys, research and analysis. Other than health, the pandemic has led to several other implications worldwide. Social science will gain more momentum after the pandemic to revamp our society and deal with its after effects.
After the pandemic, the main focus would shift to revival of economy and recovery of losses especially for those who were severely hit by the lockdown. According to the data given by International Monetary Fund(IMF), the global economy has gone lower by 4.4% in 2020. It is considered the worst hit economic decline since the Great Depression of 1930s. IMF predicts a rise in the economy by 5.2% in 2021. The recovery of economy is one of the crucial tasks which can be done using appropriate fiscal measures and diligent implementation of the policies. Another major role that social science has to play is to represent and amplify the voice of those who were affected the most by the pandemic and find solutions to recover their loss.
International Labour Organization claims that over 2.7 billion workers were affected globally because of the lockdown and about 40 crore workers can fall into severe poverty. The number of workers given on the official website of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) went up to 11 crores on 1st April this year, signaling that more workers have turned to rural jobs as most of them migrated to rural areas from urban during the lockdown. It can also lead to an increase in demand for more rural jobs. All of these changes need to be considered in order to rebuild the society well with the help of developmental studies by poverty, migration and labour experts.
Not only economic, but also social impact of the pandemic has to be tackled in future. Though many households saw a growing bond between their family members, but it was certainly not the case of each household. In some houses, familial ties were attacked by domestic violence. UN addressed the rise of domestic violence as a “shadow pandemic”. The rising domestic violence has not only affected the women but also the children. Lack of social support for the victim in an environment of isolation was one of the causes of increased violence.
Post pandemic period will also require better laws to protect the social order because as per a study by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime(UNODC) on the effect of pandemic on crime, criminal activities may increase in the post Covid period. The study shows that crimes like theft and robbery saw a decline during the lockdown. But a rise is expected in the near future as unemployment and poverty is linked with increase in crime rates. Such social evils also need to be obviated from the society post the pandemic.
Various psychological experts are concerned about a major problem followed by the pandemic, which is rising cases of mental illness. WHO’s survey done in October last year indicates the devastating impact of the pandemic on mental health. The isolation due to the pandemic has taken a toll on mental health of the people causing anxiety and depression to increase.
But every cloud has a silver lining. The post pandemic period may also see a cultural revival as most of the festivals and occasions were either not celebrated or were celebrated through digital communication. Digital communication is also a beneficial aspect as it was widely popularized as a result of the pandemic and can be used in the future .
As the world dealt with the pandemic together, international relations were also a major aspect of the changing world politics. A number of countries imported and exported masks, medicines and now vaccines to each other. India has exported vaccine to Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Mauritius, Sri Lanka and many more. Many countries have weakened their diplomacy with China and criticized their government for mishandling the outbreak of virus. So the post pandemic world will see a change in foreign policies and diplomatic relations.
Extrapolating from the above data, the pandemic has had a political, social, economical as well as psychological impact worldwide. Therefore most of the branches of social science will prove to be relevant in bolstering the society after the pandemic.