What is it about?
Europe began the year 2010 amidst a state of political emergency due to the Euro debt crisis. History repeated itself in 2020 - this time due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Along with the rest of the world, the European authorities have found themselves resorting to the policy “Extraordinary times require extraordinary actions.” Border closures, national lockdowns, and public health regulations were ensued in European countries to keep the COVID-19 pandemic at bay for as long as possible. The author of this paper revisits “Emergency Europe” while drawing comparisons between politics and policies implemented for crisis management during 2010 and 2020. The chapter explores the origin of translational politics that combine familiar domestic exceptionalism with cross-boundary emergency politics distinctive to the pandemic situation. It provides a comprehensive overview of the democratic challenges faced in Europe due to unconventional arrangements and open-ended emergency decrees in the name of COVID-19. The author also discusses circumstances that nourish anti-emergency ideologies and puts into context the rise of anti-lockdown protests in Europe.
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Why is it important?
The summer of 2020 brought about a watershed moment in the history of the modern human world. A comprehensive understanding of various arms of emergency politics could provide answers to questions like ‘should the EU representatives be granted more powers to act in an emergency?’ and ‘are the governing policies limited to crisis management or do they pave way for new beginnings?’ KEY TAKEAWAY The COVID-19 disease brought with its hardships and unique situations for the government to handle but also paved way for big changes. However, the emergency governing policies dealing with the global pandemic resemble those that came before, with their main focus being the restoration of pre-crisis order.
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This page is a summary of: Emergency Europe after Covid-19, February 2021, De Gruyter,
DOI: 10.1515/9783110713350-006.
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Resources
Emergency Europe after Covid-19
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Where science meets policy: Anticipating and preparing for future pandemics
Guidance for governments and policymakers to plan their responses to future pandemics.
How the COVID-19 pandemic fits within a larger global historical context
In many ways, the nature of modern society has made it easier for the rapid spread of new viruses. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed flaws in our current society, such as power imbalances, inequality, injustice, and untenable political climates.
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