KINGSTON, R.I. – April 24, 2020– The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented event in modern history and social scientists are already examining events on the ground while looking at the future implications of the crisis.

The pandemic has posed an unparalleled challenge to families, societies, politics and the economy and University of Rhode Island social scientists have begun to weigh in through a wide-ranging online public lecture series.

Organized by URI’s Social Science Institute for Research, Education, and Policy, the lecture series provides students, scholars and the public with information on issues beyond what they’re hearing every day, says Shanna Pearson-Merkowitz, director of the Institute and a professor of political science.

“We’re all knowledgeable by now about the health aspects – how you get sick, who’s at risk. At the same time, some of the largest impacts are on the economy, the way people live, politics – all those things that are understood by social scientists,” says Pearson-Merkowitz. “In our departments, we were already having conversations about how we understand what is happening right now through our various expertise areas. We thought we should get this information out in an interesting and academic way for people to understand what’s going on.”

More than a half-dozen lectures, all between 15 and 20 minutes in length, have already been posted to the Institute’s website, on subjects ranging from financial and economic issues, to international cooperation, to an eyewitness account of China’s response to the pandemic. The lectures have pulled together experts from disciplines such as economics, sociology, political science and marine affairs.

“The lectures really engage students, academics and the public and help them understand COVID-19 in a deeper-dive and academic way,” says Pearson-Merkowitz. “They provide a novel perspective on the crisis.”

Lectures posted to the site thus far include:

• A two-part look at the burgeoning outbreak in China and a comparison of the responses to the pandemic by China and the U.S., from Ping Xu, an associate professor of political science and an expert on Chinese politics. Xu was in China with her family when the pandemic started and was subsequently evacuated.
• A comparison of the current economic crisis with the Great Depression and World War II and how the pandemic could have lasting social and political effects, from Liam Malloy, associate professor of economics.
• A discussion of international organizations, such as the World Health Organization, and the role they play in international cooperation in the battle against COVID-19, from Brendan Mark, assistant professor of political science.

In addition to the online lectures, the Institute is holding live, online conversations with faculty and alumni experts that are open to students, faculty and staff. The first is Tuesday, April 28, when David A. Bergeron ‘78, former assistant secretary for postsecondary education at the U.S. Department of Education, discusses “COVID-19 and the Future of Higher Education.” Video of the discussion will later be posted to the Institute’s website.

The lecture series is expected to continue into the summer, says Pearson-Merkowitz. Upcoming lectures include the impact of maritime law on pandemic response by Elizabeth Mendenhall, an assistant professor in the departments of marine affairs and political science; and the long-term consequences of the U.S. Census not being able to properly count people due to the virus by Pearson-Merkowitz.