Social Distancing of Pandemic Proportions

• In Event: The Politics of Disaster Response: COVID-19 and Beyond

Abstract

Over the past two decades, researchers have advanced our understanding of how social capital operates in times of crisis. These studies have found that deep reservoirs of social capital can fuel resilience to a host of hazards. However, the pandemic has challenged social norms in many communities – from limiting gatherings, upending childcare and school routines, to forcing the workforce online. We attempt to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pre-existing bonding, bridging, and linking social ties, and the generation of new social ties. We draw on interviews from 50 participants from two separate waves: June and July of 2020 and January and February of 2021. Initial results indicate that there was an initial burst of online communication to remain in touch with close friends and family at the beginning of the pandemic; however, as time passed, individuals reported a loss of bridging ties at work, intentionally severing of ties when family and friends exhibited behaviors inconsistent with directives from the CDC, and overall, individuals reported difficulty in forming new ties throughout the pandemic. Our research has important implications for future crises that require isolation and distancing for an undetermined amount of time. Further, the findings from this study suggest that reservoirs of social capital for many individuals and communities may be drying up and future interventions may be necessary to replenish this important source of resilience.

Authors

• Courtney Page-Tan, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University WW

• Summer Marion, Bentley University