Problems of studying social tensions in the context of pandemics, coronavirus and isolation. Lessons and experiences in overcoming them
The article deals with the problem of increasing social tension in the conditions of pandemics. Coronavirus is a new global threat. Public administration systems are just learning to respond to a global biological threat, for which the world was not ready. To reduce the rate of spread of the disease, the state has introduced strict restrictive measures. These measures made it possible to contain the epidemiological situation in general. However, they had a significant impact on all spheres of society, in the context of the pandemic, global changes occurred in the economy, politics, social sphere, etc. Thus, the spread of the coronavirus goes far beyond just a medical problem, this little-studied disease has political, social and economic dimensions. The habitual way of life of people has changed, traditional social ties have been broken, the crisis in the economy has worsened. Strict restrictions have significantly affected the interests of every citizen, largely limited his rights and freedoms. Under these conditions, changes are taking place in society, the siege mentality is spreading massively. The results of empirical studies have shown the spread of psychological problems among the population, an increase in fear of an unknown disease and fear of socio-economic problems is recorded, social tension is growing. Many people still do not fully understand the full danger of the coronavirus. A special role in this belongs to the mass media. An endless stream of heterogeneous information has generated a huge amount of rumors, fakes, and misinformation. This situation destabilizes the situation and deepens the crisis of the siege mentality. Thus, the article analyzes the impact of the current epidemiological, social, household, socio-economic, information situation on social tension in society.