“Wehadhopedthatwelivedinaworldthatwouldrallyinthefaceofacommonthreat.Instead,wefoundthatthecollectivegoodisabandonedfortheeconomicandpoliticalbenefitofahandfulofpeople,andnationalistmythsofexceptionalismrobbillionsoftheirrighttosurvive.“StrangeandDifficultTimesisanewessaycollectionlookingatthebiases,assumptionsandmoralfailuresinWesternresponses(bothindividualandcollective,psychologicalandpractical)tothe’crises’oftheearlytwenty-firstcentury.NanjalaNyabolafocussesonthebigcrisisofthecurrentmoment,Covid-19,andtheworldthatitmayleaveinitswake.Condemningthewaysinwhichthepandemichasexacerbatedglobalinequalities,shearguesagainstthelazylensthatattributesagencytotheWestandsubjecthoodtoAfricansandothersintheGlobalSouth-drawingalloftheaspectsofthepandemictogetherintoonestructurallyracistandethicallyindifferentpoliticalandeconomicorder.ThisistheGlobalSouthwritingbackagainstasystemthatwasn’tdesignedtoincludeorbenefitit,inthevoiceofarepresentativewithakeenunderstandingandfirst-handexperienceoflivingandthinkingwithinthatsystem.Nyabolaoffersreflectionsonthefutureofthestate,thepurposeofgovernmentandthedangersofpost-truthdemocracy.Shepresentsthedeepeningofinequalityviathe’newnormal’ofthe’post-Covidworld’,butwhichisinfactdividedintosocietiesthatarepost-Covidandthosethathavenotbeenpermittedtoprotectthemselvesandrecover.AndshetakesahistoricallookathowAfricancountries,governments,peoplesandindividualshavebeentreatedandwrittenaboutduringpastpandemics,includingHIV/AIDSinthe80sand90s,Ebolainthe2010s,andSpanishfluacenturyago.
TIMES governments Covid-19 POST
