Sociological Perspectives
Special Issue: Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Society

Guest Editors:
Andrew P. Davis, North Carolina State University, USA
Terrence Hill, University of Arizona, USA
Simone Rambotti, Loyola University, New Orleans, USA

In a matter of months, the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has quickly spread around the world and undermined seemingly stable social systems. Although researchers and practitioners from public health, epidemiology, and medicine currently dominate public discussions, the field of sociology is uniquely qualified to assess the social causes and social consequences of COVID-19. The successes and failures of local, state, and national governments in containing the spread of the virus have ramifications for the health and wellbeing of individuals, families, communities, and social institutions. Sociologists are well positioned to make intellectual contributions to public discourses, debates, and policies about epidemics, pandemics, and their corresponding social responses.

This special issue seeks manuscripts that advance sociological perspectives on the intersection of coronavirus and society. By providing an outlet for foundational theoretical and empirical sociological research on COVID-19 and society, this volume will interrogate structural and interpersonal responses to a newly discovered virus. Studies can focus on local, state, national, and/or cross-national reactions to the pandemic. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, the topics listed on the following page.

Submission Guidelines and Details
Prospective contributors should submit a proposal of no more than six double-spaced pages, including supplemental materials (tables, figures, references, etc.). In addition, contributors must include some preliminary theoretical constructs, models, and/or analyses (up to three, doublespaced pages in length), including concept/model/data descriptions, sample sizes, tables, figures, preliminary estimates, etc. Text must be in 12-point, Times New Roman font, and all submissions must include 1-inch margins on all four sides, with pages numbered sequentially. Submissions should be prepared using the ASA Style Guide (Fourth Edition).

Proposed paper submissions should be uploaded as a single document and received no later than 5 PM PST on May 21, 2020 to http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/sop. You must note that your submission is for the “Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Society” special issue.

Areas of Interest
• The rollout of, and adherence to, stay-at-home orders
• Social distancing and potential exposure among vulnerable populations (inmates, homeless persons, disabled individuals, the elderly, etc.)
• The economic and labor-market consequences of COVID-19
• The consequences of border closings for migration, commerce, and international relations
• Communication messaging about COVID-19, including disinformation and “fake news”
• Political elections and states of emergency
• Emergency response preparedness and inequalities in healthcare access and viral testing
• Resource hoarding and consumerism during social crises
• Innovative methods and measures to account for coronavirus exposure, including the measurement of uncounted and/or misclassified cases and deaths
• Differential responses by local, state, and national governments in “flattening the curve”
• The use of social networks and technology in contact tracing and social support
• The consequences of globalization for supply chain disruption in the delivery of medical supplies, food, goods, and services
• Gender inequality in work-life balance following employer work-from home policies
• Educational disruption in the lives of children and students
• Demographic (race, gender, and age) disparities in coronavirus cases and deaths
• The expansion and use of state power to compel compliance among citizens and businesses
• The implications of stock market declines for retirement planning and old age support
• Access to the legal system and modifications to the constitutional rights of defendants
• Executive and authoritarian power during states of emergency
• Gun sales in anticipation of possible social unrest
• Changes in levels of environmental pollution, energy consumption, and particulate matter
• Population regulation and demographic theory
• Geopolitical and cross-national pandemic responses in comparative perspective
• Changes in criminal justice and law enforcement policies to limit the spread of COVID-19

The selected contributors will be invited to submit a full-length manuscript (no more than 10,000 words, inclusive of supplemental materials) by September 1, 2020. The papers will then be sent out for peer review, and authors will receive their reviews by mid-October 2020. Revised manuscripts and their corresponding editorial memos must be received by December 1, 2020. Manuscripts accepted for publication will appear in the special issue, which is tentatively slated to be published in Summer/Fall 2021.

More information here.