OUR VISION

The COVID Memory Research Group investigates interdisciplinary perspectives on the COVID pandemic and global social trauma.

How will we remember the COVID-19 pandemic? How can our memories of the virus help us move forward in the near and far future? These questions will continue to generate ongoing discussion and debate as communities recover from the shock and trauma of a global public health crisis. While some countries are benefitting from increased vaccinations, the resurgence of cases in multiple countries highlights that many communities are still suffering. Discussions surrounding a return to “normal” and a transition to post-pandemic life encourage us to consider how this global event has driven social change. 

As we face the challenge of adapting to pandemic life and preparing for future outbreaks, there is an urgent need to examine how COVID-19 will exist in cultural memory. The COVID Memory Research Group investigates how the global pandemic exists in cultural memory and how communities should conceptualize this period in human history. Our recollections of the past year will shape policies and practices when it comes to the collective response to the pandemic. In order to move in the direction of recovery and resilience, this research group centers its work on the pursuit of social solidarity in times of crisis. 

Support for Communities

The COVID-19 pandemic has inflicted untold suffering around the world. In light of this reality, researchers can provide critical support by pursuing new approaches to preserve the memory of those who lost their lives. The COVID Memory Research Group aims to provide support to those who have lost loved ones, while fostering thoughtful reflection on how this public health crisis is reshaping ideas about social trauma and solidarity.