Contextualizing the Outcomes of COVID-19 Global Response

Abstract

This contribution sought to explicate the nature of and make sense of the global organizing response to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. Through recourse to an analytical framework anchored on a critical realist synthesis, the contribution highlights how context (C) and generative mechanisms (M) comingle to define the logic of current outcomes (O) linked to the COVID-19 global response. By elevating contextual conditions linked to global governance shifts, interests, and outcomes of global health security capability and technological accountability (or lack of); specific generative mechanisms were identified that explicate outcomes of current global COVID-19 organizing response. Three fundamental outcomes are proffered: the first elevates the outcome of disaster or shock capitalism as the pre-eminent neoliberal monetarist logic that is currently defining the global response to the pandemic. The second outcome brings forth the “herd” mentality characterizing the spate of national lockdowns, social distancing and contact tracing conceived under the banner of “collective vulnerability”. Lastly, and recognizing that a common conversational tone is critical in combating pandemics, minimizing “collective equivocality” should form part of a repertoire of strategies for fostering positive behavioural change. The implications call for a consideration of a requisite variety of options that underpin each outcome to make COVID-19 organizing responses relevant to different contexts.