Work

New proximities during and after the Covid 19 pandemic

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Various proximities played a central role in the Covid-19 crisis, whether they promoted the spread of the pandemic, reduced human and social interactions, or allowed for exchange and contact at a distance. But they were also profoundly affected by the pandemic. Geographical proximity became dangerous and deadly, while distance-organized proximity increasingly developed through the use of ICTs. Both were associated with a dramatic rise in social and spatial inequalities. The object of this article is the analysis of how the pandemic reveals and modify both the functioning and the impact of proximities on our lives, from the examination of notions such as social distancing, lockdown or teleworking, and the use of proxemics. We conclude on the difficulty for a society to live at a distance.

Source: Regional Science Policy & Practice

DOI: 10.1016/j.rspp.2025.100199

Author: André Torre

Institutions: AgroParisTech, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement

Language: English

Topic: Social impacts of COVID-19

Subfield: Safety Research

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,596