Epidemics Eroding Public Life: An Analysis on the Covid-19 Pandemic

Yıl 2021, Cilt: 17 Sayı: Pandemi Özel Sayısı, 3727 - 3744, 30.04.2021

Adem Bölükbaşı , Elif Kıran

https://doi.org/10.26466/opus.873896

Öz

Epidemics have several impacts on different dimensions of the social structure. First of all, epidemics bring people to change many routines in their daily life and to rearrange their lives. Discussing the impact of epidemics on social life in the context of COVID-19 will allow us to understand that this process, which seems only a medical process, actually has many social effects. This study focuses on the Covid-19 pandemic as an inducement of the rising individuality of modern man under the light of Sennett’s affirmation regarding the fall of public man. To this end, changes in consumption of goods and spaces, medicalization of daily life, the effect of the experience of lockdown during the pandemic on the self and consequently the disruption of the interaction order were analyzed. During the pandemic, the issue of individuals' retreat into their own private sphere and the growth of private life and private sphere asymmetrically in the face of public sphere and public life were addressed. As a result, the lockdowns experienced during the pandemic negatively affected the social self and the interaction order, accelerating the collapse of the public man which is a process that has been going on for a long time.

Anahtar Kelimeler

COVID-19, Pandemic, Public Life, Consumption, Medicalization

Kamusal Yaşamı Aşındıran Salgınlar: Covid-19 Pandemisi Üzerine Bir İnceleme

Öz

Salgınlar sosyal yapıların farklı boyutları üzerinde pek çok etkiye sahiptir. Salgınlar her şeyden önce insanların gündelik hayatında birçok rutini değiştirmelerini ve hayatın yeniden düzenlenmesini beraberinde getirmektedir. COVID-19 bağlamında salgınların sosyal hayata etkisini tartışmak sadece medikal bir süreç gibi görünen bu sürecin aslında birçok sosyal etkiye sahip olduğunu anlamamızı sağlayacaktır. Bu çalışma Sennett’ın “kamusal insanın çöküşü” tartışması bağlamında Covid-19 pandemisini modern insanı bireyselliğe sürükleyen koşullar açısından ele almaktadır. Bu bağlamda değişen eşyaların ve mekânların tüketim alışkanlıkları, gündelik hayatın medikalleşmesi, pandemi boyunca yaşanan kapatılma deneyiminin benlik üzerindeki etkisi ve bunun sonucunda etkileşim düzeninin bozulması konuları analiz edilmiştir. Bütün bu konu başlıklar pandemi süresince kamusal bir varlık olarak bireylerin içe kapanması, özel hayatın ve özel alanın kamusal alan ve kamusal yaşam karşısında asimetrik bir şekilde büyümesi sorunu ele alınmıştır. Sonuç olarak, pandemi boyunca yaşanan kapatılmalar sosyal benliği ve etkileşim düzenini olumsuz etkilemiş, eskiden beri devam eden bir süreç olan kamusal insanın çöküşünü hızlandırmıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

COVID-19, Pandemi, Kamusal Yaşam, Tüketim, Medikalleşme

Kaynakça

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