Sociology and Space, Vol. 59 No. 219, 2021.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.5673/sip.59.0.1
Interaction Ritual Chains and Sustainability of Lockdowns, Quarantines, “Social Distancing” and Isolation during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Saša Božić
orcid.org/0000-0002-3959-6759
; University of Zadar, Department of Sociology, Croatia
Abstract
National and local governments around the world introduced lockdowns, quarantines,
“social distancing” and isolation to curb the global pandemic of COVID-19. While
these measures were arguably successful in preventing the potential dire consequences of an
uncontrolled pandemic, they also deeply influenced societies at the micro-, meso- and macrolevels.
They disturbed interaction ritual chains, the building blocks of social reality as conceived
in Randal Collins’ interaction ritual theory. This article identifies and discusses the
social effects of lockdowns, quarantines and isolation measures. It addresses interruptions of
interaction ritual chains and consequent problems in building up emotional energy and their
impact on overall solidarity; the sustainability of economic classes as circuits of monetary exchange;
the consequences of closed interaction ritual markets; the disturbance of the interaction
ritual structure, the loss of emotional energy, rising violence in isolated households; as well
as the consequences of isolation in one-person households. The article also addresses micro
and meso-level strategies for coping with lockdown and isolation, particularly the potential of
computer-mediated interactions to substitute face-to-face interaction; ability of emotionally
entrained mass audiences to sustain overall solidarity through creating new “sacred objects”;
and the emergence of negative emotional energy within previously energised groups and a
consequent defiance to introduced measures.
Keywords
interaction ritual chains; interaction ritual theory; lockdown; quarantine; social distancing; isolation; COVID-19
Hrčak ID:
255042
URI
Publication date:
1.4.2021.
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