Welcome to the Global Politics and COVID-19 Blog

When SUNY Geneseo transitioned all classes in Spring 2020 online due to the coronavirus pandemic, seniors in the seminar PLSC 390 – Global Environmental Politics responded in a dynamic way. Recognizing the parallels between environmental threats to humanity – like climate change – and COVID-19, they sought to connect the two. The result is this blog, where you will find essays that apply theories and topics that students initially learned from the perspective of environmental politics to the current global crises surrounding the pandemic. Cover photo of Geneseo’s Welles Hall by Keith Walters ’11.

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COVID-19 drives global hunger as the pandemic threatens food aid distribution

Hundreds of millions of people will go hungry tonight.  There is more than enough food produced to feed the world but it isn’t being distributed to those who need it.  The industrialization of our agricultural system has led to massive inequities in both food production and consumption.  These problems have only been exacerbated by the current global pandemic and the stress it’s bringing to the system.  To remedy these discrepancies, there must be a massive restructuring of our global conceptualization of agriculture and our food supply chains.  

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Time for change: COVID-19’s fracturing of the global supply chain

The COVID-19 pandemic has spread to almost every nation impacting the trade of resources and commodities. Supply chains and distribution channels have been damaged or forced to change because of the virus. There have been shortages of goods including food, protective equipment, and toilet paper due to supply issues. The world has been faced with the effects of a globalized economy in which manufacturing has been exported to regions afar. Vital supplies for a pandemic such as masks and gloves are only produced in certain regions of the globe, making the response to such diseases more challenging. A globalized trade system directly increases environmental issues related to the production of greenhouse gases from transportation. Lessons must be learned from this pandemic in order to attempt to fix the structural trade problems that threaten our environment and national security. 

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Cuomo v. Trump: New York as a blueprint for the changing role of states in the wake of COVID-19

The pandemic reveals the changing dynamic between citizens and the varying levels of government in which people are forming closer relationships with their state leadership. The weak leadership under the Trump administration has given way for governors to fill this power void and guide the country through this crisis.

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Biodiversity and COVID-19: is the coronavirus pandemic really the “great equalizer”?

Our farming economy in the United States is heavily reliant on corn, and this makes us more vulnerable  to climate change and to the coronavirus. Our ability to access a greater diversity of crops during this crisis is paramount to our health and the health of the Earth. However, access to healthy foods, especially during the pandemic, is a luxury of the wealthy. This pandemic highlights inequalities in our society that impact the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans.

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Waste in COVID-19: the deadly risks in taking out our garbage

As millions of Americans have been forced to drastically change their lives in response to the global pandemic, one element of our lives has not changed: our garbage. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), each American produces about four and a half pounds of solid waste every day. Each week, as Americans bring their trash receptacles out to the curb, it is important to be aware of the potential threat presented by your own garbage – especially for sanitary workers and their families.

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The Czech Republic has one of Europe’s highest covid infection rates, while over one third of the population is skeptical about the vaccine

A Test for Democracy and Civil Society

The lack of trust, permeated throughout Czech society, constitutes a huge hurdle to overcome, as faith in government officials, democratic institutions and medical experts will determine the outcome of these trying times. As the pandemic shows no signs of slowing down, weaknesses within the Czech Republic have quickly risen to the surface. Although the country has experienced a democratic “golden age”, since the end of communism, the government must address the issues on a community level, as liberal democracy may succumb to twisted forms of civil society, based on misinformation and tribalism.

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How Institutions Kept Norway’s Democracy Strong During The Pandemic

Democracy Standing Strong Through the Pandemic

Norway, a country known for their stable and successful democracy, was able to feel confidence in their government’s ability to weather the COVID-19 pandemic because of the solid political institutions that have been in place since they became a consolidated democracy.

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South Korea’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic and how it relates to democracy

What could be South Korea’s secret to a relatively successful response to the COVID-19 pandemic? What factors aided in that response? I would say South Korea’s successful response is due to strong civil society, social capital, and government transparency. These are fundamental components of democracy, as they form the basis of an active civil society.

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As winter months come so does the need for harsher Covid restrictions in Scandinavia

The Scandinavian countries of Norway, Sweden, and Finland, are facing their highest number of COVID-19 cases as we move into the winter months. Scandinavian executives are now put to the test to see if they can handle this rise. We overview the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic thus far and analyze the strategies Scandinavian countries will use to combat the spike in cases.

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