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Covid-19 and the Forces Behind Social Unrest
[working paper]
Corporate Editor
Institut für Höhere Studien (IHS), Wien
Abstract The unprecedented consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic have raised concerns about intensified social unrest, but evidence for such a link and the underlying channels is still lacking. We use a unique combination of nationally representative survey data, event data on social unrest, and data on Covi... view more
The unprecedented consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic have raised concerns about intensified social unrest, but evidence for such a link and the underlying channels is still lacking. We use a unique combination of nationally representative survey data, event data on social unrest, and data on Covid-19 fatalities and unemployment at a weekly resolution to investigate the forces behind social unrest in the context of the strains on public health and the economy due to the pandemic in the USA. The results show that pandemic-related unemployment and Covid-19 fatalities intensified negative emotional stress and led to a deterioration of economic confidence among individuals. The prevalence of negative emotional stress, particularly in economically strained and politically polarized environments, was, in turn, associated with intensified social unrest as measured by political protests. No such link is found for economic perceptions.... view less
Keywords
epidemic; consequences; protest; polarization; United States of America
Classification
Social Problems
Free Keywords
economic shocks; Covid-19; civil unrest; political polarization; Gallup Covid-Survey 2020; Global Database of Events, Language, and Tone (GDELT)
Document language
English
Publication Year
2021
City
Wien
Page/Pages
24 p.
Series
IHS Working Paper, 37
Status
Published Version; reviewed