11/11 Essay: Read this October 2020 article from UPenn that’s a set of statements by faculty from a broad array of fields on the ways in which data and data science are contributing to or affecting their field with respect to COVID and the pandemic (hat tip to Rhea). Write 1-2 paragraphs on the following: From what you know about your prospective major, what is a permanent or semi-permanent way the pandemic has affected your field of study or an aspect of culture or society related to your field? Do you believe the change is a net-positive or negative for society and why? What recommendations (if any) would you have for your field moving forward on the issue? For example, if you’re a prospective business major, what are your thoughts on remote work and the use of office spaces and how businesses could think about “where” to work moving forward? Or, if you’re a prospective psychology or sociology major, how has the virus and pandemic changed how people and societies view and react to germs?

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on international relations, causing diplomatic tensions and leading into a UN Security Council decision about a global ceasefire. The virus has also brought attention to other topics such as health diplomacy, the politics of crisis, and border politics. A few reasons for why diplomacy has been affected much more than others is due to tensions around trade and transport medicines, diagnostic tests and hospital equipment for the virus. This period created a lot of political conflict among leaders, as they argued and accused each other of not handling or containing the pandemic in the most effective way, eventually causing the virus to only spread even quicker. Developed countries around the world had priority to the majority of ways in which it could be prevented, while developing nations struggled to even find the proper materials to test their citizens. Almost at the peak of the pandemic, the U.S. and countries within Europe began to rapidly purchase most of the supplies to treat the virus and because of this, after some time, they outspent them and resources became scarce for others.

China, countries within the EU, the United States and many others were all criticized for how they each dealt with the pandemic in their nations. To begin with, the Chinese government was highly criticized by the United States because of how secretive they were with their data and how they proceeded to manage the spread within their country. In Brazil, Eduardo Bolsonaro, congressman and son of president Jair Bolsonaro, caused a whole diplomatic dispute with China when he decided to retweet a message that essentially blamed the communist party in China. Moreover, the United States was being blamed for allegedly redirecting shipments of supplies ordered by other countries. Because of this, Jean Rottner, the President of France’s Regional Council of Grand Est, held the US accountable for issuing face mask deliveries by purchasing them at the last minute.