The COVID-19 pandemic has put governance systems around the world to the greatest test in living memory. The variation in responses and results has opened up the debate as to the ability of different regimes and international institutions to deliver in moments of crisis.

For instance, citizens of democracies have accepted previously unthinkable restrictions on freedoms, federal systems have seen the complex relationship between the federal government and the states increasingly negotiated, and intergovernmental organisations have not been successful at offsetting the unilateral responses such as border closures and beggar-thy-neighbour fights over medical aid.

This event brings together experts in the social and political sciences to discuss and highlight the trends in governing the response to the pandemic thus far. There will be time for audience Q&A after the discussion.

Speakers

• Dr Sarah Cameron – citizen responses to the crisis

• Prof Susan Park – the failure of multilateralism during the global pandemic

• Prof Rodney Smith – implications of the pandemic response for domestic political institutions

• A/Prof Salvatore Babones – understanding the pandemic as a border security challenge

• Dr Stewart Jackson (discussant) – the operation of the Commonwealth/federalism during the pandemic/bushfires/any other crisis

This event is part of the Social Sciences Week Australia series. View our program for more thought-provoking talks in this series.