The World with Viruses

New research at the Department of Psychology has revealed a dramatic increase in loneliness and symptoms of anxiety and depression as a result of the pandemic restrictions. Women and young people are the hardest hit.

Cathrine Thorleifsson, who is conducting research on the far right at the Centre for Research on Extremism (C-REX) believes that old hatreds could resurface during the coronavirus pandemic.

'The EU has done exactly as expected: very little', says ARENA researcher Jarle Trondal, and explains why the EU has not reacted more quickly to Covid-19, and how European cooperation is nevertheless likely to become stronger as a result of this crisis.

"The quality of life in Norway is already unequally distributed. And the marginalized groups are going to increase in the wake of the Corona pandemic," says Ragnhild Bang Nes. She has conducted research into what makes us happy.

“If we want to prevent the recurrence of a similar crisis, we need to be asking more systematic questions about how we are handling, using and looking after animals,” says Tone Druglitrø, who has been conducting research on the role of animals in medicine, culture and politics.

“I believe that there are many leaders around the world who are currently at risk of putting a foot wrong,” says Tore Wig. As a political scientist he has been conducting research on the reasons for the collapse of regimes.

"We may find that systems that seem natural are really just unnecessary constructs," says Karen O'Brien, professor of human geography, who has researched what it takes for people to make changes in their lives.

“Once the pandemic has passed, we are likely to be facing a discussion about our approach to the international markets, and if our income should be linked so closely to the businesses we work for”, says Kalle Moene – a professor of social economics who has been investigating the tensions between the Norwegian economic equality model and the international economy for several years.

«The coronavirus is a window, enabling us to see alternative ways of organising society,» says Thomas Hylland Eriksen. The Professor in Social Anthropology has been conducting research on crises in an overheated world.