Saturday, April 11, 2020

Impacts of the Pandemic--Social Science

Social science will have a field day analyzing the impacts of the pandemic.  Economists and other social scientists have had to make do with "natural experiments".  They look at the differences in outcome for those who win a lottery (for money, for healthcare, for college entrance) and those who don't.  Or they try to compare different but comparable political subdivisions.  Or, as when air traffic was grounded after 9/11 they look as disasters. As the pandemic subsides they will find:

  • a vastly expanded set of such experiments, given how the timing of events has varied.
  • a new scope to such experiments, examining the effects of the pandemic shutdown on all aspects of social activity.

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