How COVID-19 changed Europe?
- Binding: paperback
- Author: collective work
- Publisher: Instytut Zachodni
- PL ISSN: 0033-2437
- Publication date: 24 April 2023
- Number: 4/2022
- Number of pages: 158
- Size: A5
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the ensuing ubiquitous crisis it triggered add to a series of events that have rapidly transformed our world in recent decades. Our daily existence is marked by unpredictability and challenges that demand instant unconventional responses and an uncertain future. These exigencies have compelled us to make swift decisions and embrace solutions that we previously would have questioned. However, these responses have been controversial and imperfect, testing the resilience of our political, economic, and social systems. They have forced us to re-evaluate our fundamental principles, such as personal and economic freedom and equality, which are like the air we breathe, often taken for granted but critical to our survival. Once again, the crisis has acted as a catalyst for growth, validating Jean Monnet's belief that Europe is forged in crisis, conflict, and adversity.
From this European perspective, which is aligned with the profile of Przegląd Zachodni, we reflect on the changes that the pandemic has brought about. We examine these changes on various levels of scale, including the overall functioning of the European Union, international cooperation in security matters, social and political transformations in a selected member state, Ukraine’s confrontation with Russian aggression, and the challenges faced by a small Masurian museum under lockdown. At each level, the crisis has spurred new initiatives and activities, whose benefits will outlast the pandemic. However, an evaluation of the full impact of the solutions adopted to address the challenges of the day will require more time.