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Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia
Print version ISSN 0430-5027
Finisterra no.115 Lisboa Dec. 2020 Epub Dec 31, 2020
https://doi.org/10.18055/finis21847
Articles
Geographical readings of COVID-19
We live in a unique moment in the history of our lives. The virus that caused this pandemic is certainly not the worst that humanity has faced, despite the complexity of the crisis it has generated and the unprecedented socioeconomic disruption it is causing, at all scales on the planet. The damage to local economies and global supply chains is incalculable, affecting safety and quality of life, among many other aspects of our existence. For thousands of people, life will never be the same (Couclelis, 2020).
Like all economic, social, cultural and political activity, scientific research was also profoundly affected by the current COVID-19 pandemic. This emergency forced the scientific community to find new ways, not always the most effective, of working and continuing to produce and disseminate knowledge, right from the start about the disease itself, its nature, diffusion, effects and consequences. In the case of the Centre for Geographical Studies, in addition to the specific activities of its various research groups, two important general and somewhat complementary initiatives were undertaken to respond to the pandemic situation. The first consisted on the organization of a cycle of nine weekly webinars, between April 29th and June 24th of this year, with strong involvement from all Research Groups, entitled COVID-19: (Cons)Ciência Geográfica [Geographic (Cons)Science], with open access transmission, through the Zoom platform and on the social network Facebook. The cycle covered different perspectives of COVID-19, privileging interdisciplinary, institutional diversity and plurality of approaches. The topics covered were as follows:
a) Geographical expression of COVID-19 in Portugal: factors and dynamics of propagation;
b) Economy and Territory in Times of Pandemic;
c) Inequalities and Space (In)Justice: the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis;
d) Environment and Climate Change: opportunities and learnings after 2020;
e) Tourism and Pandemic: change and future;
f) International Migrations and Migrant Communities: impacts of COVID-19;
g) Emerging Biological Risks and Public Policy Response;
h) Post-pandemic city: challenges for planning;
i) Implications of COVID-19 on Gender Equality.
The broad adherence of the national and international community, in this case essentially from the Ibero-American space, shows that it was a winning bet.
The second initiative is precisely the one that results in the publication of this thematic issue.
Through a spatial approach, the causes and consequences that contributed to the emergence and dispersion of the pandemic are identifiable. For this reason, Finisterra encouraged the scientific community to present short reflections (of around two thousand words) that addressed geographical perspectives related to the global pandemic crisis. They could involve issues as wide as the vulnerabilities of public spaces and public transport, emergency preparedness, the restructuring of economic activities, such as trade and services, health impacts, food security, mobility, tourism, housing and urban density, challenges for urban planning, but also demographic and social issues (covering gender issues, low-income communities, etc.).
Finisterra especially valued contributions that included aspects of solidarity, equity and inclusion and offered a broad view of the crisis as well as its possible implications for geographic knowledge. Our objective was also to amplify the voice of the scientific community of Portuguese and Spanish speaking countries, that is, of some of the non-hegemonic geographies of the pandemic. All contributions in these fields were welcome, considering various scales of analysis (local, metropolitan, regional, national, global). The confinement and urgency to know more about COVID-19 encouraged the rapid mobilization of the scientific community.
We received, in a short period (of about 2 months), eighty contributions. Despite the quality of the vast majority of papers, it was not possible to accommodate all of them, and we had to carry out, in record time, a selection according to the usual peer review process. Authors and reviewers were demanding in scientific and conceptual rigor, and efficient in responding to all of our requests. Therefore, as the editorial team, our recognition of your effort is compensated by the speed of the editing and publication process, with which we comply through this publication.
The reflections that are presented focus on a first phase of the pandemic, little is yet known about how it arose, how it spreads or how it is controlled. However, as for future pandemics, there is hope that the lessons learned will be remembered to enable a better-organized response.
This issue, dedicated to Geographic Readings of COVID-19, and ending 2020, is organized by themes that we consider to be similar. The first four manuscripts result from the contributions of (Marques da Costa and Marques da Costa, 2020), (Sá Marques, Santos, Honório, Ferreira, Ribeiro, and Barbosa, 2020), (Nascimento, Tombini, and Ripplinger, 2020), and (Ribeiro and Santos, 2020). All of these authors focus on the theme of spatial spread of the virus, portraying the sociodemographic factors of the spatial spread, showing the risk of contagion and mortality and identifying vulnerabilities, or showing the vulnerabilities that arise in border areas.
(Mendes and Carvalho, 2020) focus on network analysis, namely on the evolution of the geographies of the production of scientific knowledge on Coronavirus; (Ricarte, 2020) analyzes statistical data on the expansion of the digitalization process of everyday life and (Richter and Nascimento, 2020) discuss the importance of online platforms developed by several government institutions, opening up possibilities for exploring this technology in teaching-learning environments.
The following manuscripts, by (Silva, 2020), (Buj Buj, 2020), (Mondardo, 2020), Alcota (2020), (Castilho and Silva, 2020), (Souza and Cassab, 2020), (Barata-Salgueiro, 2020), and Donadio (2020), address the social inequalities that the pandemic has accentuated, using the most affected groups, such as traditional and indigenous communities, as case studies, but also showing solidarity chains with the most vulnerable communities.
Then, the focus shifts to the issue of housing in cities, where epidemics are an integral part, as stated by (Antunes, 2020). However, the organization of dwelling in cities has undergone major changes, the pandemic has contributed to the deepening of the debate by introducing new theories of urbanism that discuss urban morphology, and also through the discussion of the internal organization of housing (Moreira, 2020). But the great challenge of urban planning will be to create conditions so that people can also be and work in their home, be it the first or the second (Oliveira, 2020). Still, very useful for reflecting on how to deal with the pandemic in urban space, is the use of vacant land, as temporary solutions for social distancing, of which drive-ins are an example (Costa, 2020). The impacts of the pandemic on students in international mobility and on foreign nationals is addressed by Iorio, Silva, and Fonseca (2020).
Following this, life in public space, the environment and nature are the themes that are explored through the rural-urban relationship in low-density territories (Carmo & Rêgo, 2020), and through a reflection on young people whose confinement and closing of playgrounds favoured alternative uses of public space by stimulating direct contacts with nature (Prats Ferret, 2020). (Pinheiro, 2020) focuses on environmental justice and seeks to identify injustices in the usufruct of public spaces surrounding housing. Tendais and Ribeiro (2020) reflect on the impact of lockdown on mental health and the advantages of contact with urban green spaces (urban parks, public and private gardens) and other natural spaces (beaches, riverside areas) in reducing stress. (Bento-Gonçalves, Vieira, Santos, and Rocha, 2020) relate the decrease in the occurrence of forest fires with the pandemic and lockdown measures, especially during the period of the State of Emergency. González-Alejo, Ajuria, Manzano-Fischer, Flores, and Monachon (2020) address the need to create alternative food networks leading to the reconfiguration of food environments in Mexico.
The effects of confinement on tourism are addressed in the articles by (Brito-Henriques, 2020), (Cocola-Gant, 2020) and (Alpestana, 2020), focusing their attention, in the first case, on COVID-19 presented as a socionatural event, discussing the relationship between the pandemic, over-tourism and the current world tourism crisis; in the second text, the short-term rental market is considered in response to the pandemic and the increasing the vulnerability of tenants calling into question the social function of housing. The third, envisages dynamization measures for urban tourism at the local level, considering the new challenges imposed by the pandemic and the renewed attractiveness of tourist destinations.
(Roque de Oliveira, 2020) reflects on similar crises that occurred in the past and the current pandemic crisis of COVID-19, providing elements for an analysis of the pandemic from a geopolitical perspective, while (Gonçalves, 2020) addresses the current crisis (health, economic and social) and the difficult relations between a national command level and the inter-municipal and local operational levels, responsible for carrying out their territorial translation.
Through a literature review, (Rodríguez Barcón, 2020) identifies four central areas that support the construction of the new post-COVID city, calling for a global and multidisciplinary debate and reflection on the opportunities that have opened up in this context of crisis for building resilient and egalitarian cities. (Ferrás Sexto, 2020) also reflects on the concepts of the dispersed city, the virtual village, the information and marketing revolution, in the new scenario that COVID-19 and the post-pandemic are beginning to draw in the urban world.
(Nofre, Garcia-Ruiz, Fuarros, and Pires, 2020), explore the uncertain scenario that the nightlife industry faces in the coming post-pandemic times. The number closes with a contribution from (Devides Oliveira, 2020) who discusses the future of post-pandemic Timor-Leste, a territory marked by socio-spatial vulnerabilities, high external dependence and low economic diversification, proposing the reinforcement of solidarity networks and sustainable alternative economies, as key aspects in overcoming crises of the size of the new coronavirus in this fragile territory.
Referências bibliográficas/references
Alcota, P. (2020). Lugares de Covid-19 en contexto de conflictos socio-espaciales por la dignidad en Chile (Places of Covid-19 in the context of socio-space conflicts for dignity in Chile). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia, LV(115), 89-96. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20309 [ Links ]
Almeida Pinheiro, C. (2020). (In)justiças espaciais em tempo(s) de confinamento social: fruição dos espaços verdes de Braga e Guimarães a partir do Sentinel 2 (Spatial (in)justices in time(s) of social distancing: the usufruct of freen spaces in Braga and Guimarães based on Sentinel 2). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 175-181. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20338 [ Links ]
Alpestana, D. (2020). Os novos desafios do turismo urbano (The new challenges of urban tourism). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 217-221. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20342 [ Links ]
Antunes, G. (2020). Epidemias e a geografia da morte: as cidades e a habitação (Epidemics and the geography of death: cities and housing). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 127-132. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20372 [ Links ]
Barata-Salgueiro, T. (2020). Viver na cidade sob a pandemia da Covid-19 (Living in the city under the Covid-19 pandemic). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 113-119. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20375 [ Links ]
Bento-Gonçalves, A.; Vieira, A.; Santos, S.; Rocha, J. (2020). Os incêndios florestais em Portugal em tempo de Covid-19 (Forest fires in Portugal in times of Covid-19). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 189-195. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20294 [ Links ]
Brito-Henriques, E. (2020). Covid-19, turismo e sustentabilidade: tudo está interligado (Covid-19, tourism, and sustainability: everything is connected.). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 205-210. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20311 [ Links ]
Buj Buj, A. (2020). La Covid-19 y la razón hipócrita. Un sistema-mundo que se desvanece (Covid-19 and the hypocritical reason. A world-system melts into air). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 75-80. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20300 [ Links ]
Carmo, A.; Rêgo, P. (2020). Covid-19 no Alentejo: breves notas sobre territórios de baixa densidade e o seu futuro (Covid-19 in Alentejo: brief remarks on low density territories and their future). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 163-168. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20297 [ Links ]
Castilho, C. J. M.; Silva, K. S. N. (2020). Injustiças espaciais e Covid-19 em Recife (Brasil) (Socio-spatial injustices and Covid-19 in Recife (Brazil)). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 97-103. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20290 [ Links ]
Cocola-Gant, A. (2020). Apartamentos turísticos, Covid-19 e capitalismo de plataformas (Tourist apartments, Covid-19, and platform capitalism). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 211-216. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20187 [ Links ]
Costa Silva, R. G. (2020). Pandemia e desigualdades socioespaciais no Brasil. O caso de Manaus, Amazônia (Pandemic and socio-space inequalities in Brazil. The case of Manaus, Amazon). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 69-74. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20341 [ Links ]
Costa, P. (2020). Usos temporários em tempos de pandemia: o drive-in como ferramenta exploratória (Temporary uses in pandemic times: drive-in as exploratory tool). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 145-151. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20357 [ Links ]
Couclelis, H. (2020). There will be no Post-COVOD city. Urban Analytics and City Science, 47(7), 1121 -1123. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2399808320948657 [ Links ]
Devides Oliveira, R. (2020). Timor-Leste no pós-pandemia. Contribuições geográficas para a vida e economia (Timor-Leste in the post-pandemics: geographical contributions to life and the economy). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 255-260. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20330 [ Links ]
Donadio, T. (2020). Repensar a cidade inteligente ou voltar ao “antigo normal”? Uma reflexão sobre o caso de Lisboa no contexto da Covid-19 (Rethink the smart city or go back to the “old normal”? A reflection on the case of Lisbon in the context of Covid-19). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 121-126. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20214 [ Links ]
Ferrás Sexto, C. (2020). Ciudades dispersas y aldeas virtuales en la postpandemia del Covid-19 (Scattered cities and virtual villages in the post-pandemic Covid-19). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 243-248. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20279 [ Links ]
Gonçalves, J. (2020). A ferida exposta. A governança metropolitana em Lisboa em tempo de Covid-19 (The exposed wound. Metropolitan governance in Lisbon in Covid-19 time.). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 229-235. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20169 [ Links ]
González-Alejo, A. L.; Ajuria, B.; Manzano-Fischer, P.; Sánchez, J.; Monachon, D. (2020). Las redes alimentarias alternativas y la reconfiguración de los ambientes alimentarios en tiempo de COVID-19 en México (Alternative food networks and the reconfiguration of food environments in the time of Covid-19 in Mexico.). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 197-203. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20280 [ Links ]
Iorio, J. C.; Silva, A. V.; Fonseca, M. L. (2020). O impacto da Covid-19 nos e nas estudantes internacionais no ensino superior em Portugal: uma análise preliminar (The impact of Covid-19 on international students in higher education in Portugal: a preliminary analysis). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 153-161. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20285 [ Links ]
Marques da Costa, E.; Marques da Costa, N. (2020). O processo pandémico da Covid-19 em Portugal Continental. Análise geográfica dos primeiros 100 dias (The Covid-19 pandemic process in Mainland Portugal. A geographical analysis of the first 100 days). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 11-18. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20361 [ Links ]
Mendes, T.; Carvalho, L. (2020). Geografias da produção de conhecimento em coronavírus: uma análise global e dos países lusófonos (Geographies of knowledge production on coronavirus: a global analysis and of the Portuguese-speaking countries). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 43-51. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20335 [ Links ]
Mondardo, M. (2020). Povos indígenas e comunidades tradicionais em tempos de pandemia da Covid-19 no Brasil: estratégias de luta e r-existência (Indigenous peoples and traditional communities in times of the Covid-19 pandemic in Brazil: strategies of struggle and r-existance). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 81-88. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20364 [ Links ]
Moreira, M. G. (2020). Rever a geografia do quarteirão e da casa: vários usos no mesmo espaço (Reviewing the geography of the quarter and the dwelling: several uses in the same space). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 133-138. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20360 [ Links ]
Nascimento, E.; Tombini, L. H. T.; Ripplinger, F. (2020). Espacialização da Covid-19 no Sul do Brasil: a interiorização da doença e o caso da Mesorregião Grande Fronteira do MERCOSUL (The spatialization of Covid-19 in Southern Brazil: the interiorization of the disease and the case of the Great Frontier of MERCOSUR Mesoregion). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 27-35. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20367 [ Links ]
Nofre, J.; Garcia-Ruiz, M.; Sánchez Fuarros, I.; Vale Pires, C. (2020). Hopes and uncertainties in the nightlife industry of post-Covid-19 Europe (Esperanças e incertezas na indústria da vida noturna da Europa pós-Covid-19). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 249-254. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20160 [ Links ]
Oliveira, J. (2020). Algumas notas sobre segundas residências e teletrabalho: comparando Portugal e Noruega (Notes about second homes and teleworking: comparing Portugal and Norway). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 139-144. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20071 [ Links ]
Prats Ferret, M. (2020). Infancia, naturaleza y confinamiento (Childhood, nature and lock-down). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 169-174. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20352 [ Links ]
Ribeiro, A. I.; Santos, C. J. (2020). The importance of spatial analysis of Covid-19 pandemic for health geography: challenges and perspectives (Importância da análise espacial da pandemia de Covid-19 para a geografia da saúde: desafios e perspectivas). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 37-42. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20318 [ Links ]
Ricarte, É. (2020). A expansão do processo de digitalização durante a pandemia de Covid-19 (Digitalization process expansion during the Covid-19 pandemic). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 53-60. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20350 [ Links ]
Richter, D.; Nascimento, D. T. F. (2020). A cartografia da Covid-19: orientações didático-pedagógicas (The cartography of Covid-19: teaching-pedagogical guidelines). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia, LV(115), 61-68. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20340 [ Links ]
Rodríguez-Barcón, A. (2020). Post-Covid city: what are we talking about? Windows of opportunity for a more resilient and egalitarian city (Cidade pós -Covid: do que estamos a falar? Janelas de oportunidade para uma cidade mais resiliente e igualitária). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 237-242. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20326 [ Links ]
Roque de Oliveira, F. (2020). Pandemias esporádicas e estados perenes: geopolítica e cooperação multilateral em contexto de Covid-19 (Sporadic pandemics and perennial states: geopolitics and multilateral cooperation in the context of Covid-19). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia, LV(115), 223-227. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20346 [ Links ]
Sá Marques, T.; Santos, H.; Honório, F.; Ferreira, M.; Ribeiro, D.; Torres, M. (2020). O mosaico territorial do risco ao contágio e à mortalidade por Covid-19 em Portugal Continental (The territorial mosaic of contagion and mortality risk by Covid-19 in Mainland Portugal). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 19-26. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20383 [ Links ]
Souza, L. A.; Cassab, C. (2020). “Se eles lá não fazem nada, faremos tudo daqui”: desigualdade e solidariedade nas periferias brasileiras (“If those who are there do nothing, we will do everything from here”: inequality and solidarity in Brazilian peripheral areas). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 105-111. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20358 [ Links ]
Tendais, I.; Ribeiro, A. I. (2020). Espaços verdes urbanos e saúde mental durante o confinamento causado pela Covid-19 (Urban green spaces and mental health during the lockdown caused by Covid -19). Finisterra - Revista Portuguesa de Geografia , LV(115), 183-188. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis20184 [ Links ]
Este é um artigo publicado em acesso aberto sob uma licença Creative Commons
