IISH and The World

The IISH, like many other scientific institutes, has been closed down by current government measures as a result of the coronavirus. This closure in no way means that its staff like researchers and collection curators – stand idly by. This current crisis encourages reflection on themes in which the IISH as an institute is closely engaged, such as social inequality and labour relations both locally and globally, the role of civil society, but also changes in world views before and after the corona crisis.

IISH and The World

Illustratie: Groep arbeiders op collectief stukloon in de baksteenindustrie, Noord-Duitsland, 1903. [Bron: Landesarchiv NRW Abt. OWL, Detmold (Germany), D 75 Nr. 2670.]

'Pandemic puts labour relations in the limelight', by Gijs Kessler

The COVID-19 crisis mercilessly exposes the fault line between the employed and the self-employed in today’s Dutch society. The closure of bars, restaurants, and clubs, the restrictions on the work of hair and beauty professionals, and the cancellation of mass events have a direct impact on the livelihood of entrepreneurs and the self-employed, while, for the time being, most salaried workers continue to receive their wages regardless of whether they can continue carrying out their tasks or not.

Comparing Covid-19 and the Spanish Flu: Not so much the ‘Great Leveler’ but particularly hitting the poor, by Ulbe Bosma

“The Coronavirus pandemic will cause famine of biblical proportions”, the UN warned on Tuesday 21 April. It immediately made a headline in The Guardian and other media followed suit. The COVID-19 epidemic not only has grave consequences for societies with fragile health care systems, for many countries it comes after locust swarms have battered their crops.