Perspectives on the Pandemic

This issue of WZB-Mitteilungen clearly shows how far-reaching the effects of the coronavirus pandemic are. It is not just physical distance affecting our coexistence. Social, political and mental changes are also being re-assessed. Our new issue is unusually comprehensive in scope, with hardly a research area in the institute not contributing its own sets of questions, theses, and analyses.

Sascha Kneip reflects on the threat to fundamental rights posed by the measures to contain the virus from the perspective of political science ("Wenn die Exekutive viral geht") and Mattias Kumm from a constitutional law perspective ("Arbeit am Exit als Staatspflicht") . Chances of digitalization for parliament are explored in an article by Wolfgang Schroeder and Bernhard Weßels ("Gegen die Selbstverzwergung"), Rebecca-Lea Korinek and co-authors ("Krisen-Experiment") look at its implications for civil society.  Andreas Knie and Dagmar Simon ("Wissenschaft und Politik als Haftungsgemeinschaft") describe a new interaction between science and politics during the crisis; Hendrik Woiwode sees the hour of interdisciplinarity arriving ("Komplexe Fragen brauchen komplexe Antworten").

These and many more articles can be found in the June issue of WZB-Mitteilungen. Our research magazine is published quarterly and can be subscribed to free of charge. Please send an e-mail to presse [at] wzb.eu.