Social Sciences Week: The Failure of Multilateralism during the COVID19 Pandemic / by University Bridge

A look at the trends in governing the response to the global pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has put governance systems around the world to the greatest test in living memory. The variation in responses and results has opened up the debate as to the ability of different regimes and international institutions to deliver in moments of crisis.

For instance, citizens of democracies have accepted previously unthinkable restrictions on freedoms, federal systems have seen the complex relationship between the federal government and the states increasingly negotiated, and intergovernmental organisations have not been successful at offsetting the unilateral responses such as border closures and beggar-thy-neighbour fights over medical aid.

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and Acknowledgement of Country – Stewart Jackson
01:36 Citizen responses to the crisis – Sarah Cameron
10:46 The failure of multilateralism during the global pandemic - Susan Park
20:14 Implications of the pandemic response for domestic political institutions - Rodney Smith
30:18 Understanding the pandemic as a border security challenge - Salvatore Babones
38:50 The operation of the Commonwealth/federalism during the pandemic/bushfires/any other crisis - Stewart Jackson
48:35 Audience Q&A and discussion

Speakers
Dr Sarah Cameron, Government and International Relations, The University of Sydney
Professor Susan Park, Government and International Relations, The University of Sydney
Professor Rodney Smith, Government and International Relations, The University of Sydney
Associate Professor Salvatore Babones, Sociology and Social Policy, The University of Sydney
Dr Stewart Jackson (Chair), Government and International Relations, The University of Sydney

Part of the Governing the Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic panel for the University of Sydney’s Social Sciences Week (SSW), September 9, 2020.

Listen below!:

A look at the trends in governing the response to the global pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has put governance systems around the world to the greatest test in living memory. The variation in responses and results has opened up the debate as to the ability of different regimes and international institutions to deliver in moments of crisis. For instance, citizens of democracies have accepted previously unthinkable restrictions on freedoms, federal systems have seen the complex relationship between the federal government and the states increasingly negotiated, and intergovernmental organisations have not been successful at offsetting the unilateral responses such as border closures and beggar-thy-neighbour fights over medical aid. This podcast brings together experts in the social and political sciences to discuss and highlight the trends in governing the response to the pandemic thus far. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and Acknowledgement of Country – Stewart Jackson 01:36 Citizen responses to the crisis – Sarah Cameron 10:46 The failure of multilateralism during the global pandemic - Susan Park 20:14 Implications of the pandemic response for domestic political institutions - Rodney Smith 30:18 Understanding the pandemic as a border security challenge - Salvatore Babones 38:50 The operation of the Commonwealth/federalism during the pandemic/bushfires/any other crisis - Stewart Jackson 48:35 Audience Q&A and discussion Speakers Dr Sarah Cameron, Government and International Relations, The University of Sydney Professor Susan Park, Government and International Relations, The University of Sydney Professor Rodney Smith, Government and International Relations, The University of Sydney Associate Professor Salvatore Babones, Sociology and Social Policy, The University of Sydney Dr Stewart Jackson (Chair), Government and International Relations, The University of Sydney This podcast is part of Social Science Week Australia 2020. Find out more here: bit.ly/3fgfFpw