Failure by Design? Neoliberalism, Public Space, and the (Im)possibility of Lockdown Compliance in the UK

Abstract

The term ‘covidiots’ quickly infiltrated the lexicon of public discourse amid condemnation of those ‘selfish’ individuals seen to be using parks, beaches and other public spaces in spite of the ‘stay at home’ imperative in the UK. This chapter situates the rise of this highly individualistic narrative within the discourse on neoliberalism and argues that this form of ‘non-compliance’ should rather be seen as a failure by design than a failure of the individual deliberately violating the rules, as access to outdoor space is not equally shared in the neoliberal city.