Interaction Ritual Chains and Sustainability of Lockdowns, Quarantines, “Social Distancing” and Isolation during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

National and local governments around the world introduced lockdowns, quarantines, “social distancing” and isolation to curb the global pandemic of COVID-19. While these measures were arguably successful in preventing the potential dire consequences of an uncontrolled pandemic, they also deeply influenced societies at the micro-, meso- and macrolevels. They disturbed interaction ritual chains, the building blocks of social reality as conceived in Randal Collins’ interaction ritual theory. This article identifies and discusses the social effects of lockdowns, quarantines and isolation measures. It addresses interruptions of interaction ritual chains and consequent problems in building up emotional energy and their impact on overall solidarity; the sustainability of economic classes as circuits of monetary exchange; the consequences of closed interaction ritual markets; the disturbance of the interaction ritual structure, the loss of emotional energy, rising violence in isolated households; as well as the consequences of isolation in one-person households. The article also addresses micro and meso-level strategies for coping with lockdown and isolation, particularly the potential of computer-mediated interactions to substitute face-to-face interaction; ability of emotionally entrained mass audiences to sustain overall solidarity through creating new “sacred objects”; and the emergence of negative emotional energy within previously energised groups and a consequent defiance to introduced measures.