“Collective Editorial” for South African Review of Sociology 51(3&4): Special Issue on Homelessness and COVID-19

Abstract

More central to re ection is the way the article demonstrates the role and place of applied social sciences and methodologies in responding to human crisis in late modern societies. , and give an overview of a joint project by the University of Johannesburg and the Human Council (HSRC) with an aptly titled article, “ Giving ‘ voice ’ during the COVID-19 pandemic using online rapid response surveys: Lessons from the UJ/HSRC COVID-19 Democracy Survey ” . The authors re fl ect on the use of rapid response non-probabilistic surveys using a mass membership online data-free platform. Overall, the article provides insights into best practices in online survey research within the context of South Africa, where the digital divide is exceedingly present. The main argument is that online surveys make it feasible to reach the broader public, especially when dealing with time-sensitive issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and the authors re fl ect on the bene fi ts and limitations of using this type of data collection method. Drawing on the data that were collected through the COVID-19 Democracy Survey, the article looks into the public ’ s responses to the pandemic. In par-ticular, the public ’ s views on various government pandemic policy decisions, their views on school closures and the reopening of schools during 2020, as well as the extent to which individuals are experiencing pandemic fatigue are all reported on and analysed in this fascinating article. These contributions in this special edition seek to explore the various ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the lives of ordinary South Africans. At the same time, it also provides sociological insights into how we can make sense of the impact that the pandemic has on the ground and how we can respond to it as social researchers.