Solidarity and social behaviour: how did this help communities to manage COVID-19 pandemic?
International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy
ISSN: 0144-333X
Article publication date: 3 November 2020
Issue publication date: 2 December 2020
Abstract
Purpose
During the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic lockdowns, stay at home or work from home, many have argued that the westernised non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) do not provide remedial in low-income countries like Nigeria, where informal job seekers, street traders, informal labourers and artisans depend mainly on the informal economy. By applying social solidarity (SS) and community-based approach (CBA), the authors evaluate individual acts (trust, altruism and reciprocity) during the lockdown and how these practices evolve from individual approaches to collective actions.
Design/methodology/approach
This study reflects on pragmatism research paradigm that enables researchers to maintain both subjectivity in their reflections and objectivity in data collection and analysis. The authors adopt a qualitative method through purposeful and convenience sampling procedure. Data were analysed thematically to identify elements of SS, individual acts, collective or community actions and perceptions.
Findings
The findings reveal that COVID-19 had a disproportionate impact (lack of food and a fall in daily income) on workers, informal job seekers, informal businesses operators and the poor households. As such, the study developed a reflective model of solidarity exhibited by individual acts and collective acts (practices of resource pooling, information sharing, women empowerment, distribution of palliatives and donations) within trusted circles that helped people cope with the lockdown experiences.
Practical implications
Solidarity represents beliefs, practices of values and norms. The SS exhibited by people through NPI would have implications on planning and monitoring the effectiveness of public health programmes during a pandemic in the future.
Social implications
The findings of citizens and community actions have implications related to the process of building communities – coming together – and solidarity that enhances social development with implications on community health policy agenda during disasters, emergencies and health pandemic.
Originality/value
This is one of the first studies to analyse the relationship between trust, altruism, reciprocity, SS and CBA during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, it seems reasonable to clarify the concept of SS given the lack of clarity about the definitions from previous studies.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the management of African Development Institute of Research Methodology (ADIRM), Independence Layout, Enugu, Nigeria for sponsoring this research.
Also, the authors are grateful to the three anonymous reviewers and the editor for their recommendations and helpful feedback that led to the development of this article.
Citation
Igwe, P.A., Ochinanwata, C., Ochinanwata, N., Adeyeye, J.O., Ikpor, I.M., Nwakpu, S.E., Egbo, O.P., Onyishi, I.E., Vincent, O., Nwekpa, K.C., Nwakpu, K.O., Adeoye, A.A., Odika, P.O., Fakah, H., Ogunnaike, O.O. and Umemezia, E.I. (2020), "Solidarity and social behaviour: how did this help communities to manage COVID-19 pandemic?", International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, Vol. 40 No. 9/10, pp. 1183-1200. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSSP-07-2020-0276
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited