Reflexivity and Mistrust: Isfahan Citizens’ Experience of Living in Corona Conditions

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Payam-e Noor University, Tehran, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Abstract
Introduction: Corona virus has not only affected the biological existence of man, but also threatened our social existence under the tremendous pressure of medical panic and social isolation. This epidemic has led to massive loss of life and an unprecedented economic, social and cultural crisis, with far-reaching social impacts. Research objectives: The purpose of this research is to analyze the lived experience of the citizens of Isfahan about the consequences of the corona virus on their lives and the impact of this epidemic on the reflexivity experienced in this era. Research question: This research seeks to answer the question that What experience do citizens have of reflexivity in the era of Corona and what aspects of their daily life have they reflected and reconsidered? Research method: The current research has used the qualitative method of phenomenology.  For this purpose, 30 citizens of Isfahan in different age, occupation and base groups were selected and subjected to in-depth interviews. The data were analyzed using 
Keywords: Reflexivity, Mistrust, Lived Experience, Citizens, Corona.
 
1. Introduction
In the country of Iran, where the economic and environmental crises have weakened the people’s livelihood and resilience, the coronavirus epidemic has increased the depth and scope of existing social issues such as poverty, unemployment, class gap, social inequalities and the like since March 2018. And it has created its own social harms.
Examining the experience of citizens facing this crisis is important because it determines the background and context of social vulnerability of citizens. While paying attention to the in-depth exploration of the lived experiences of the participants and how they create the meaning of these experiences, this research seeks to answer the questions that What experience do citizens have of reflexivity in the era of Corona and what aspects of their daily life have they reflected and reconsidered?
 
2. Materials and Methods
n this research, the descriptive phenomenological approach was used in order to provide a thick description of the deep experiences of the Isfahan citizens of the spread of the coronavirus and the social and cultural damages caused by the exposure to this epidemic. They have lived in Isfahan for at least twenty years.
Based on this, by using Purposive sampling, those who, due to their conditions, had experienced more damage from the coronavirus were selected. In the entire process of data collection, maximum diversity was observed to select samples from different socio-economic bases, women and men, and different ages, youth and middle-aged, and the sampling continued until the theoretical saturation limit was reached. In this way, 30 citizens were interviewed. The data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s method.
 
3. Data
The Corona crisis have left many consequences on the social, psychological, economic and cultural life of the citizens:
They include five categories of “lifestyle change”, “semantic reflexivity”, “strengthening social togetherness”, “businesses going online” and “institutional distrust”.
The first major consequence of the Isfahan participants’ exposure to the corona situation is “changes in lifestyle” in the form of changes in the ways of recreation and leisure of the participants (moving from the traditional collectivist, relational and action-based ways of leisure) Towards new ways of personal virtual leisure and based on quasi-media interactions) and changes in values and behaviors, including the removal of some cultural customs and normative changes.
“Reflexivity” is one of the other aspects of coexistence of participants with corona conditions, which shows that the participants have been able to turn corona restrictions into opportunities for ontological reflections or the development of their skills and capabilities. The two categories “opportunity to reflexivity “ and “opportunity to learn” are indicative of this reflexivity corona life.
The third major consequence of the Isfahan citizens’ exposure to Corona is “strengthening the sense of social togetherness”, which is manifested above all in increasing the sense of altruism, including the formation of campaigns to help the needy and the joy of family life.
Another major consequence of the Isfahan citizens’ encounter with the Corona crisis is the “growth of digital culture” and double digitization. In fact, the virtualization of business is considered a major strategy for the transition from the corona situation and it can be very beneficial in the transition from other crises that the world may face in the future.
The fifth consequence of Isfahani’s citizens facing the Corona crisis is “institutional distrust”. The ineffectiveness of government policies in dealing with, managing and controlling Corona has led to the formation of a form of mistrust among citizens, which is in various forms of “distrust of government institutions”, “hospital phobia” and “distrust of vaccination” has appeared.
 
4. Discussion
The results of the research confirm the theory of Anthony Giddens (2005b) about late or reflexivity modernity. In this era, reflexivity becomes the basic phenomenon of daily life, in such a way that social functions are reconsidered and considered, the common people distance themselves from established customs and norms, and doubt and ponder about traditional identity and resistance. It increases compared to common stereotypes and traditional patterns in different dimensions of life such as life planning, religiosity, body management and gender stereotypes.
The results of this research showed that as a result of critical reflexivity, Iranian people have found a new attitude and social mentality: the expansion of interdisciplinary approaches and the necessity of using them, a more positive attitude towards human categories and emotional values, growth The death of awareness and death thinking, paying attention to the importance of home and family, weakening attitudes towards traditional beliefs and superstitions, increasing sensitivity and paying attention to the category of health and hygiene; They are among the results of Iranian people’s reflexivity in the corona situation. These reflections led to extensive objective, mental, material and spiritual changes, which seem to affect the governance and economic system in the long run, and in this new social context, everything makes sense and it will have a new meaning.
 
5. Conclusion
In the current research, the covid-19 epidemic has led to individual reflexivity and reorganization in the intellectual and practical aspects of daily life, rather than collective activism to reduce the effects of the crisis. It is as if the reflexivity actions of activists in the conditions of the Covid-19 epidemic are also a way to adapt more to the existing conditions and be resilient against possible damages. Also, this research confirms the crisis of mistrust in science in the stage of reflexivity scientific development.

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Main Subjects

References

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Two Quarterly Journal of Contemporary Sociological Research
Volume 13, Issue 24
September 2024
Pages 61-106

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