Institutional Logics and Social Responses to Covid – 19 Outbreak and Lockdown Case of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

In this paper we explore social responses, attitudes and social practices of everyday life in the midst of a complete social closure at an early stage of corona crisis, based on original empirical survey data collected via online questionnaire (N=352) during the lockdown and state of emergency in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Aiming to analyse social implications of the ongoing crisis and directions for future research we have particularly focused on several dimensions: work, free time and everyday activities, attitudes towards the new uncertainty and specific needs of different social groups in the context of crisis. Social responses to novel living circumstances have highlighted problems related to the status of vulnerable groups present from before in a society that is most commonly categorized as a country in transition marked by post-war challenges. Results show that established discrimination practices have resurfaced while vulnerable social groups’ living conditions have significantly aggravated even early at the times of pandemic emergence.