Socio-political Impact Research Articles

Teachers' Perspectives on the Webex Online Platform for Secondary Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Greece

In this study, we examine the impact of Information Systems (IS) on the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the utilisation of the "Webex" online platform within the Greek educational system. This assessment aims to evaluate the platform's impact on organisational performance within this industry, particularly focusing on teachers' perspectives. This paper presents original quantitative research exploring how technological advancements have facilitated distance learning driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. The research is important because it highlights the challenges faced by Greece, as shown by the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) indicators (1). In 2019, Greece ranked 26th out of 28 Member States, indicating outdated infrastructure and a lack of training among educators. Additionally, the country experienced a "brain drain" as a result of the 2008 Greek financial crisis, leading to skilled educators leaving the country (2). The adoption of distance learning at the secondary education level in Greece presents unique challenges as well as opportunities, according to the research. The novelty of this study is its focus on primary data gathered from secondary school teachers in relation to the country’s technological and other challenges. It provides insights into the real-world application and effectiveness of the Webex platform in an unprecedented situation. The study contributes to new knowledge by providing a detailed understanding of teachers' IT competency, their perceptions of online education, and the state's support (or lack thereof). It also highlights the psychological benefits of online education for students despite the noted challenges in attendance and achieving educational objectives. However, these lessons were not consistent for all students. Based on the statistical analysis, factors such as attendance, challenges perceived by the students, and the achievement of educational objectives were determined to be indicators of the effectiveness of online instructors. Practically, this research highlights the necessity for improved training for teachers to effectively utilise online platforms. It also recommends enhancing IT infrastructure and government support to improve online education. Teachers expressed openness to training seminars and recognised the psychological gains for students, suggesting the potential for continued use of online teaching methods post-pandemic. The wider sociopolitical impact involves informing discussions on the necessity, value, and effectiveness of e-learning, thus guiding future educational policies and practices.

Exploring patterns in online discussions into the lingering impact of COVID-19, two years on

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to explore underlying patterns in the users’ discussions in an online community on the darker effects of COVID-19. Understanding these patterns is critical as they can provide new information in tailoring support to individuals facing specific post-pandemic issues.MethodsTwo methods were used to identify patterns in large volumes of publicly available responses (n = 23,957 posts; ~ 1,061,825 words) from an online community. Qualitatively (using Gioia methodology), 1000 random responses were manually coded by two coders and vetted by an investigator. As it was difficult to manually code such a big dataset, a quantitative approach building a topic model was employed with a language model.ResultsQualitative analyses revealed 20 themes, including mental health (13%), impacts of direct and indirect deaths on socio-economically vulnerable groups (e.g. children and elderly, 10.4%), increasing sociopolitical divide and vaccination debate (6.8%), and work-related issues (e.g. burnout and layoffs, 6%). Topic analyses resulted in similar categories (n = 30), including physical health, loss experiences during COVID-19 and suicide; sociopolitical impact and adaptations in pandemic lifestyle; mental health and vaccination; pandemic restrictions, youth and behavioral expectations; distrust for institutions and resource scarcity; staffing issues and personal crisis; disrupted careers; and childcare challenges and economic shifts.ConclusionAs researchers are harnessing vast amounts of real-time human interaction data to study a variety of public health issues, our study provides insights into the specific challenges that people experienced when it became convenient to share concerns online amid an overloaded healthcare system during the pandemic.

Multimodal Discourse Features in Selected Nigerian Political Cartoons

Political cartoons in Nigerian society serve as tools for political commentary and social critique. This research investigates the socio-political impact of visual and linguistic strategies in selected Nigerian political cartoons, addressing a significant gap in the existing literature concerning the role of visual media in political discourse. Despite the prevalent use of political cartoons in Nigerian media, there has been limited scholarly attention to how these cartoons utilise visual and linguistic elements to critique socio-political disputes. This study aims to bridge this gap by employing Kress and van Leeuwen’s Grammar of Visual Design and Roland Barthes’ Semiotic Theory to analyse seven selected political cartoons. The study's primary aim is to explore how these cartoons communicate complex political realities and influence public perception. The objectives include identifying the visual and linguistic strategies used in the cartoons, examining the socio-political issues they address, and evaluating their impact on public discourse. The findings reveal that Nigerian political cartoons employ a sophisticated blend of visual and linguistic strategies to convey powerful socio-political messages. The analysis demonstrates that these cartoons effectively highlight issues such as corruption, economic hardship, political neglect, and the disparity between the ruling elites and the suffering masses. The study also found that these cartoons effectively depict the disparity between the ruling elites and the suffering masses, employing salience, framing, modality, denotation, connotation, and myth to engage and challenge public perception. The research underscores the significance of political cartoons as tools for socio-political engagement and discourse, demonstrating their role in reflecting and shaping public opinion on critical national issues. In conclusion, this study underscores the importance of political cartoons as a medium for socio-political engagement and discourse in Nigeria. It highlights the critical role of visual semiotics in political commentary and the necessity for further research into the impact of visual media on public opinion and political accountability.

“The Power of the One Needs the Stupidity of the Other.”1 Bonhoeffer’s Theory of Stupidity and Analysis of its Socio-political Impact

Abstract Stupidity is a greater evil than evil itself. This could be the synthesis of the theory put forward by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He was a Protestant pastor, theologian, counter-intelligence officer, and martyr, whose work decisively influenced the subsequent evolution of the relationship between society and theology. One of the most fascinating aspects of his thinking is represented by the theorization of stupidity, which appears in his meditation “After Ten Years,” where he outlines the disastrous consequences of human stupidity, as well as how stupidity – as a form of legitimizing evil – can be stopped. The greatest evil that society must confront is imbecility. But what is its connection to political (or radical) evil, and how can we stop its disastrous consequences?

Public art as a driver of change: exploring its socio-political impact in the modern era

Public art as a driver of change: exploring its socio-political impact in the modern era

Redefining Vygotsky’s early works as a theory of aesthetics

The paper critically examines Lev Vygotsky’s art-related texts from 1915 to 1924, challenging interpretations based in Psychology by asserting that his aesthetic framework transcends outdated objectivist references, offering a nuanced philosophical perspective. Situating this within post-1917 Revolutionary Russia, the study explores its alignment with the visions of a ‘Revolutionary’ theatre for the ‘new human being’ in the Russian Futurist movement. It underscores Vygotsky’s pursuit of empirical evidence for understanding theatre’s impact on individuals and society, highlighting Marxist dialectics as the backbone of his aesthetic thought. Moreover, it establishes a connection between Vygotsky’s thought and Formalism, rooted in their shared emphasis on art’s structural features and links his ideas with Futurism, exploring their shared belief in the transformative power of form as a crucial element in provoking social change. The paper defines Vygotsky’s aesthetics, focusing on integral aspects of artistic reception, particularly emotion and imagination. It traces the shifts in Vygotsky’s understanding of these terms from his early reliance on psychoanalysis to the incorporation of dialectic and, later, cultural-historical perspectives, thus integrating Vygotsky’s later theories on human psychology into his aesthetic theory. The paper concludes by exploring the resonance between Vygotsky’s redefined aesthetics and contemporary Cognitive Theatre Studies. It draws attention to methodological convergence and shared insights on the interplay between natural and cultural influences, such as image schemas and conceptual blending, emphasising the enduring relevance of Vygotsky’s perspective on artistic structure and theatre’s transformative socio-political impact.

Sociopolitical Impact of a Natural Disaster

Drawing on primary historical sources and secondary paleoclimatic data, this paper examines the significant ‘snow disaster’ (gangs skyon) that occurred in the Nagchu region of Northwestern Tibet in 1828. It places this event within the context of the ‘Little Ice Age’, a globally cold period. By analysing reports of natural disasters exchanged between the Ganden Podrang Government and local administrators, the paper argues that the snow disaster led to an ‘unprecedented’ ecological and economic crisis. This crisis resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of livestock and triggered various social and economic catastrophes. It also highlights that the Tibetan government responded by providing relief measures, including the suspension of yearly taxes. Notably, the Qing court extended substantial aid, facilitating the acquisition and replacement of livestock. This study underscores how a single climatic event can contribute to triggering various socio-political challenges in societies that are more exposed to vulnerabilities.

Психосемантичні особливості уявлень української, французької та африканської молоді про імперіалізм

B a c k g r o u n d . The current geopolitical situation, including Russia"s war against Ukraine, makes the study of young people"s perceptions of imperialism relevant. Imperialism is a multifaceted phenomenon that has economic, cultural, and socio-political impact. The purpose of the study is to identify and analyze the constructs used by young people in different countries to perceive France and Russia as imperialist powers. M e t h o d s . A mixed-methods research was conducted, combining qualitative methods (analysis of interviews using George Kelly"s theory of personal constructs and an association experiment) with statistical methods, such as regression analysis. R e s u l t s . The qualitative analysis showed that respondents used different constructs to describe France and Russia. African respondents most often mentioned constructs related to power and domination, while French respondents focused on imperialism and cultural differences. Ukrainian respondents focused on cultural differences and ideology. Detailed analysis allowed us to identify eleven constructs that were used in the questionnaire with a semantic differential. The regression analysis showed that for African respondents, the most important constructs for perceiving France in the context of imperialism are "Hostile – Friendly", "Eastern – Western" and "Militaristic – Pacifist", and for Russia – "Hostile – Friendly", "Aggressive – Peaceful" and "Discriminating – Discriminated". In the French group, the construct Aggressive – Peaceful is significant for the perception of France, while for Russia it is Militaristic – Pacifist. In the Ukrainian group, the constructs "Hostile – Friendly" and "Conservative – Modern" are significant for the perception of France, while for Russia – "Aggressive – Peaceful" and "Authoritarian – Democratic". C o n c l u s i o n s . The analysis of qualitative data showed that different groups of respondents have different perceptions of French and Russian imperialism, focusing on cultural, ideological and historical aspects. The regression analysis confirmed the importance of the constructs "Hostile – Friendly", "Aggressive – Peaceful" and "Militaristic – Pacifist" for the perception of both countries. This study highlights the importance of cultural and social context in shaping geopolitical perceptions.

Echoes of Injustice: The Goyo´s Massacre in Poza Rica, Veracruz, Mexico, 1958. A Comprehensive Analysis of the Socio-Political Impact and the Quest for Human Rights and Accountability in Mexico

Echoes of Injustice: The Goyo´s Massacre in Poza Rica, Veracruz, Mexico, 1958. A Comprehensive Analysis of the Socio-Political Impact and the Quest for Human Rights and Accountability in Mexico

Socio-Political Impact of International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Pakistan from 2008-2022

Socio-Political Impact of International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Pakistan from 2008-2022

Unpacking colonialist and racist ideologies in historical German lexicons: A critical analysis of the Afrika Hand-Lexikon (1885) and similar reference books

Abstract This article This article has been adapted from the author’s master’s thesis as part of completion of the European Master in Lexicography (EMLex). delves into the impact of colonialist and racist ideologies as manifested in lexicons, with a special focus on the Afrika Hand-Lexikon (1885) and other lexicons from the German colonialist period (1884–1914). By examining the front matter and selected entries from these lexicons, the article uncovers the origins of racial hierarchies and scrutinizes dehumanization tactics, including the use of animal metaphors. Moreover, the article provides historical context to understand the language and rhetorical devices employed by lexicographers such as Paul Heichen in the Afrika Hand-Lexikon. Additionally, it emphasizes the pivotal role that colonialist ideologies played in influencing the ideologies embraced by the Nazi regime in its war of extermination. Through this analysis, the article sheds light on the historical significance of lexicons in perpetuating and legitimizing derogatory language, while also underscoring their relevance in comprehending the broader socio-political impact of colonialism and racism.

Will Democracy Survive Climate Change?

In this essay, we explore the relationship between democracy and climate change. Using environmental sociology and related fields as a theoretical lens, we explore two possible and contrasting scenarios of the climate crisis's sociopolitical impact. The first scenario presents that democracy is not well‐equipped to deal with climate change. The increasing pervasiveness and intensity of climate change challenges our democratic system, ultimately leading to its demise and the rise of authoritarianism around the world. In the second scenario, we argue that not only is democracy the most ideal type of governance for tackling climate change, but climate change can revive democracy in an era of rising populist, right‐wing politics. We conclude by discussing several of the conditions required to lead to one or the other scenario.

Beyond towards The Stranger

This article discusses the relevance of the Baumanian-Levinasian notion of religion within a concrete analysis of refugee reception. As various classical approaches and definitions of religion have described it as a social phenomenon of grouping or an ideological tool for maintaining social order, it is necessary to provide a relevant approach to discussing religion as an ethical drive to build social inclusion through transmigration. The previous 2015 Western Europe immigration crisis due to the Syrian civil war has invited xenophobic responses towards immigrants, inevitably resulting in the socio-political impact of Brexit in 2020. Demonstrations of refugee resettlement driven by religious causes have provided a practical and ethical critique of secular liberalism. Furthermore, this article also reflects on the church's role as a refuge for refugees and marginalised groups in Indonesia. In conclusion, the Baumanian-Levinasian thought on religion and ethics remains relevant to both Western and Indonesian contexts in fostering inclusion, particularly during political turmoil.

SEMANTIC MEDIA: POLITICAL ECONOMY PERSPECTIVES ON PLATFORMIZED FACT PRODUCTION

Large media platforms are now in the habit of providing facts in their products and representing knowledge to various publics. For example, Google’s Knowledge Graph is a database of facts that Google uses to provide quick answers to publics who use their products, while Wikipedia has a product called Wikidata that similarly stores facts about the world in data formats through which various apps can retrieve the data. Microsoft, Amazon, and IBM use similar fact storing and retrieval techniques in their products. This panel introduces papers that take a political economy perspective on such platformaized versions of fact production and examines the underlying infrastructures, histories, and modeling techniques used in such knowledge representation systems. Knowledge representation, long a central topic in archiving work in library and information sciences, is a key feature of platforms and practiced by internet companies more broadly. Much of this work has historically centered on metadata models that seek to organize and describe information in standardized ways. In the context of expanding this data organizing and labeling work into the wider web, one of the main facilitators was the “Semantic Web” project proposed by Tim-Berners Lee and the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Today, many of the same principles, technologies, and standards that were proposed by those early projects in metadata modeling from groups like W3C are found at companies like Google and Facebook, organizations like Wikipedia, government portals, and beyond. These platform metadata models are typically produced by industry professionals (e.g., taxonomists, ontologists, knowledge engineers, etc.) who help structure information for algorithmic processing on platforms and their recommender systems. Such structured information is supposed to add a layer of contextual expressivity to web data that would otherwise be more difficult to parse, though the issue of context control is not unproblematic in relation to statements of facts. In many of these automated systems, metadata models contribute to articulating ready-made facts that then travel through these systems and eventually reach the products that are engaged by everyday web users. This panel connects scholars working in information, media studies, and science and technology studies to discuss these semantic technologies. The first paper presents data gathered from interviews with semantic web practitioners who build or have built metadata models at large internet and platform companies. It presents results from a qualitative study of these platform data management professionals (collectively referred to as “metadata modelers”) and draws from unstructured interviews (n=10) and archival research. The paper describes the image of a metadata ecology along with selected work-related contestations expressed by interview subjects regarding some of the difficulties and intractable problems in metadata modeling work. The paper includes a discussion of the political economy of platform semantics through an examination of critical semantic web literature and ends with some policy concerns. The second paper translates the method of tracing “traveling facts” from science studies to the context of online knowledge about evolving, historic events. The goal is to understand the socio-political impact of the semantic web as it has been implemented by monopolistic digital platforms and how such practices intersect in the context of Wikipedia, where the majority of knowledge graph entities are sourced from. The paper describes how the adoption (and domination) by platform companies of linked data has catalyzed a re-shaping of web content to accord with the question and answer linked data formats, weakening the power of open content licenses to support local knowledge and consolidating the power of algorithmic knowledge systems that favor knowledge monopolies. The third paper discusses building a semantic foundation for machine learning and examines how information infrastructures that convey meaning are intimately tied to colonial labor relations. It traces the practice of building a digital infrastructure that enables machines to learn from human language. The paper describes examples from an ethnographic study of semantic computing and its infrastructuring practices to show how such techniques are materially and discursively performative in their co-emergence with techno-epistemic discourses and politico-economic structures. It examines sociomaterial process in which classifications, standards, metadata, and methods co-emerge with processes of signification that reconstitute and/or shift hegemonic ecologies of knowledge. The fourth paper evaluates and examines the ethics of “free” data (CC-0) in Wikidata by evaluating the sources and usage of data from and within Wikidata. From knowledge graphs to AI training, Wikidata is the semantic web platform that is being used across the Internet to power new platforms. Through a consideration of the ways in which Wikidata scrapes Wikipedia’s “share alike” knowledge through scraping metadata and the significant donations and partnerships from large technology firms (Google in particular), this paper addresses ethical concerns within the largest semantic web platform, how these transformations of knowledge alienate donated volunteer labor, and offers some ways in which these issues might be mitigated.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the changing idea of Indian Citizenship

ABSTRACT In 2019, the Indian parliament adopted the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, which grants citizenship to non-Muslims ‘persecuted’ minorities such as Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis or Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Protests were held against the CAA in various parts of India. For protestors, the CAA is contrary to the secular character of the Indian citizenship. Supporters of the CAA also held rallies enumerating its benefits. This paper traces the historical evolution of the constitutional debates and changes in the Indian citizenship rules, and examines the socio-political impact of the CAA.

Religion, politics and science education in Pakistan: Analysis of Islamisation of science textbooks in tribal districts

Historically, education has largely been used for political gains and to strengthen positions of power. Similarly, ruling elites in Pakistan achieve their political interests by using education as a tool. This study problematised the religious content in the secondary school science textbooks of the national curriculum. This was illustrated in the context of the post-conflict scenario of 11 September 2001 (9/11) in the newly merged tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A thematic analysis of the content of the science textbooks (physics and biology) was used to develop the findings of this study. This was supported by field data gathered from students’ experiences and interactions with the sample textbooks. By incorporating Foucault’s concept of the ‘regime of truth’ and Talbani’s conceptualisation of Islamisation, the study found the use of the Qur’anic verses in the sampled textbooks to be influential ‘technologies of power and self’ to Islamise science and scientify Islam to prove it as a scientific religion. In addition, it makes education increasingly irrelevant to changing socio-economic realities and aspirations among students.Contribution: The study can contribute both to theory and practice. By Islamising science education and instilling obscurantism in textbooks for schools, there is a substantial sociopolitical impact, as well as a negative impact on students’ critical thinking skills. The policymakers and actors in the Pakistani education system should therefore pay close attention to this issue. Unless the current educational system is changed, a number of generations will experience stunted growth that will be nearly impossible to reverse in the future.

Citizen science’s transformative impact on science, citizen empowerment and socio-political processes

Citizen science (CS) can foster transformative impact for science, citizen empowerment and socio-political processes. To unleash this impact, a clearer understanding of its current status and challenges for its development is needed. Using quantitative indicators developed in a collaborative stakeholder process, our study provides a comprehensive overview of the current status of CS in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Our online survey with 340 responses focused on CS impact through (1) scientific practices, (2) participant learning and empowerment, and (3) socio-political processes. With regard to scientific impact, we found that data quality control is an established component of CS practice, while publication of CS data and results has not yet been achieved by all project coordinators (55%). Key benefits for citizen scientists were the experience of collective impact (“making a difference together with others”) as well as gaining new knowledge. For the citizen scientists’ learning outcomes, different forms of social learning, such as systematic feedback or personal mentoring, were essential. While the majority of respondents attributed an important value to CS for decision-making, only few were confident that CS data were indeed utilized as evidence by decision-makers. Based on these results, we recommend (1) that project coordinators and researchers strengthen scientific impact by fostering data management and publications, (2) that project coordinators and citizen scientists enhance participant impact by promoting social learning opportunities and (3) that project initiators and CS networks foster socio-political impact through early engagement with decision-makers and alignment with ongoing policy processes. In this way, CS can evolve its transformative impact.

Iran in Motion: Mobility, Space and the Trans-Iranian Railway by Mikiya Koyagi

Iran in Motion is an important contribution to the history of railway construction and its wider socio-political impact in a non-colonial context. At a related level, the volume also adds to our understanding of the diverse impetus behind railway building in the twentieth century. Broadly speaking, the history of railway building and its wider influence is largely a nineteenth-century story. But by focusing on the twentieth century, this book shows how the technology transfer related to railway construction and operation was adapted in Iran and was deployed to suit the changing needs of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s Iran.The book has seven chapters, excluding the introduction and the conclusion. The introduction sets out the analytical and methodological parameters of the book, including a “roadmap” with handy chapter summaries. The first two chapters underline how different visions—those of the late-imperial British and Iranian state in the early decades of the twentieth century—coalesced in imagining railways as a solution for creating a nation and national space. Chapter 3 develops this theme by illustrating how the Pahlavi state produced through imagery and actual construction a railway network (or the beginnings of one) that was expected to engender “national territorial space” (16). The fourth chapter focuses mainly on the construction of the trans-Iranian network, and the remaining three chapters analyze the ways in which the commencement of railway operation “produced new mobilities and new subjectivities” (16).The book’s scope is ambitious. At one level, it tells the story of the planning, building, and operation of the Trans-Iranian railways; at another, it tells what happens after railways become operational. Did it create a new nation space underpinned by diverse mobilities? Given this wide scope, the book methodologically straddles two distinct disciplinary boundaries, history and mobility studies. This interdisciplinarity, most notably evident in the conceptualization of the chapters, is largely successful. The flavor of the book, however, is primarily unembellished history. Though this approach is not necessarily a drawback, the volume, which explicitly claims to tell the history of Trans-Iranian railway as “stories of mobilities that the project facilitated” (14), does not draw substantially from the theoretical and analytical framework developed by mobility studies. Moreover, despite its use of traditional historical methodologies, the book’s empirical evidence is thin, as is clearly evident in the range of petitions and travelogues that it examines (Chapters 4–7). The copious newspapers, contemporary magazines, and similar other printed sources that document elite sensibilities cannot compensate for the striking dearth of empirical evidence about how railways affected non-elite mobilities and attitudes. Admittedly, mining archives for non-elite engagement is a daunting task, but the few petitions and other sources about railway workers, the traveling public, and the like are too sparse to justify Koyagi’s claim to cover “all sorts” (14).Nonetheless, the book theorizes and interprets its evidence well, showing that railway-induced mobilities were both diverse and instantiated in ways not intended by the Pahlavi state. The main achievement of the book is its ability to underline the wide and varied effect of technology transfer on different groups and individuals. Nowhere is this effect more obvious than in how people in contemporary Iran envisage their railways as a vehicle for pilgrimage and as an extension of the nation’s religious basis, beyond what it was projected to be when built under the Pahlavi regime. Overall, the volume adds to the expanding literature on technology transfer and its socio-cultural afterlife in Asia and beyond.

Acordos de solução amistosa no âmbito da Comissão Interamericana de Direitos Humanos (Período 2010-2020): Uma análise das medidas de reparação acordadas e seu grau de cumprimento

Friendly Settlement Agreements are a tool through which petitions can be resolved in a non-contentious manner and agreed upon by the parties. There are several types of reparation that are adopted in friendly settlement agreements and these are: medical, psychological and social rehabilitation, measures of satisfaction, economic compensation, as well as measures of non-repetition. This research work is based on the content analysis method; in reference to the description of the data analysis, the reading of 100 cases of friendly settlement from 2010 to 2020 was taken as a basis, the investigative approach is mixed and the design implemented is the case study. The main objective is to analyze the degree of total, partial, substantial partial and pending compliance of the friendly settlement agreements approved by the Inter-AmericanCommission on Human Rights during the period 2010 to 2020. The results of the investigation yielded a significant fact that most the ASA reports are at the partial compliance level, with a high number of 53 cases out of the 100 sampled. To conclude, it is essential to emphasize that the procedure is also an opportunity for States to demonstrate their level of commitment to respect human rights and their duty to ensure their protection and compliance. In addition, it prevents a sociopolitical impact that causes a conviction against States and saves important resources.

Birmingham and the (International) Business of Live Music in Times of COVID-19

This article discusses the context of, and presents findings from, a project examining the live music sector in Birmingham, UK. This research is set against the backdrop of the broader socio-political impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and links it to national and global contexts. We explore the live music ecology of Birmingham and highlight the interdependencies between the various musical and non-musical stakeholders in the context of the pandemic—including the venues where live music takes place—examining how these stakeholders are responding to the crisis as it unfolds. In doing so, this article asks how an urban geographical area tied into national and international mechanisms of culture, commerce and policy can work to sustain its musical ecology in the face of the uncertainty of a post-COVID-19 era, and underlines the interconnectedness of live music ecologies and wider economies.