Background and Scope

The Covid-19 health crisis has significantly disrupted every aspect of human life, namely the economic, social, societal, cultural, and political sectors around the world. Governments, policymakers, businesses and individuals have faced new and unknown risks. Thus, radical changes in individual and organizational habits and practices have been noticed:

On the socio-cultural level, several repercussions can be enumerated. The excessive use of the media in all its forms has increased misinformation and conspiratorial narratives. The crisis has also impacted the artistic, cultural and sport sectors due to social distancing measures and cancellation of major global events. Furthermore, the pandemic has caused a havoc in the educational systems and institutions around the world; this massive disruption has sharpened educational inequalities, particularly in the most vulnerable countries. Other existing social vulnerabilities have been exposed and amplified by the lockdowns and downturns, among them: gender gaps, domestic violence, and the exploitation of children and adolescents.

On the socio-economic level, the consequences have been harmful. The closure of borders, the suspension of the tourism-related activities, the closure of certain businesses have resulted in a decline in the overall level of world production, slowdown in global trade, employment losses for millions of workers around the world, decrease in per capita income, reduction in state revenues in the face of an unexpected increase in government expenditure.

Efforts have been multiplied to alleviate the horrific repercussions of the pandemic on societies, businesses and individuals. The role of researchers and academic communities appeared to be essential and crucial during this period. If decision-makers (governments and business leaders) are called upon to guarantee a revival of the economy and the normal life of individuals, scientific research has provided access to theories and models facilitating reflection on this crisis.

Accordingly, the fields of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) have proved their importance in terms of reflection on aspects related to Covid-19. Thanks to their interdisciplinary nature, they can produce multidimensional and forward-looking research to understand the ongoing transformations and to shed light on the public policies put in place to respond to the crisis. These sciences can also highlight the various inequalities, which have been intensified by the pandemic, and provide recommendations to guarantee an inclusive and equitable future. Specifically, Humanities and Social Sciences research can provide companies with methods enabling them to manage this period of crisis. The contributions of these sciences also concern macroeconomic systems, in terms of proposing recommendations to improve access to public services, ensure optimal employability, promote an entrepreneurial culture and, therefore, guarantee sustainable development.

Hence, the objective of this conference is to bring together academics, doctoral students and practitioners (educators, linguists, psychologists, economists, political figures, entrepreneurs, etc.) from different countries to discuss theoretical and practical questions related to the contributions of HSS in addressing different issues related to the Covid-19 crisis. The main goal is to contribute to the realization of a sustainable and inclusive development model.