• Special issue of the International Journal of Community and Social Development consists of nine articles from eight countries examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
• Journal focuses on lessons learned in each country’s context, and highlights hidden health inequities in both developed and developing countries
• The timely dissemination of research knowledge and resources will benefit local and global communities and promote important research on these ongoing issues

Professor in Social Work and Human Services, Manohar Pawar (pictured), in the Charles Sturt University School of Humanities and Social Sciences is President of the International Consortium of Social Development and founding editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Community and Social Development.

A special issue of the journal, ‘The Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic: Implications for Community and Social Development’, was published on Tuesday 30 June and consists of nine articles from New Zealand, Australia, India, Italy, the United States, Sweden, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

“These articles present each country’s unique approaches to fighting the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic and the impact it has made locally and globally,” Professor Pawar said.

“The journal issue not only focuses on lessons learned in each country’s context, but also points out implications for community social development so as to address hidden health inequities in both developed and developed countries.

“It is also a useful resource for further research and action.”

The main objectives of this special issue are to document and analyse:

● the impact of the pandemic on socio-cultural, health, including mental health, economic, employment and work, education aspects of people’s lives in each country context;

● governments’ policies and programs to respond to the pandemic and deal or cope with the impact;

● issues/problems/challenges/limitations/contradictions experienced in responding to the pandemic and in addressing the impact;

● major lessons learnt in each country context to effectively manage the pandemic and its impact; and

● the implications for community social development practice in the post-pandemic context.

The publisher of the special issue of the International Journal of Community and Social Development, SAGE publications, has made the issue ‘open access’ for the benefit of the public, and all articles can be freely downloaded.

Professor Pawar said the timely publication demonstrates Charles Sturt University’s social work research leadership on an important topic in the current pandemic context.

“It is so important that we disseminate timely research knowledge and resources for the benefit of local and global communities,” he said.