The State and Society Relationship in East Asian Countries Under COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19 has significantly impacted state-society relationships since it made governments worldwide take on new roles to counter the pandemic, such as restrictions on individual liberty and citizens' economic security. Are the expanded roles of the state temporary, or will they be maintained even after the moderation of the pandemic? Do the changes in the state’s role differ between countries? One of the keys to answer these research questions is the reactions of citizens toward the role of the state because state cannot function adequately without the consent of the citizens.

Many existing studies on the research questions have examined mainly Western countries. However, with the difference in political and cultural backgrounds in mind, it must be prudent to apply findings from Western countries to East Asian countries. Thus, this session aims to discuss state-society relations under the COVID-19 pandemic in East Asian countries. For example, how did the state implement COVID-19 measures and how did citizens respond? What impacts have COVID-19 had on the people’s attitudes toward the state’s role? What are the differences among East Asian countries and why?

This session consists of presentations that analyze the state-society relationship in a broad sense under the pandemic in East Asian countries.