Dr Piers Robinson | Cockup or Conspiracy?

Cockup or Conspiracy? Understanding COVID-19 as a ‘Structural Deep Event’

As debate over ‘The Science’ has increased, people are questioning whether there was more to COVID-19 in terms of underlying agendas, in particular with respect to global-level actors. Was it incompetence or coordination?

Dr Piers Robinson is co-director of the Organisation for Propaganda Studies and was Chair/Professor in Politics, Society ad Political Journalism, University of Sheffield, 2016-2019. He researches and writes on propaganda, media, international politics and conflict. He is co-editor of the Routledge Handbook of Media, Conflict and Security (2018) and has published articles in journals including the Review of International Studies, Journal of Communication, Critical Sociology, Journal of Peace Research, European Journal of Communication, Political Science Quarterly, International Journal of Contemporary Iraqi Studies, Media, Culture and Society, Political Studies and Media, War and Conflict.

Useful links: https://www.pandata.org/cock-up-or-conspiracy/

COVID-19 has revealed that it was about more than just public health and the political, economic and societal aspects of the response are of far greater significance than the virus itself. There remains a continued drive toward the transformation of our societies in ways that threaten democracy and our existing ways of life. Open Society Sessions aim to examine the political, societal and economic dimensions of our recent experience and analyse developments in the future.