Sociology of the “Margin” Amid the Coronavirus

Abstract

Humanity has never faced its tragic reality as it is the case these days. This time, the enemy is not a world war with its frightful casualties, economic and financial crises with their dreadful legacies, nor it is a natural disaster with limited effects that spreads slowly such as hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes. Humanity is facing a global epidemic that took by surprise all governments and nations worldwide.

Throughout history, humanity has faced many epidemics and paid a high human price. The Black Death, also known as the Pestilence and the Plague, peaking in Europe from 1347 to 1348 was the most deadly pandemic recorded in human history. The toll reached one third of the population of Europe (25 million out of 75 million people in Europe). The Spanish flu in 1918 resulted in an estimated death toll of around 50 million to 100 million that is 5% of the total world population. In 2002-2003, humanity went through SARS and Ebola in Central and West Africa which affected one third of the population and took the lives of 11 thousand people. Then humanity was challenged by acquired immunodeficiency syndrome(AIDS)