COVID-19 and Global Inequalities (edX)

It is commonplace for people to say, “we’re all in this together.” We’re not. In fact, the impact has been disproportionately felt by people who are already disadvantaged by reasons of race, ethnicity, gender, disability, poverty, age, and intersections of disfavored identity. This online course will give students an opportunity to hear from lecturers around the world, many of whom were presenting their lectures as the virus was spreading and vaccines were still an unfulfilled hope, while others discuss the growing problem of inequitable vaccine distribution. For the first year of enrollment, students will also have the opportunity to engage in monthly live discussions with one of the professors of the course. The course explores the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on members of disadvantaged communities through the lens of equality law.

What you'll learn
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
1- Compare how different legal systems addressed the Covid-19 pandemic;
2- Compare the impact on inequality of the laws and policies that different legal systems adopted to address the pandemic;
3- Analyze the theories of equality underlying the law and policy decisions that different systems adopted to address the pandemic;
4- Discuss articles about inequality and the pandemic, and the issues raised in light of the underlying theories of equality, using examples from several legal systems;
5- Connect with students from around the globe as friends/colleagues to discuss ongoing issues of inequality in light of the pandemic and the material they studied together;
6- Create connections within a global community of research and learning

Syllabus

5-Week Schedule:

1. Introduction; Race and Racism
2. Gender Equality; Domestic Violence; LGBTQIA+
3. Intersectionality; Poverty; Incarceration
4. Low Wage Workers; Migrants
5. Age; People With Disabilities; Vaccine Distribution