The return of the state? The political and economic implications of the coronavirus pandemic

The coronavirus crisis has confronted the world of work, the economy, and our society with an almost unprecedented level of uncertainty. The measures to combat the pandemic have resulted in around a third of employees working from home; almost one in five were on short-time working in the spring. Many who are self-employed or on flexible contracts have at least temporarily lost job opportunities and numerous companies are facing an uncertain future as a consequence of ongoing restrictions and structural changes. At the same time, politicians in Germany and other countries, as well as at the European level, have rapidly started to implement wide-ranging stabilization measures. The Annual Colloquium will discuss this new relationship between society, economy, and the state in the context of the pandemic and ask how a “new normal” can look beyond the current exceptional circumstances.