New Vocabulary of Pandemic Era[1]
Bogdan J. Góralczyk[2]
Abstract
Totally unexpected and surprising coronavirus, known as COVID-19, has brought about a new pandemic and simultaneously a new dynamic on the international arena. Humankind has been challenged by a new disease, with unknown consequences: not only in medical, but also political, economic, and social sense. New global power relations are also moving on dynamically, without a final result on the horizon yet, however with the visible duel of two major global economic powers: the US and China on the top of it. In those circumstances we, all of us individually and in every particular country, need to adjust ourselves to a new environment, and search not only for masks, equipment, or medicine (starting from vaccines), but also stress some new priorities on our daily agenda. Time has come to search for a new philosophy and a new vocabulary. In the text below the author is trying to give his individual approach and proposal to start such a new way of thinking and opening of our minds. Of course, he is not pretending to be exclusive and right in his own, as this is just an attempt, an exercise to define the new, dynamic realities. It is a venture and effort worth to rise especially that, as it is more and more widely accepted in academic circles, after a pandemic two other Big Swans, that is the climate change and the environmental pressure, are also looming on the horizon. Time to have a pause for reflection, as the world after COVID-19 will be different from the one we have known prior to it. This is probably the only one universal truth we can define for sure in those uncertain times.
Key Words: Pandemic, COVID-19, Global Powers, New Global Order, Security, US, China, the EU
[1] A preliminary assessment and conclusions of the pandemic situation, as initially presented during CASS webinar/conference on September 22, 2020
[2] Professor, former Director and Ambassador at the Centre for Europe, University of Warsaw. Available at: b.goralczyk@uw.edu.pl