Introduction

These posts are a series of notes about the evolution of the coronavirus crisis form the vantage point of the goings on in Zaragoza, Spain.  As Spain becomes one of the centerpieces of this crisis for the moment (mid-March 2020) and one of the countries  of the EU to be hit the hardest (after Italy), we decided to take some notes on how this process unfolds ,especially with quarantine.  The idea is simple and limited.  A series of ethnographic style notes, when regular ethnography becomes difficult.  Trying to take notes on the forms of existence, on experiencing a “crisis” that feel distant and close, on reconciling peaceful moments with the family with concerns for relatives far away, on being socially and geographically isolated, yet bombarded incessantly with digital images, messages, requests, news, etc.  On new forms of sociality (and its lack) that merge in this place in this context.

We have sense, as do many other people of course, that these events, the quarantine, the pandemic, the methods of governing it and surviving in it, will have important medium if not long term effects on governance, rights, political discourse, etc.

Though our usual work as scholars is on critical migration and border studies, precarity and social movements, we perceive this moment as being one which will have different spill over effects into those fields as well.  So we begin these notes as a sort of repository for the experiences and glimpses we get now, and as material to reflect on later.  We know other people are also doing this effort.

Our goal is not so much as “how-to” guide of surviving quarantine, of how best to buy groceries and disinfect, there are many other sites and good advice on those topics –from much more reputable sources than us.  This is merely our notes of notable happening that we believe may have effects later.  WE post them only for those interested, and of course welcome other people who wish to share their own notes, or report the goings on in their locales.

As a note, given some of our research interests, we will also post links and notes about news stories we see as related to our research: particularly that concerning the links between the coronavirus crisis and rhetoric around migration and borders, as well as hints at changing forms of labor, as well distinct forms of social mobilizing under quarantine.