War Metaphors (What Are They Good For?): Militarized Rhetoric and Attitudes Toward Essential Workers During the Covid-19 Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders and society at large invoked militarized rhetoric and war metaphors to elevate essential workers and inspire collective action. Using a survey experiment we investigate whether this type of framing affects public views about (1) individual responsibilities, (2) targeted polices, and (3) perceptions of those called heroes and soldiers. We find that the war metaphor has minimal effects on public attitudes toward policies and individual actions in response to the pandemic. Framing the response in militaristic terms does, however, appear to affect perceptions of essential workers. Counter to our hypotheses, subjects who saw essential workers called heroes or soldiers viewed them as more motivated by compensation rather than service, and expressed less respect for them, than respondents in the control. These findings, including the nulls, make important contributions to our understanding of the limits of framing effects in a polarized context.

Equal in Death?

The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked new perceptions of death-dying has lost its disinterestedness and transpired to be a site of cultural, existential and political struggles, despite efforts to shelve the idea of an unavoidable death from everyday life. Moroccan media, in particular, has centered its focus on mass burials, over-crowded hospitals and spiraling death rates to amplify citizens' fear of death and thereby coerce them to stay at home in concert with the WHO guidelines. Given their physical and emotional proximity to the virus, this article zooms in on semi-structured narrative interviews with COVID-19 patients from Fez, Morocco, to analyze the implication of their pre-, during-and post-contamination experiences on the novel perceptions of death and dying. It arrives at a pivotal result: The return of symbolic immortality upon recovery when ex-patients become heroes who have succeeded in sidestepping the horror that the media worked untiringly to convey. © 2023 Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Me? A Hero? Gendered Work and Attributions of Heroism among Volunteers during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The gendered features of adults’ attributions of heroism to themselves and others has received substantially less scholarly attention than the gendered dynamics of media representations of (super)heroes. Utilizing 78 interviews and 569 self-administered questionnaires completed by adults in the United States who were voluntarily making personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic, we show how respondents effectively deployed popularized assessments of the relative value of gendered labour in the private and public spheres to shift attributions of heroism from themselves to others. Though media portrayals at the outset of the pandemic depicted these volunteers working in their homes as heroes, respondents insisted that the real heroes were those working in the public sphere. Even if media representations increasingly frame women as heroes, these results suggest that the long-standing associations between men and heroism will likely remain in place if feminized labour associated with the private sphere of households remains devalued. [ FROM AUTHOR]

Heroism and paramedic practice: A constructivist metasynthesis of qualitative research.

Objectives: We aimed to identify, appraise, and synthesise the qualitative literature to develop theory on heroism and paramedic practice. Hypothesis/research question: What does published literature tell us about heroism and paramedic practice? Setting: Paramedics and other healthcare workers (HCWs) faced an outpouring of public support for them early in the COVID-19 pandemic which brought into focus the relationship between them and society, where they are portrayed as heroes. Participants: We conducted a metasynthesis using Evolved Grounded Theory and procedural guidelines of Noblit and Hare to guide analysis. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines were also applied. Results: 151 papers were retrieved and eleven included in the final sample. Studies were moderate to very low quality, involving a wide range of methodologies and settings; none specifically explored heroism and paramedic practice. The following interrelated themes were constructed on heroism and paramedic practice: (a) Myth, Folk law, and storytelling in heroism and paramedic practice (b) The epic journey of heroism and paramedic practice (c) Heroes and Zeroes: The fluctuating Societal Value in heroism and paramedic practice (d) Politicisation, and objectification in Heroism and Paramedic practice. Conclusion: Paramedics have long been characterised as heroes, but this may not reflect their everyday experiences. Heroism in paramedic practice can provide scripts for prosocial action, inspiring others, and leading to more social heroic actions. Paramedics may however be ambivalent to such heroism narratives, due to politicisation, and objectification in the media and society. This metasynthesis is only one of many possible constructions of heroism and paramedic practice and is the first point in making sense of and developing theory on heroism and paramedic practice. Study registration: PROSPERO: CRD42021234851.

Promoting prosocial behavior through "everyday heroism": The heroic imagination project

The Heroic Imagination Project (HIP) was started in 2010, by the researcher who constructed the well-known Stanford Prison Experiment in 1971 (Zimbardo, 2021). This chapter looks at the origins, purpose and current directions of this organization and, in doing so, also engages in a critical analysis of the role and function of psychology and social psychology, in becoming more global in their reach, and their ability to help change behaviors in positive directions in response to the COVID pandemic. Zimbardo's choice of his two key words-hero and imagination-come from vocabularies outside of the narrow domain of scientific psychology. Together these concepts embrace literature, myth, philosophy and more (Davies, 2012;Isen, 2010). This analysis of the Heroic Imagination Project has five (5) parts: a. An examination of Zimbardo's meaning and use of the concept of hero, and imagination;b. The role and limits of science in the development and use of both of these concepts;c. HIP's response to the shift away from a narrow Western psychological perspective to a recognition of a psychology that has diverse and global dimensions;d. An examination of the application of HIP strategies to the COVID pandemic;e. Concluding concerns and issues for future research and consideration. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Heroes from above but not (always) from within? Gig workers’ reactions to the sudden public moralization of their work

How do individuals react to the sudden public moralization of their work and with what consequences? Extant research has documented how public narratives can gradually moralize societal perceptions of select occupations. Yet, the implications of how workers individually respond and form self-narratives in light of—or in spite of—a sudden moralizing event remain less understood. Such an understanding is even more critical when workers are weakly socialized by their organization, a situation increasingly common today. During the COVID-19 pandemic, radically shifting public narratives suddenly transformed grocery delivery work, previously uncelebrated, into highly moralized “heroic” pursuits. Drawing on interviews (n = 75), participant artifacts (n = 85), and archival data (e.g., newspaper articles), we find that these workers (here, shoppers on the platform organization Instacart), left mainly to themselves, exhibited varying responses to this moralizing and that their perceived relations to the organization, customers, and tasks shaped these responses. Surprisingly, those who facilely adopted the hero label felt morally credentialled, and they were thus likely to minimize their extra-role helping of customers and show low commitment to the organization;in contrast, those who wrestled with the hero narrative sought to earn those moral credentials, and they were more likely to embrace extra-role helping and remain committed to moralized aspects of the work. Our study contributes to literatures on the moralization of work and narratives by explaining why some workers accept a moralized narrative and others reject or wrestle with it, documenting consequences of workers’ reactions to such narratives, and suggesting how a moralized public narrative can backfire. © 2022 Elsevier Inc.

The heroism of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic: A phenomenological study from Jordan

Purpose. This paper aimed to shed light on the phenomenon of heroism among nurses by conducting semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of nurses of a well-known hospital in Jordan in January and February 2021 who stood up against the COVID-19 virus pandemic. Those nurses were exposed to the risk of being infected and possible death in a critical and uncertain situation. Design. The study described the lived experiences of those nurses, identified the meanings of those experiences, and clustered those meanings in themes guided by the descriptive phenomenological view of Husserl and using the descriptive phenomenological analysis method of Colaizzi. Findings. The study highlighted several elements related to heroism derived from nurses’ experiences, i.e., the hero understands the risky situation, has the desire to help others, is confident, faces stressors, benefits from the existing supporting system, copes positively, and ends up with positive outcomes. At last, the study proposed a model for heroism. Value of results. The study opens the door for understanding the phenomenon of heroism based on the nurse’s lived experiences and its impact on individuals and organizational performance. The study recommended teaching heroism to people and preparing them for risky situations as a strategy for business continuity during crises. Also, the authors encourage scholars to conduct further qualitative and quantitative research about heroism in other contexts considering cultural differences, various work environments, and crisis types. © 2022 by the authors.

Children Psychological Morbidity due to COVID-19: A Case Study

The COVID-19 pandemic has been reported to be associated with numerous major mental health issues globally;the most common is stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, insomnia, denial, anger, and fear. This case study presents here is that the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the significant loss of their family member followed by mental health symptoms experienced by children. This case study highlights the need to develop preventive strategies for vulnerable groups and try to understand the etiopathogenesis of illnesses so developing, in order to identify support systems and management strategies during the pandemic related crisis.

Origin Stories and Early American Studies

While virtual classrooms and conferences have left many of us feeling isolated from our students, mentors, and colleagues, remote-access technologies such as Zoom and Ex Ordo have also opened up such spaces to individuals who, for financial or geographical reasons, have not had the same access. Scholars of early America perhaps feel this paradox particularly acutely, as controversies around the 1619 Project and the place of critical race theory in public education have generated rigorous, sometimes vitriolic, debate about the meaning of America's past and present. The Quaker "agrarian on the margins" that Miller explored not only enriches our notions of Quakerism or the ends of religious reform movements in the colonial era but also constitutes a forgotten discourse of labor activism that, like Batra's models of early Black dissent, suggest longer genealogies for the history of social justice reform in the Americas. According to nineteenth- and twentieth-century histories of the Haudenosaunee, the Clinton-Sullivan campaign of 1779 radically severed ancient Haudenosaunee ties to their lands and forcibly reduced them to subsistence on reservation-like settlements at Buffalo Creek.

Closer together or further apart? Values of hero generations Y and Z during crisis

Purpose>Drawing upon cohort theory, the age-period-cohort framework and the portrait value system, this paper aims to examine differences in basic human values between generations Y and Z as they are shaped by recent major events (most importantly the COVID-19 pandemic).Design/methodology/approach>Hypothesized differences between values of generation Y and Z were tested using a content analysis of recent articles (Study 1) and an online survey through a prolific crowdsourcing website (Study 2).Findings>This research finds that while both generations value universalism and benevolence, Generation Y is more likely to conform and follow traditions while Generation Z values stimulation, hedonism and achievement more. The top two COVID-19 concerns for both groups were the health of others and financial security. Generation Y is more concerned about the economy while Generation Z is more worried about uncertainty in their future.Research limitations/implications>This paper provides insight into how the current environmental crisis has shaped the values of generations Y and Z and offers an understanding of the similarities and differences in values between these two generations.Practical implications>The findings have direct implications for the design of products/services and for the creation of effective marketing communications to reach these two consumer groups.Originality/value>This research is novel in identifying the basic human values of generations Y and Z as they are shaped by recent events such as the most recent economic recession and COVID-19.

Heroism and/as injurious speech: Recognition, precarity, and inequality in health and social care work

This paper draws on Judith Butler's (2009, 1997) writing on precarity and the interpellatory power of naming, read through her recent writing on the dynamics of recognition, vulnerability, and resistance, to develop a critique of the discourse of heroism used to position health and social care professionals, and other key workers, during the COVID pandemic. It does so in order to reflect on the insights into workplace inequalities that this example provides, in particular into what, to borrow from Butler, we might think of as the conditions necessary for a "workable life". It argues that, although it might seem paradoxical, the heroic discourses and symbolism used to recognize health and social care workers throughout the pandemic can be understood as a form of "injurious speech" in Butler's terms, one that served to other key workers by subjecting them to a reified, rhetorical form of recognition. The analysis argues that this had the effect of accentuating health and care workers' precarity and of undermining their capacity to challenge and resist this positioning. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Heroes in Harm's Way: COVID-19 Narratives of China as a Form of Soft Power

This paper examines COVID-19 narratives of China as a form of soft power. The coronavirus pandemic and its handling have presented an image problem for China on the global stage. The country has struggled to control the narratives surrounding the pandemic. This article is interdisciplinary in nature with a focus on contemporary Chinese history, culture, and politics, as well as communication issues and narratives. It analyses non-fictional and fictional narratives as part of China's COVID-19 diplomacy. Beyond documentaries, this paper examines the two docudramas Heroes in Harm's Way (2020) and With You (2020) and how these popular TV shows present the coronavirus crisis in China at the beginning of the pandemic. We argue that they provide positive narratives of the COVID-19 response that highlight people's courage and sacrifice to inspire the Chinese population to stand together as a nation. The docudramas showcase everyday life during the lockdown in Wuhan over 76 days from the end of January 2020 to early April 2020. Nurses, doctors, and patients are represented as heroic characters who fight the pandemic together. Heroes in Harm's Way and With You are testament of a united China broadcast both to domestic audiences and viewers abroad. The docudramas function as damage control to enhance China's image in the world. This helps increase China's soft power as the country presents itself as a capable force for good within its boundaries and beyond.

Redes sociales: el carnaval, el mito y el héroe

En el presente documento intentaremos no recurrir a determinismos, ya sean apocalípticos o integrados (Eco, 2004), sino que apelaremos a generar nuevas lecturas y preguntas desde una perspectiva crítica. De esta forma, nos proponemos abordar -en torno a las redes sociales- algunas concepciones teóricas sobre la figura del carnaval y la máscara, como también, desarrollar articulaciones en torno a la noción de exposición y del mito del héroe para repensar la participación ciudadana en la red. Transversalmente, se intentarán evidenciar las posibles tensiones en relación a la mercantilización de la cotidianeidad, a través de la instauración de necesidades, el consumo incesante y la manipulación subjetiva que subyace en ciertas estrategias del mercado vía redes sociales, intensificadas más aún en épocas de COVID-19. La máscara y los personajes que encarnan se materializan como analizadores que permiten visualizar aquello que podría estar detrás, lo oculto, y asimismo, posibilitan distinguir entre –lo que aquí denominamos- las identidades inventadas (usuarios) y las identidades construidas históricamente, aquellas que nos nombran y nos dan pertenencia en una genealogía (el nombre propio). En el complejo ordenamiento social y simbólico que producen las redes, entendemos que existen expresiones de múltiples violencias: de género, ambiental, económica, psicológica, violencias sobre los derechos de grupos, sobre los valores colectivos. Es decir, bajo la lógica de la reproducción social de las desigualdades, para que haya héroes debe haber caídos.Alternate :This article will not try to resort to determinisms, but rather appeal to generate new readings and questions from a critic perspective. We propose to address –regarding social networks- some theoretical conceptions about the carnival figure and the mask, and also, to develop articulations around the notion of exposure and the myth of the hero to re-think the citizen’s participation in the net. Furthermore, we’ll try to evidentiate the possible tensions with the commercialization of the every day life, through the creation of needs, non stop consumerism and the subjective manipulation underlying in certain market strategies via social networks, intensified even more in times of COVID-19. The mask and the characters represented are analyzers that allow us to visualize what might be beneath and so, they enable distinguishing between –what we here denominate- the invented identities (users) and the historically constructed identities, those that name us and give us belonging in a genealogy (our own name). In the complex social and symbolic organization that nets produce, we understand that there are expressions of multiple violences: of gender, environmental, economic, psychological, rights, the collective values. Under the logic of the social reproduction of inequalities, for there to be heroes it must have defeats.

Protocol for a constructivist metasynthesis of qualitative research of heroism and paramedic practice.

BACKGROUND: Exceptional demands have been placed on paramedics and other healthcare workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. An overwhelming outpouring of public support has unfolded, bringing into focus the relationship between paramedics, other HCWs and society, where they are portrayed as heroes. Scholars have studied the notion of heroism to society, and characteristics of such heroic status include: the voluntary nature of a heroic act, risk of physical or social harm, willingness to accept the consequences of action, acting for the benefit of others and without the expectation of gain. While some HCWs and paramedics may reflect these characteristics, many may not. Such heroic narratives can be damaging, stifling meaningful discussion around limits to duties, failing to acknowledge the importance of reciprocity and potentially imposing demands on paramedics and HCWs to be heroic. AIM: This article prospectively presents the protocol for a metasynthesis which aims to identify, appraise and synthesise the qualitative literature in order to develop theory on heroism and paramedic practice. METHODS: Evolved grounded theory methodology is followed along with the procedural guidelines of Noblit and Hare (1988) to guide the analysis. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) have also been adopted when preparing this protocol and will be followed in the study proper. The protocol has been registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews PROSPERO 2021, registration number CRD42021234851. RESULTS: We do not currently have results, but PRISMA guidelines will be followed when reporting our findings. CONCLUSION: Current narratives on heroism and paramedic practice are important in terms of the relationship between paramedics and society. The metasynthesis prospectively reported in this article serves as the first point in our journey of making sense of and developing theory on heroism and paramedic practice.

Grace Under Pressure: Resilience, Burnout, and Wellbeing in Frontline Workers in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic.

The coronavirus pandemic has necessitated extraordinary human resilience in order to preserve and prolong life and social order. Risks to health and even life are being confronted by workers in health and social care, as well as those in roles previously never defined as "frontline," such as individuals working in community supply chain sectors. The strategy adopted by the United Kingdom (UK) government in facing the challenges of the pandemic was markedly different from other countries. The present study set out to examine what variables were associated with resilience, burnout, and wellbeing in all sectors of frontline workers, and whether or not these differed between the UK and Republic of Ireland (RoI). Individuals were eligible if they were a frontline worker (in health and social care, community supply chain, or other emergency services) in the UK or RoI during the pandemic. Part of a larger, longitudinal study, the participants completed an online survey to assess various aspects of their daily and working lives, along with their attitudes toward their government's handling of the crisis, and measurement of psychological variables associated with heroism (altruism, meaning in life, and resilient coping). A total of 1,305 participants (N = 869, 66.6% from the UK) provided sufficient data for analysis. UK-based workers reported lower wellbeing than the RoI-based participants. In multivariate models, both psychological and pandemic-related variables were associated with levels of resilience, burnout, and wellbeing in these workers, but which pandemic-related variables were associated with outcomes differed depending on the country. The judgment of lower timeliness in their government's response to the pandemic appeared to be a key driver of each outcome for the UK-based frontline workers. These findings provide initial evidence that the different strategies adopted by each country may be associated with the overall wellbeing of frontline workers, with higher detriment observed in the UK. The judgment of the relatively slow response of the UK government to instigate their pandemic measures appears to be associated with lower resilience, higher burnout, and lower wellbeing in frontline workers in the UK.

Viral Heroism: What the Rhetoric of Heroes in the COVID-19 Pandemic Tells Us About Medicine and Professional Identity.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic the use of the term "hero" has been widespread. This is especially common in the context of healthcare workers and it is now unremarkable to see large banners on hospital exteriors that say "heroes work here". There is more to be gleaned from the rhetoric of heroism than just awareness of public appreciation, however. Calling physicians and nurses heroes for treating sick people indicates something about the concept of medicine and medical professionals. In this essay, I will examine three aspects of the social role of medicine exposed by the language of heroism. One, if a hero is someone who goes above and the call of duty, then does that mean exposing oneself to risk of infection is no longer a duty of physicians (as it used to be)? If so, does that mean the "profession" of medicine is much like any other business? Two, physicians and nurses are not the only "heroes" this go-around. Anyone deemed essential to the US "infrastructure" is designated by the US government as having "special responsibilities" to remain at their posts for the public good, which explicitly puts physicians in the same category as sewage workers and grocery store cashiers. Three, what does it mean to belong to a profession that does (or does not) have self-sacrifice and risk-taking as part of its mission-especially a profession that rarely gets called upon to practice these obligations?