Paper short abstract:

In this presentation I examine the shortcut as a powerful idea that is built into the notion of urgency. I argue that shortcuts are essential for our understanding of the ways in which Covid-19 is written as stigma in health research and policy today.

Paper long abstract:

In this presentation I examine the shortcut as a powerful idea that is built into the notion of urgency. In urgent situations, shortcuts seem necessary and legitimate. Typically, shortcuts refer to paths that are shorter than the ordinary road. My case for investigating the politics of the shortcut are rapid assessments of stigma during the coronavirus pandemic. In 2020, health researchers raised the alarm about an urgent threat to healthcare workers and patients who are facing stigma and discrimination all over the world. In my presentation I examine the shortcut that made this framing possible in the first place. I argue that shortcuts are essential for our understanding of the ways in which Covid-19 is written as stigma in health research and policy today.