As we write this introduction, the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has spread over the world in the first half of 2020, are the focus of ample conversations and debates. Questions about the appropriateness of government responses to the pandemic, concerns over an economic crisis, people’s mental health, and the importance of public sector services such as healthcare are at the forefront of public discussions. Adding urgency to evaluations of the consequences of COVID-19 is the recognition that such extreme circumstances can, and have, sharpened inequalities. For example, media reportage has commented on economic distinctions when it comes to housing and lockdown. One recent New York Times article reflects on the high number of New York City residents from the city’s wealthiest neighborhoods who relocated to expensive second homes during lockdown (Quealy, 2020). A similar observation informs a Guardian article titled “Super-Rich Buying Up ‘Downton Abbey...

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