Constructing the Pandemic in Pakistan

“This fascinating book, based on detailed anthropological research and informed by cultural theory, shines a light on of the COVID-19 pandemic as it has unfolded in Pakistan. It demonstrates how lived experiences are refracted through cultural norms and the specific socioeconomic and political contexts of each nation and region.”

- Professor Deborah Lupton, Centre for Social Research in Health, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney

“This excellent book offers timely and deep insights into the experience of how a deeply ideologically divided nation understood and dealt with the pandemic. Constructing the Pandemic in Pakistan is a convincing call to action, advocating for evidence-based, inclusive, and equitable responses to public health crises worldwide.”

- Dr. Sadiq Bhanbhro, Senior Research Fellow, Sheffield Hallam University, UK

“On the basis of first class ethnography Inayat Ali provides the reader with a vivid picture of the dynamics of the infection, the myths and narratives surrounding it, the governmental responses and the subsequent vaccination programs. His analysis involves a wide range of theoretical insights and includes important debates that have not been covered in the research on COVID-19 so far. An important book for both anthropologists as well as practitioners and anyone interested in South Asian studies.”

- Professor Gabriele Alex, University of Tübingen, Germany

Inayat Ali is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology and Founding Incharge of the Department of Public Health & Allied Sciences at Fatima Jinnah Women University, Pakistan. He also serves as a Research Fellow in the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology at the University of Vienna, Austria.