How has the pandemic affected cities in general and Wichita specifically, and what are implications for the future?
Recently Chase M. Billingham, who is Associate Professor of Sociology at Wichita State University, delivered an online lecture titled “Rethinking the city and the community for a post-pandemic world.”
In the lecture, Billingham covered topics such as the nature of cities and urbanism; how the pandemic has affected cities; how cities have suffered during pandemics throughout modern history, but have also led in innovation, medicine, and research.; COVID-19 will likely accelerate ongoing trends, especially economic trends; the effect of remote working on different workers; the pandemic’s effect on Wichita in the present and future?; the effect of the pandemic on city budgets and services; and rethinking cities — and Wichita — for a post-pandemic world.
As you can see, topics are both general and specific to Wichita. The lecture is available on YouTube here.
This lecture is part of a series by the university titled “Perspectives on the Pandemic: Part II.” More information is here.