Introduction: Social Life During COVID-19 in France, Germany, Italy, and the UK

This introductory chapter frames the volume’s comparative investigation into how the COVID-19 pandemic affected social life across France, Germany, Italy, and the UK. It reviews the existing literature, noting the need for longitudinal, multi-dimensional, and cross-national analyses to capture both continuity and change in social behaviours and attitudes. The chapter outlines the volume’s unique contributions: interdisciplinary collaboration, the use of representative panel data from four major European countries, consistent measurement of inequalities, and inclusion of a distinct case (Sweden) for contextual contrast. It describes the methodological approach and periodisation of the pandemic, and previews the volume’s empirical findings on health, unpaid care work, remote employment, political attitudes, and welfare support. The chapter concludes that while COVID-19 temporarily altered behaviours and perceptions, many societal patterns proved surprisingly resilient. However, the pandemic also accelerated structural shifts—particularly the rise of remote work—and underscored enduring inequalities, particularly along gender, age, and socioeconomic lines.