The central question for sociologists is what is society. They tend to answer in terms of families and institutions, work and leisure, class hierarchy and status, and cultural attributes such as values, traditions and beliefs. But it is only with massive social disruption, such as that caused by COVID-19, that a clearer picture begins to emerge of the dynamic whole.The virus has exposed how precarious are so many of the things we take for granted; the complex web of connection that holds a society together and allows it to function. The orderly daily flow of business, schools, travel, footy games, local shops, cafes and restaurants, even small gatherings of friends, suddenly seems to be built on a minefield, ready to explode.
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