In the fight against COVID-19, we have seen nations employ varying approaches that shed light on the role of the State, the individual, and communities in different societies. Some responses are agreeable, and others questionable. All, however, highlight the deeper complexities underpinning these relationships.

American sociologist Robert Nisbet’s The Quest for Community provides a framework for understanding the intricacies and tensions between central government, the rise of individualism, and the decline of community.

In this podcast Communications Officer Jason Heale sits down with Researcher 'Ala Teu and Research Manager Kieran Madden to talk about what Nisbet has to say, and how it's particularly relevant for us today.