The Effects of the Pandemic: The State, Citizens, and Ways of Communication

Abstract

The paper explores the impact of the pandemic on ethnic minorities and how locals
perceived the state's response. One of the significant effects of the COVID-19
pandemic was the direct engagement with state institutions, resulting in a novel
interaction experience. The pandemic essentially revealed the role of the state during
times of crisis, exposing its vulnerabilities and deficiencies. Crucial national decisions
were formulated and executed by the state.This study will examine the subject of
ethnic minorities in relation to the perception and understanding of the Marneuli and
Bolnisi districts across the nation when these areas were designated as quarantine
zones due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Furthermore, the paper will analyze the severity
of communication and language barriers in regions densely inhabited by ethnic
minorities, drawing on James C. Scott's term "legibility" to describe the relationship
between the state and ethnic minority group.
Additionally, this paper will address the response of the local population to the
stringent measures implemented by the state, such as lockdowns and restrictions. It
will explore the methodologies and forms of protest employed by the residents of these
districts to express their discontent. The study will also assess the outcomes of these
protests and the level of organization they exhibited. Furthermore, an analysis of the
strategies adopted by the population to coexist with the pandemic and adhere to state
regulations will be conducted