TRANSFORMATION OF THE PRIVATE/PUBLIC DIVIDE IN THE TIMES OF COVID-19: HOW ECONOMYDRIVEN POLICIES ARE RESHAPING THE CONCEPT OF SOCIAL/PHYSICAL DISTANCING IN SERBIA

Abstract

The evolution of social/physical distancing narratives throughout the COVID19 pandemic has left the concept itself ambiguous and vague while cutting
through the borderlines between private and public. In the case of Serbia,
economy-driven policies have shifted the focus from isolation, solitude and
remote work during the first and the only lockdown towards the idea of
physical distance in public spaces and work environments. This paper aims to
analyse how social distancing narratives in Serbia were construed over time
through governmental policies as well as companies’ regulations, and how they
redefined the concept of privacy during the pandemic.
KEYWORDS: Covid-19, private/public, social distancing, physical distancing,
privacy