“Nightlife in a Pandemic"

SSRN Electronic Journal, 2021

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, some countries have introduced early evening curfews. Several studies try measure the effectiveness of such measures across different countries, but clear identification of effects is elusive. Objective: We examined the impact of an early evening curfew on mobility by studying a shift in curfews from 9pm to 6pm in Greece. Data and Methods: We took advantage of a natural experiment in Greece, where curfews shifted from 9pm to 6pm in one Region, but not in another. We followed a difference-indifferences econometric approach, where we compared trends in mobility in groceries and pharmacies as well as residential spaces before and after the introduction of the 6pm curfew, in the two regions. Results: The relative difference in the time spent in groceries and pharmacies between the two regions before and after the intervention, is statistically insignificant [coeff:-9.95; 95%CI-44.358 to 24.458]. The relative increase in time spent at residential spaces after the 6pm curfew was only 4.625 percentage points [coeff: 4.625; 95%CI 1.412 to 7.838]. Conclusions: We found that the 6pm instead of 9pm curfew in Athens led to a 4.63 percentage point relative increase in time spent at home and had no effect on time spent in groceries and pharmacies. Considering that this was a result of a 18.75% reduction in hours where people were allowed to leave home, it seems that the early evening curfew led to more crowding in indoor spaces-which may facilitate the spread of disease. Interventions should be based on a thorough analysis of human behaviour, that anticipates substitution of activities.

2020

From the 1990s until the pre-COVID-19 outbreak, commercial nightlife has become central to the urban branding, and tourism marketing strategies of many European cities. However, the night-time leisure industry has stalled in Europe as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the unprecedented lock-down and physical distancing measures imposed by several national governments. This short paper aims to picture the uncertain scenario that the nightlife industry of Europe, and Portugal, might have to face in post-pandemic times.

Proceedings II International Conference on Night Studies, 2022

In France, the Covid-19 health crisis has transformed the geography of urban nights. Public policies have developed successive measures (lockdowns, curfews, etc.) to limit the spread of the virus. Measures reduced social interactions and motives for leaving home. Evening festive and cultural activities, declared "non-essential" by the Government, were stopped, which reinforced the economic difficulties of this sector. We are studying the intermediate student city of Montpellier, in the south of France. First, we will report how the stakeholders (bartenders, prevention associations, party organizers, etc.) have adapted their professional practices during this health crisis: sanitary hygiene systems and redefinition of the ecosystem of actors for a recognition by public action in decision-making (discussion platforms, White Book, etc.). Compliance with the application of government measures - by private organizers as well as festive users - is monitored by police and military devices. Blamed for the spread of the virus, those revellers are subject to the restrictions by resigning themselves or taking a festive break. But other users privatize their party in public space into a clandestine way (rave party, apartment parties, etc.). Second, students were questioned in the situations of initial 100% lockdown (sociological survey), then during a period of reduced lockdown (semi-structured interviews) and also during a period of 50% lockdown (survey). The students' words will highlight us about resilience of the festive spirit (or at least of conviviality), and their tactics to face the policies of surveillance and the restriction of liberties put in place. The disciplinarization of behaviour in the public space - under the argument of health risk - seems to stem from a certain moral hygienism which makes nocturnal occupations by young people undesirable. They are stigmatized by the media and considered homogenously by public action, questioning their right to the night and, above all, their citizenship.

Global Nighttime Recovery Plan, 2021

Chapter five explores how the growing field of nighttime governance has not only become essential during the pandemic, but has also been accelerated, with many cities’ nightlife industries opening up new channels of communication with the government, thanks to a raised awareness of the high demand for leisure and culture, and their relevance as agents in the long-term recovery and reactivation of cities. The chapter presents a step-by-step toolkit to establishing night governance, and case studies from five cities that have recently created their own institutions to govern life at night: Montreal, Helsinki, Tokyo, Vilnius and Melbourne. What these cities have in common is that many of their nighttime institutions were either created right before or in the context of the pandemic, or have been reconfigured to respond to the challenges and difficulties posed by the crisis. These examples show that solidarity and cooperation between stakeholders—both state and non-state as well as academia and civil society organisations—are more vital than ever.

Irene Gammel and Jason Wang, eds. Creative Resilience and COVID-19,, 2022

Current Issues in Tourism, 2012

Late night events are an increasing feature of city entertainment and tourism. The phenomenon of Nuit Blanche, cultural festivals and museum nights has expanded across capital and other cities with a common aim and brand, but reflecting local and cultural aspirations. On the one hand, they provide an alternative to the problematic effects of late night binge drinking and mono-use of city centres by a younger cohort, and on the other hand, a global network of events that have expanded in scope and scale over the past decade. The article situates the event city within the competitive, 'cosmopolitan city' through a comparative analysis of late night events in capital cities, with examples from London's night-time economy and programmes of extended opening of museums and cultural venues.

Journal of Urban Health

associated with increased risk for attending nightclubs (aPR = 2.67, 95% CI: 1.24-5.77) or other parties (aPR = 2.50, 95% CI: 1.06-5.87). Attending >10 parties was associated with increased risk for never wearing a mask (aPR = 2.74, 95% CI: 1.11-6.75) and for no other attendees wearing masks (aPR = 4.22, 95% CI: 1.26-14.07). Illegal dance parties continued in NYC during the COVID-19 shutdown. Prevention and harm reduction efforts to mitigate risk of COVID-19 transmission during such shutdowns are sorely needed.

Archive Journal, 2018

Re-citing and re-performing is always a political act. Transferred to 2017 into the reality of the Budapest-streets as a stage, this is all the more the case in The Curfew - a street performance by Katarina Sevic and Gergely Laszlo commissioned by the OFF Biennale Budapest 2017. The muted victims and muted crowds are the addressees of The Curfew. It has no aspirations of changing society, of getting nationalistic radical xenophobic racists on the side of liberal and tolerant leftist and socially sensible individuals – but it says “You” and points at “you” as an individual not being silent, not being muted and hushed, not being a coward, opportunistic family man, housewife or intellectual. Just shout out loud, say it on the streets, and the Egg will help amplify your voice. Play it, play it out loud and don`t be bothered about the Strong and Loud – you can say it louder with the help of your Egg.

Current Issues in Tourism, 2012

Late night events are an increasing feature of city entertainment and tourism. The phenomenon of Nuit Blanche, cultural festivals and museum nights has expanded across capital and other cities with a common aim and brand, but reflecting local and cultural aspirations. On the one hand, they provide an alternative to the problematic effects of late night binge drinking and mono-use of city centres by a younger cohort, and on the other hand, a global network of events that have expanded in scope and scale over the past decade. The article situates the event city within the competitive, 'cosmopolitan city' through a comparative analysis of late night events in capital cities, with examples from London's night-time economy and programmes of extended opening of museums and cultural venues.

Hilâl, 2018

The Ottoman Empire was a dynastic state, as were its counterparts in Europe and Asia in the early modern period. In order to explain the characteristics of this dynastic governance model, it is essential to focus on how the Ottoman ‘state’ mechanism functioned. One of the prominent aspects of the dynastic state was the integration of politics in household units (For the Ottoman household system Cf.: Gürkan 2015; Kunt 1974; 1975; 1978; 1983; 1995; 2007; 2011; 2012). Direct or indirect connection of people to these households was the main condition of legitimacy. Thus, the redistribution and succession strategies had a centralized importance in dynastic states. Since being a member of the dynasty was a given category, the state could be reduced to the house of the dynasty at the micro levels. This house transcended those living in it, and in order to sustain the continuity of the house, there was a need to create a ritual showing ‘the loyalty to the dynastic household’. This loyalty w...