Uneven Geographies of COVID‐19 III: Social Geographies of a Syndemic

In this final of a three‐part series of review articles on the uneven geographies of COVID‐19, we zoom in on the social geographies of COVID's pandemic phase. We discuss research findings from across the globe that offer insights into the ways in which this phase was experienced by different populations and in various socio‐spatial contexts. Intersectionality provides an important lens to understand how pre‐COVID inequalities and injustices intersected with the COVID crisis. By mobilizing syndemics theory we highlight the interlocking of multiple burdens of disease and unjust social conditions turning the pandemic into a syndemic, where deprived populations experienced a much higher burden of disease and negative side‐effects from public health restrictions. Findings on the changing role of public space, borders, and mobility and immobility are discussed. This is followed by an analysis of research that has focused on migrants, refugees, gendered work and violence, women, youth and young people. The article concludes with a discussion of different interacting crises temporalities in relation to socio‐spatial unevenness. Avenues for further research and conceptual developments are suggested.