1: The Greatest Confinement in History

This short book discusses the origins, definitions, social and cross-cultural history of the popularly framed condition of cabin fever in relation to what became the greatest confinement in history resulting from the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 (henceforth simply referred to as ‘the pandemic’) as governments imposed lockdown measures – e.g. quarantines, stay-at-home orders, shelter-in-place orders, shutdowns and curfews – to slow the spread of the virus. Indeed, it is estimated that around 4.2 billion, 54% of the global population, were subject to complete or partial lockdowns at the height of the pandemic (IEA, 2020). The book also examines creative individual and community responses to mass enforced isolation in its various forms. In the former, engagement and relationships may be limited, or at best, achieved only in virtual contexts such as through social media. For groups or communities, direct, physical connection presents a different challenge, not least achieving distance from others or wanting a break from them.