What is it about?
This study looks at how stigma and accountability interact during a disaster, specifically focusing on the COVID-19 lockdown of nine public housing towers in Melbourne, Australia. It examines how the stigma attached to these housing residents affects the way public accountability systems are established and implemented during this crisis. The research relies on both previous reports, including those from the Victorian Ombudsman and media articles, as well as 16 in-depth interviews with residents and various stakeholders. The findings reveal the complicated nature of the stigma surrounding public housing and its residents. It shows that this stigma is often used to portray these individuals as threats to the public who don’t deserve care and support but instead need to be controlled and isolated.
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Why is it important?
This study is important because it highlights the detrimental effects of stigma on public accountability systems during crises like the COVID-19 lockdown, particularly for vulnerable populations in public housing. By uncovering how this stigma shapes perceptions and responses, it emphasizes the need for more equitable and compassionate approaches in disaster management and support for marginalized communities.
Perspectives
The research collaboration among Deakin University, Durham University, Sheffield Hallam University, and Aberdeen University focuses on the critical impacts of stigma within public accountability systems during crises, particularly evident during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Professor Muhammad Azizul Islam
University of Aberdeen
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Stigma Power, Race, and Public Accountability: An Exploration of the Hard Lockdown of Public Housing in Melbourne, European Accounting Review, June 2025, Taylor & Francis,
DOI: 10.1080/09638180.2025.2510331.
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