This issue begins with a forum on COVID-19 titled “The Pandemic: Perspectives on Asia.” It is now evident that we are still in the first phase of this global pandemic, in which millions of individuals have been infected and so far more than 900,000 people have died. The full impact of the pandemic may never be known, as some governments have stopped counting the infected and dead or no longer have the resources to do so, despite the increasing spread of COVID-19. The future of the pandemic remains unclear, but its devastation appears in virtually all aspects of everyday life. There are rapid changes and transformations in the economy and society of every nation-state, with many unanticipated consequences appearing daily.
The idea for this forum emerged from a discussion of the Editorial Board of the JAS in March, when it was clear that we were in the midst of the...
