Foreword. COVID-19 and Viral Violence: state of the art and beyond

The following three papers aims to present some general reflections, which have taken place during the research activities related to the project Converge – COVID-19 Working Group – Itstime Working Group: COVID-19 and Viral Violence. Specifically: The COVID-19 and Viral Violence Working Group focuses on empirical considerations about the relations between the COVID-19 pandemic and various forms of violence, emerging during the crisis management. The focus area consists of multidisciplinary perspectives on political extremisms taking advantage from the pandemic; violent responses to violations of the quarantine; interpersonal violence; and civil unrest against crisis management measures. The purpose of the research and study activities carried out within this Working Group is to propose a reflection on the violent phenomena and protests that occurred during the pandemic by COVID-19 understood both as a time space context and as an element that has produced containment measures towards which to express one’s discomfort and opposition.