Microsoft Word - V14.2 Moon & Lim[1].docx Volume 14 Number 2 (2020): 161-163 http://www.infactispax.org/journal 161 Volume 14 Number 2 (2020): 161-163 ISSN 2578-6857 http://www.infactispax.org/journal Book Review Review of Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding under the auspices of UNESCO Multiple Pandemics: Beyond Covid-19 and Inequality Toward Global Solidarity, Seoul, 2020, 256 pp., $12.00 (₩14,000), ISBN 979-1-155-31117-21 Reviewed by Jeongmin Moon, Seoul National University, shysilphil@gmail.com Euna Lim, Seoul National University, elim0409@gmail.com Along with the Covid-19 pandemic, the world is facing many other issues such as hatred and discrimination, inequality and exclusion, climate change and ecosystem destruction, mass unemployment and economic crisis, and last but not least, the world is plagued by an "infodemic" due to overflowing information and fake news. In this book, published by UNESCO-APCEIU, these issues are defined as “Multiple Pandemics.” The book aims to provide the readers with an understanding of these emerging issues more professionally, and to contribute a more diversified and in-depth reflection on the current situation by providing insights from the perspective of global citizenship. The book is divided thematically into nine chapters discussing multiple pandemics in terms of infection, prevention, and solidarity. In each chapter, the book attempts to answer various questions such as: How do politics and science meet Covid-19? Can people overcome the pandemic of stigma, hatred, and exclusion? In the era of multiple pandemics, what should education do? plus many more. In the foreword of this book, Hyun Mook Lim, the Director of APCEIU, states that “Citizens’ solidarity and cooperation are the keys to overcoming the pandemic crisis and creating a better world” (p. 7). Although 1 The original manuscript is in Korean with an English translation forthcoming. Volume 14 Number 2 (2020): 161-163 http://www.infactispax.org/journal 162 this phrase was repetitively mentioned in the book, it is clearly emphasized that citizens' thoughts and actions are as important as the role of governments and experts in preventing the spread of infectious diseases. The first part deals with “INFECTION” in which Moran Ki explains the dynamics of Covid-19 and suggests seven strategies to combat infectious diseases. After explaining the social factors that contribute to the spread of infectious diseases, Chang-Yup Kim, emphasizes that "Infectious diseases cannot be explained separately from the structure, mechanism, and operation of the international or domestic political economy" (p. 56). The second part deals with “PREVENTION” where Eui-Young Kim analyzes Korea's unique characteristics by pointing out that the success of Korea’s response to the pandemic lies in a democracy based on citizens' voluntary participation. This part was very informative as the author cited Yuval Harari’s comments on how important it is to have a cooperative and well- informed public. Subsequently, Young-Gyung Paik suggests that global citizens should look away from the confrontational view of human rights and prevention but instead look at it as a common good. As anyone regardless of one's nationality or status can be affected by Covid-19, Jongryul Choi contends in his chapter that multidimensional cooperation is needed to overcome the pandemic. Lastly, Hyunjae Yu analyzes that the "infodemic" - a phenomenon in which false information or malicious rumors spread quickly through the media. The infodemic crisis leads to dangerous conspiracies and falsehoods that undermine science and endangers lives. The third part deals with "SOLIDARITY" which puts global citizenship at the center of the conversation. Global citizenship education is an educational movement that enables individuals to realize what actions and thoughts they should do as members of the global community (p. 200). This is emphasized in Soon-Yong Pak’s chapter as he also examines the issue of bridging the information gap that represents injustice in the field of education in the pandemic era. Cheol-Sung Son investigates various ethical ideas and stresses that “solidarity and cooperation are the moral obligations of global citizens" (p. 225). This chapter provided many provocative questions as the author’s philosophical examples will make readers stop for a moment to think. Lastly, Han-Seung Cho predicts the feasibility of global health governance and discusses the need for recovery by all global citizens based on mutual understanding and cooperation. This book is highly recommended for a global audience as it provides an overview and analysis of the Korean response to the pandemic. It also succeeds in its purpose of providing a more diversified and in-depth reflection on the current situation as it was written by experts in various fields such as medicine, political science, sociology, philosophy, journalism, and education. The nine chapters were not only well organized, but the discussions shared by the scholars were conflicting and consistent at the same time. One of the key Volume 14 Number 2 (2020): 161-163 http://www.infactispax.org/journal 163 messages that these authors had in common is that viruses cannot see people’s identity; in other words, anyone anywhere can get the virus. Therefore, trying to discriminate against people or excluding some will not help to fight the disease. In conclusion, this book is timely and important as it provides valuable information concerning Covid-19 and solutions to the issues that emerged from the pandemic. Nobody knows when the pandemic will be over, but what societies know for sure is that living the same way as before is no longer possible. Even when the virus passes, the older epidemics of racism, poverty, gender inequality, and ethnonationalism that have been plainly exposed through Covid-19 will still need to be addressed. A single task like washing hands can prevent people from getting an infectious disease, and it is also in the hands of the citizens to really start caring for each other through global solidarity and cooperation to overcome these “Multiple Pandemics” together.