In this editorial, we introduce a special thematic collection of articles published in this current issue, and earlier in 2021, which develop a range of social science approaches to studying and theorising pandemic risk, largely focused on the COVID-19 pandemic. We structure this editorial essay in two parts. First, we consider the challenges of theorising pandemics with an attentiveness to inequality. We consider what different theoretical approaches have brought and can bring to studying risk and inequality, before developing a more in-depth consideration of the work of Mary Douglas for this purpose. We draw out key features of Douglas’s work on ‘centre and periphery’, alongside the related group dynamics and tensions which are configured by, and help reproduce, social inequalities. Second, we then develop a dialogue between these analytical sensibilities around inequality, drawn from Douglas, and various conceptualisations and findings emerging in the eight studies published on pandemics in Health, Risk and Society this year (4 in this issue, 4 appearing earlier in the year). Douglas’s work, which has often been neglected in studies of inequalities and risk, provides valuable insights into institutional dynamics of culture and power. The eight recent studies in the journal include some conducted in contexts, and by researchers, located towards the global economic and academic periphery. This diversification, beyond the usual social and governmental contexts, and alongside the growing involvement of different epistemic communities, introduces and cultivates valuable insights, for the field of risk, inequality and health more generally, and for grasping the global phenomena of the pandemic.

在本社论中，我们介绍了在本期和 2021 年初发表的特别专题文章集，这些文章开发了一系列社会科学方法来研究和理论化大流行风险，主要集中在 COVID-19 大流行上。我们将这篇社论文章分为两部分。首先，我们考虑将流行病理论化并关注不平等的挑战。在为此目的对玛丽·道格拉斯 (Mary Douglas) 的工作进行更深入的考虑之前，我们会考虑不同的理论方法已经和可以为研究风险和不平等带来什么。我们描绘了道格拉斯关于“中心和边缘”工作的关键特征，以及由社会不平等构成并有助于复制社会不平等的相关群体动态和紧张局势。第二，今年的健康、风险和社会（本期有 4 篇，今年早些时候出现 4 篇）。道格拉斯的工作在不平等和风险的研究中经常被忽视，它为文化和权力的制度动态提供了宝贵的见解。该杂志最近的八项研究包括一些在上下文中进行的，并且由研究人员进行，位于全球经济和学术边缘。这种多样化，超越了通常的社会和政府背景，随着不同认知社区的日益参与，引入和培养了宝贵的见解，用于更普遍的风险、不平等和健康领域，以及掌握大流行的全球现象。