The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the world, affecting various aspects of daily life. In memory of this period, the Maxwell School’s Qualitative Data Repository (QDR) is showcasing a traveling exhibition titled “Picturing the Pandemic: Images from the Pandemic Journaling Project.” This exhibition is located on the first floor foyer of Maxwell Hall and will be available for viewing until May 15.
Originating in May 2020, the Pandemic Journaling Project (PJP) was conceived by researchers from the University of Connecticut and Brown University. Their objective was to gather an extensive collection of COVID-19 experiences through text, images, and audio entries. By May 2022, the project had accumulated nearly 27,000 entries from participants across 55 countries. These contributions have formed a comprehensive online archive reflecting the diverse pandemic experiences globally.
Maxwell Hall’s exhibition marks the seventh stop for “Picturing the Pandemic,” having previously been displayed in locations such as Heidelberg, Mexico City, and Toronto. The exhibition initially launched in Hartford, Connecticut, in 2022. The QDR became the permanent host of phase one’s data from the wider Pandemic Journaling Project in early 2024, making it a fitting venue for the traveling exhibition.
The launch event for the exhibition featured a panel discussion including PJP co-founders Associate Professor Sarah S. Willen, from the University of Connecticut, and Associate Professor Katherine A. Mason, from Brown University. They were joined by University Professor Amy Fairchild and Maxwell Associate Dean for Research Shana Gadarian, with the discussion moderated by Sebastian Karcher, associate director of QDR.
The complete dataset of PJP, housed by QDR, is accessible to researchers, although access requires prior approval to ensure privacy protection. A portion of more than 2,000 entries is openly available for public exploration on the Featured Entries page of the PJP website.
