The origins of social distance

Doctoral student Lily Scherlis discusses her research into the term social distancing and its surprising history

—Olivia B. Waxman

How did the term social distancing evolve? It’s used as a euphemism for class and race in the 19th century. In the 1920s, the Social Distance Scale [describing comfort levels between people of different races] becomes a social-science tool. During the AIDS crisis, it’s used to describe misguided fears of contagion. It’s not until 2004 that the CDC picks it up to talk about airborne illness. How did the idea become part of the study of race? The Social Distance Scale turns up in the wake of the summer of 1919, especially the Chicago race riots, in order to try to make sense of race. It makes it seem like people fit very neatly into these groups. It’s just this huge reduction. What do you hope people take away from your research?…

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Time Magazine International (Digital) - 1 Issue, July 20, 2020

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