Page 78 - IJPS-11-5

International Journal of

Population Studies

RESEARCH ARTICLE
Therapeutic cultural resilience perspectives

during the COVID-19 pandemic: An
ethnographic qualitative study of Faisalabad,

Pakistan

1
Sara Akram * and Muhammad Sardar Alam 2

1 Department of Sociology, School of Sociology and Anthropology, Sun Yat-Sen University,
Guangzhou, China
2 Department of Sociology, PMAS-Agricultural University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Abstract

Collective trauma is instigated on a wide scale by warfare, poverty, natural disasters,
or global health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, natural disasters
have a significant impact on the social fabrics of communities. This fallout can cause
long-term social support networks to disintegrate, especially when combined with
a high level of risk. In Faisalabad, Pakistan, COVID-19-induced collective trauma
resulted in social and cultural upheavals, particularly in the initial phase of uncertainty
when no effective medical interventions were indicated. At the community level,
* Corresponding author: such difficulties were overcome through traditional cultural resilience. In this regard,
Sara Akram
(akram@mail2.sysu.edu.cn) cultural folk practices are generated and modified to comprehend and navigate
challenging circumstances. Thus, this study investigates how community awareness
Citation: Akram, S., & Alam,
M.S. (2025). Therapeutic cultural and treatment alternatives during the COVID-19 pandemic were rooted in traditional
resilience perspectives during and folk knowledge. Specifically, we conducted an ethnographic investigation to
the COVID-19 pandemic: An determine how individuals endured the pandemic during the first wave in 2020. The
ethnographic qualitative study of
Faisalabad, Pakistan. International primary qualitative investigation revealed various aspects, including how religion
Journal of Population Studies, influenced societal attitudes and provided individuals with the resilience to cope
11(5): 72-89. with the crisis. In addition, a number of cultural perspectives that emerged during
https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.4109
the initial COVID-19 breakout and subsequent lockdown phase were investigated.
Submitted: July 1, 2024 Meanwhile, our empirical investigation considered therapeutic stances, such as
Revised: October 26, 2024 herbal remedies, natural therapy methods, and traditional beliefs, on the socially
constructed nature of illness. Overall, such therapeutic cultural resilience enhanced
Accepted: November 26, 2024
the emotional well-being, sense of personal power, and self-awareness of individuals
Published online: December 18, 2024 in this community.
Copyright: © 2024 Author(s).
This is an Open-Access article
distributed under the terms of the Keywords: Therapeutic cultural resilience; Cultural perceptions; Natural healing methods;
Creative Commons Attribution Spiritual healing; Home remedies; COVID-19
License, permitting distribution,
and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is
properly cited.
Publisher’s Note: AccScience 1. Introduction
Publishing remains neutral with The COVID-19 pandemic, recognized as a collective trauma, resulted in significant social
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional and cultural disruptions, especially during the early phases when effective treatments or
affiliations. preventive measures were not yet accessible. During such uncertainty, communities in

Volume 11 Issue 5 (2025) 72 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.4109