The role of the Covid-19 pandemic in the growth of aiding: a case study of students of Yazd universities

Aiding is a type of action that is related to both the dimensions of human ontology and historical and cultural contexts. Today, as a result of the conditions of globalization on the one hand and the accumulation of risks on the other hand, the culture of aiding has become a part of the public discourse and the subject of attention of governments. The purpose of the present study is to discover and analyze the reasons for aiding among the students of Yazd universities during the Covid-19 pandemics. The present study is a qualitative study in which the participants are the leaders of student groups and front-line activists in the first and second waves of the epidemic. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and focus groups and analyzed using thematic analysis. From the data analysis, four themes of religious-political motivation, altruism, responsibility and inner satisfaction were extracted. In fact, the activism of aiding in this pandemics can be related to the internal drives of the participants, which is strengthened under the discourse of the media and the conditions of globalization. On the other hand, religious and political motivations to be among the effective boosters of aiding action, which are rooted in the historical and cultural contexts of Iranian society. The outstanding result of this type of action has been a kind of inner satisfaction for the participants. It is suggested that the socio-cultural foundations of the society should be smooth and receptive to different groups of people, including student groups, in order to strengthen the discourse of altruism and social tolerance. The strengthening of the mentioned components is suggested by the relevant policy makers.