A State of Fear

Subtitled ’How the UK government weaponised fear during the Covid-19 pandemic’, this book argues that the British government deliberately frightened the public, and asks why it did so and what the effects have been. Laura Dodsworth looks at the use of behavioural science and ’nudge’ theory, the role of the media and the people involved in the decisions. She draws on the stories of members of the public affected by fear, anxiety and isolation, and on interviews with psychologists, politicians, scientists, lawyers, government advisers and journalists.