The pandemic – analysed in this issue in terms of some of its social aspects – has not eclipsed the more serious and long-lasting issue of environmental degradation, to which several articles are devoted. Other key issues – artificial intelligence, otherness, and savings – are also explored, offering new perspectives on current events. Research with an international scope, combining economics, political science, and sociology, is also presented. The issue culminates in a painful story that resonates today more than ever: that of the end of slavery. Enjoy the read!