Social scientists have often been poorly integrated into public health efforts to address disease outbreaks and the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), even though they have much to offer. To expand and integrate their contributions to preparedness and response, the SoNAR-Global network was created.

Established through an EU-funded project, SoNAR-Global is now a legal association with an international network of social scientists. The aim is to improve preparedness and response to emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The project, which ran from 2019 to 2022, continues within the ISIDORe Research Infrastructure, enabling access to research resources, services and expertise. The network became an association, hosted by the Institut Pasteur, in 2022.

Building on SoNAR-Global’s accomplishments, the Sonar-Cities project will implement inclusive, adapted preparedness tools, particularly for populations experiencing vulnerabilities in European cities. The SoNAR-Global Association, an affiliated entity in the Sonar-Cities project, will disseminate the Sonar-Cities toolset globally and offer our expertise and tools to states and actors outside of Europe, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.