The 'othering' in pandemics: Prejudice and orientalism in COVID-19

The anatomy of prejudice during pandemic lockdowns: Evidence from a national panel study

During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a spike in the reporting of hate crimes (Human Rights Watch, 2020). However, the extent to which the pandemic affected prejudice across a general population-not merely among those disposed to hate crimes-remains unclear. Also unclear is the extent to which prejudice was restricted to specific minority groups associated with the virus, or whether prejudice spilled over to other minority groups. To address these questions, we use panel data collected from participants in a large national longitudinal (panel) study of New Zealanders before and during the early COVID-19 pandemic and systematically quantified social warmth ratings across a broad range of minority-groups (The New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study, N = 30,327, years 2018-2020). We discover reduced warmth toward Chinese, Asians (broadly defined), immigrants, Muslims, refugees, Indians, and the mentally ill. In absolute terms, warmth towards Chinese decreased the most (0.11 SD). Notably, changes in warmth were not detected toward NZ Europeans, Māori, Pacific Islanders, the overweight, or the elderly. Overall, these findings suggest that in New Zealand, pandemic prejudice may spread beyond minority groups associated with the virus to other groups perceived as non-prototypical of national identity.

Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Intergroups Inequalities: The Case of Women

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has crucial implications for intergroup inequalities. The main aims of the current study are to examine how the COVID-19 affects inequalities between women and men, understand the causes of increasing gender-based inequalities during pandemic, and offer practical solutions on how these inequalities can be reduced. The results of studies from different countries demonstrated that gender-based inequalities that existed before the pandemic deepened with the COVID-19. After the COVID-19, there has been a serious rise in the level of physical, psychological and economic violence that women are exposed to, the labor they spend on housework and caring has increased dramatically, and the problems they face in business life ascended. Understanding why gender-based inequalities have increased during the COVID-19 is one of the influential steps to achieve gender equality. When the reasons are examined, it has been determined that many factors, including the policies implemented in the struggle against the pandemic and gender roles, play critical roles in this rise. Finally, in order to diminish gender-based inequalities, short and long-term solutions are presented such as carrying out gender-based awareness education, adequate representations of women in decision-making processes, developing gender-sensitive policies, strengthening the mechanisms that support women.

Biopolitics of othering during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic as a global threat caused the introduction of different biopolitical measures accompanied by discourses on otherness, including xenophobic, racist, nationalist, or new orientalist discourses. The aim of this research is to map discourses on otherness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our general hypothesis is that, despite the differences in social and cultural contexts, discourses on otherness generated during the pandemic legitimized biopolitical actions and/or measures in addition to exacerbating social, political and cultural differences. The research is based on a semi-systematic approach to literature review using Situational Analysis and Sociology of Knowledge Approach to Discourse. In conclusion, we discuss the impact of discourse studies in the context of the global emergency.