The Rise of Asian Hate: How Covid-19 Altered the Civil Sphere

By

 

Trump again uses racially insensitive term to describe coronavirus - The Washington Post

Anti-Asian Hate Crime Crosses Racial and Ethnic Lines

During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020), we saw an increase in Anti-Asian racism as well as Asian hate crimes occurring throughout the United States. Anti-Asian messages were at an all-time high and Covid-19 racism against Asian Americans continues to persist in our society today. Anti-Asian crimes and rhetoric were becoming normalized through the media and public figures. Most notably, Donald Trump used the words “Chinese virus” and "Kung flu" when talking about the COVID-19 virus. In my hometown, New York City, I remember watching the news with my family—hearing updates on the latest violence against Asian-Americans. When I think back to this moment, I realize that the civil sphere was altered. Jeffrey Alexander defines the “civil sphere” as “a sphere or subsystem of society that is analytically and, to various degrees, empirically separated from the spheres of political, economic, family, and religious life” (Alexander 2006: 53). The civil sphere is determined by cultural codes that are influenced by communicative and regulative institutions. Both kinds of institutions were creating a solidarity of Anti-Asian sentiment at the height of the pandemic because that was the kind of rhetoric that was being used by both the media and politicians. 

This shift in Anti-Asian/Covid-19 racism produced a toxic sense of nationalism that pits the “civilized” against the “uncivilized".” In this case, the “uncivilized” are Asian-Americans who are being targeted for their identity. The Trump administration is notorious for their “othering” of racial/ethnic groups (example: Trump’s racist Latinx/anti-immigration rhetoric). This is an example of nationalism fracturing the civil sphere because he tried to define a group of people as “uncivilized.” Even though he didn’t physically try to push Asian-Americans out of the country with a physical barrier (c.f. “the wall), Trump referring to Covid-19 as the “Chinese virus” is an example of what Alexander calls “uncivilizing pressures.” Since the Trump administration, overt Anti-Asian sentiment has slowed down, but there are still many instances of Covid-19 racism that occurs today. There are many people and organizations who continue to fight against Asian hate in the United States as it is imperative to dismantle this kind of sentiment and do away with dangerous solidarity.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Show Her It's a Man's World": Advertising the Power Dynamics in Marriage

By
Image
  The image above includes two ads side by side, a project curated by artist and photographer Eli Rezkallah as part of a photo series called “In a Parallel Universe.” The ad to the left features a man lying in bed, his arms propped up, hands behind his head in a relaxed manner. Several white pillows prop him up, and white sheets cover his legs. He wears a white button-up shirt and a colorful tie, looking contently off into the distance. Below him, a woman, presumably his wife, kneels beside his bed, wearing a pink bathrobe. She looks up at him and is depicted in the process of placing a tray before him, featuring plates of food, a teapot, and a cup. Black text in the upper left corner of the image reads, “show her it’s a man’s world” and the bottom of the image displays a larger drawing of a tie and the words “Van Heusen” and “man’s world.” The second ad, on the right, exhibits a woman lying in a white-sheeted bed and propped up by many pillows. Like the man in the other ad, she si...
Read more

Chains of Power and Presidential Portraits

By
Image
  A presidential portrait is a tradition which solidifies a president's position in history as a person but also a symbol of America and democracy. Because of the exceptional symbolic weight of a presidential portrait it is a good image to analyze when considering power, particularly the concept of the King's two bodies. In interpreting the above portrait I will use Reed's definition of interpretation, "...Understanding the relationship between means, ends, and projects possessed by actors and used to direct their actions is interpretation" (Reed 2017:92). Unlike many other portraits which show a president staring into the distance, Obama's portrait shows him making direct eye-contact with the viewer. The portrait is life sized which adds to the feeling that the viewer is engaged in a conversation which Obama is listening to. Obama leaning forward slightly with his legs in an open stance suggests he is open to listening. By connecting with the view...
Read more

US-China Hostility and National Civil Solidarity

By
Image
     The image above accompanies a piece in the Global Times titled, "US irrational hostility toward China a coldly rational ploy". Accordingly, the image depicts a charged face-off of between a bald eagle and panda bear, meant to represent the United States and China respectively. The eagle's brow is sharply furrowed, pupil directed menacingly at its opponent. Its beak is set in a grimace, harsh lines contributing to its severe disposition. Across the border, the normally docile image of a panda is perverted with the black spot over its eye distorted to resemble a knitted brow. The edge of its mouth is drawn down in an angry frown as it glares at the eagle. The two animals are set against a backdrop of the American and Chinese flags, the two countries literally competing for space within the frame. A sharp diagonal line cuts through the tension, separating the two opposing sides. In this struggle, the red, white, and blue of the American flag appear to overpower the red...
Read more