Izzatul Nasuha Feizal
Pronouns: she/her
Research Mentor(s): Melissa Borja
Co-Presenter:
Research Mentor School/College/Department: American Culture / LSA
Presentation Date: April 20
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: Session 3 – 1:40pm – 2:30 pm
Room: League Ballroom
Authors: Izzatul Nasuha Feizal, Melissa Borja
Presenter: 71
Abstract
Despite the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explicitly warning against using stigmatizing language which associates COVID-19 with Chinese people, many politicians still choose to use the term “Chinese Virus” when referring to the coronavirus, and the issue of using this term has been highly debated. In this study we investigated how, when, and where national politicians used stigmatizing rhetoric when referring to COVID-19, with consideration of their partisan affiliation. We analyzed news articles published in 2020 in American news media and identified incidents of politicians using stigmatizing rhetoric related to the COVID-19 pandemic. We then analyzed the demographics of these politicians, including their position, gender, and party affiliation. We found that “Chinese Virus” was more popular than “Wuhan Virus” and “Kung Flu” when referring to the COVID-19. The use of the rhetoric happened both in-person and online and peaked in March after President Trump’s first usage of the term “Chinese virus” on March 16, 2020. Trump’s influence on this stigmatizing rhetoric is supported by previous research that revealed how the former president’s racially provocative remarks could embolden prejudice in his followers (Newman et al. 1155). This study contributes to understanding national politicians’ role in stimulating anti-Asian racism and helps inform meaningful interventions in combating anti-Asian racism.
Arts and Humanities, Interdisciplinary
