“CHINESE VIRUS”: The U.S. Government and Institutionalized Racism in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

In 2020, a global pandemic disrupted the world. Countries took different steps to minimize the effect that COVID-19 would ultimately have on their region. The U.S., under former President Trump, operated with an early ban on travel from China, utilized strong language including “Chinese Virus,” and demonstrated minimal efforts to address the increasing discrimination against East Asian people in the U.S. Such policies, rhetoric, and incidents are reminiscent of a time in U.S. history when anti-Asian discrimination was more overt. There are existing debates about whether the aforementioned policies and actions led by Trump and the U.S. government qualify as racially discriminatory. Given America’s long and strong history of institutionalized racism, this thesis seeks to investigate elements of institutionalized racism in the first nine months of the pandemic, from January 2020 to September 2020. This thesis approaches COVID-19-related U.S. governance in three areas. First, the issue of travel restrictions is explored, comparing the U.S.’s policies surrounding the ban and their effects with those of comparable countries. The first chapter isolates for institutionalized bias and racism by inspecting U.S. policies toward China versus other countries’ policies versus U.S. policies toward other countries. Second, discriminatory rhetoric, hate crimes, and the role of the federal government are explored, comparing the COVID-19 outbreak to past epidemics or global crises. Last but not least, the third chapter seeks to understand the history of the Asian experience in America. The historical precedent of heighted Asian American discrimination in times of health emergencies is why this thesis expects to find evidence of institutionalized racism by the U.S. government throughout this pandemic. Using a qualitative methods approach, the actions of the U.S government and its representatives strongly indicate institutionalized racism against Asian people. Results of the analysis show that U.S. travel policies were disproportionately harsh on China in ways that did not align with its domestic or non-China-targeting international policies. Findings also indicated that Trump’s rhetoric proved harmful, as did broad inaction by the federal government during this time period. Finally, the historical analysis suggests that not only is COVID-19 another iteration of the scapegoating of Asian people, but it highlights the foresight that the U.S. government did and should have had, holding them accountable for their inexcusable inactions. Given that the U.S. has a strong and unfortunate history of discriminating against Asian people under the guise of eradicating disease, as well as a history of acknowledging and proactively addressing foreseeable discrimination, the attacks and loud inactions during the COVID-19 pandemic make strong cases for institutionalized racism. Policymakers must standardize institutional practices and responses during global crises that are slated to threaten any marginalized group. This applies to both international policies such as travel restrictions as well as policies that aim to hold the Department of Justice accountable to a standard domestic response to protect minority groups. This thesis also demonstrates a need for more stringent regulations regarding what a President is and is not in fact allowed to communicate. Last but not least, policymakers have the responsibility to provide equal access to Asian American education. Once such policies are in place, the active effort to root out institutionalized racism can lead the way for a less intolerant America.