Stigma and Discrimination During COVID-19 Pandemic

Divya Bhanot; Tushar Singh; Sunil K. Verma; Shivantika Sharad

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2020.577018

Frontiers in Public Health (Jan 2021)

Stigma and Discrimination During COVID-19 Pandemic

Divya Bhanot,
Tushar Singh,
Sunil K. Verma,
Shivantika Sharad

Affiliations

Divya Bhanot: Department of Applied Psychology, Ramanujan College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
Tushar Singh: Department of Psychology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
Sunil K. Verma: Department of Applied Psychology, Vivekananda College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
Shivantika Sharad: Department of Applied Psychology, Vivekananda College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.577018
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 8

Abstract

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The COVID-19 pandemic has been instrumental in creating a dramatic shift from people's need to live in mutual association toward a desire to stigmatize distinctive others. Pandemic seems to be causing othering. Stated simply, stigmatization is a social process set to exclude those who are perceived to be a potential source of disease and may pose threat to the effective social living in the society. Based on the secondary evidence collected from news published online or in print, the present article delves into stigma associated with the COVID-19 pandemic among different social groups in the Indian society and the mounting cases of prejudice based on race, class, and religion. It also presents insights into the varied manifestations, and the deleterious consequences of COVID-19 inspired othering brought to its potential targets in India.

Published in Frontiers in Public Health

ISSN: 2296-2565 (Online)
Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Medicine: Public aspects of medicine
Website: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health

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