Rise of Racism amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study Exploring the Experiences in North-East India

Abstract

Racism as a deep-rooted social oppression has negatively impacted the north-eastern people of India. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic since 2019, the north-eastern people have become the target in other parts of mainland India, thereby facing greater coronavirus racial attacks. The aim of the study was to explore and analyse the various forms of racial attacks and emotions associated with the act of discrimination among the victims of north-east India. The study was conducted on participants from the northeast region of India currently residing in other parts of mainland India. The results of the study highlighted some forms of racial attacks such as calling names with coronavirus, blamed to spread the virus, compelled to leave the apartments and pulling mask by walking away from the north-eastern people. Moreover, six different emotions were identified among the participants such as anger, anxiety, sadness, shock, embarrassment and fear associated with the racial act. Racism can damage our society, the consequence of which may be likely to persist beyond the global pandemic, hence it is important that required measures are taken by the state to curb racism.