Stigma and fear during COVID-19: essentializing religion in an Indian context

Abstract

A cursory inquest into the effects of SARS-CoV-2 exposes how easily the ramification of the pandemic has moved over from the physio-social to the psychosocial state of humans all over the world. Derogatory nomenclatures such as ‘Chinese-virus’ or ‘Corona-jihad’ can be seen as a part of a disjunctive politics of ‘representation’ as opposed to ‘representing’ with a metonymic effect. Such politics violates the protocol on naming new human infectious diseases set by World Health Organization. It also insinuates a long-term socio-political impression on the mental state of an individual or a social group, which may have an emasculating effect on the global solidarity to fight the virus. This calls for a nuanced psychosocial investigation with a specific analysis of how the ensuing stigmatization and fear can aggravate the contagion. With specific reference to the Indian sub-continent, this paper explains the socio-political orientation behind the essentialisation of a religious group that has led to the indictment of the minority community. By using Wagner’s theory of essentialisation and Critical Race Theory, this article shall endeavor to explore how media may play a crucial role in stigmatizing communities. Secondly, the paper also argues that the spiraling effect of such ostracisation leads to stigma and fear within the group which is not only dehumanizing but also detrimental to the concerted effort to contain the pandemic.

COVID-19 Pandemic, Risk, and Blame Attributions: A Scoping Review

“… 14 Also, the role of media and government agencies in fear-mongering and creating a stigma around the disease through fake news, rumors, and vilification of certain communities have been documented in India. 30 This psychosocial investigation had highlighted how media and government agencies could manipulate attribution biases and aggravate the pandemic by stigmatizing communities and ensuring fear about COVID-19. 30 Given the media’s importance in molding public perceptions and risk attributions, future risk-communication studies should include psychosociological frameworks within their agenda-setting and risk context.…”

“… 30 This psychosocial investigation had highlighted how media and government agencies could manipulate attribution biases and aggravate the pandemic by stigmatizing communities and ensuring fear about COVID-19. 30 Given the media’s importance in molding public perceptions and risk attributions, future risk-communication studies should include psychosociological frameworks within their agenda-setting and risk context. This will enhance the media’s ability to shape risk perceptions and attributions and positively influence the psychology behind the participation of the public in tackling the pandemic.…”

Of Semiotics, the Marginalised and Laws During the Lockdown in India

“…Social cleavage on the lines of religion, caste, and gender is not new in India [ 56 , p. 2]. This fragmentation came to the center during the COVID-19 pandemic [ 59 , p. 2]. Suddenly, it felt that the COVID-19 virus does not target communities but the people belonging to lower-income groups, underprivileged castes, and religious minorities because of their unequal treatment by levelling them as super spreaders [ 59 , p. 2].…”

“…This fragmentation came to the center during the COVID-19 pandemic [ 59 , p. 2]. Suddenly, it felt that the COVID-19 virus does not target communities but the people belonging to lower-income groups, underprivileged castes, and religious minorities because of their unequal treatment by levelling them as super spreaders [ 59 , p. 2]. This prejudice has been equated at par with the one highlighted by the critical race theory scholars [ 59 , p. 2].…”

“…Suddenly, it felt that the COVID-19 virus does not target communities but the people belonging to lower-income groups, underprivileged castes, and religious minorities because of their unequal treatment by levelling them as super spreaders [ 59 , p. 2]. This prejudice has been equated at par with the one highlighted by the critical race theory scholars [ 59 , p. 2]. In India, Muslims, a community of 200 million people were made the scapegoat for the spread of coronavirus.…”