Social Problem Emphasized by the COVID-19 Pandemic

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Discrimination is not a recent concept but rather an inherent aspect of human history. Discrimination is a violation of fundamental human rights, and this has influenced the development of policies and frameworks designed to protect the interests of the minority. Regardless of such developments, the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how discrimination is deeply rooted in culture (Devakumar et al., 2020). This paper is a reflection of the complex social problem that has been emphasized by the COVID-19 pandemic and how the knowledge acquired throughout the term has impacted my perception of social identities, communities, and potential solutions to the problem.

The increase in prejudice against immigrants and people of color across the globe influenced the selection of discrimination as the issue for discussion. The pandemic evoked fear and despair due to the high mortality rates reported across different nations and the lack of a vaccine. People adopted practices such as self-isolation and social distancing to protect themselves from the pandemic; however, this became the basis for discriminatory action against people from the Asian region (Addo, 2020). Since the pandemic emerged from Asia, misconceptions have developed and encouraged prejudice. According to Marshall (2020), discrimination against people of color has had adverse effects on their health during the pandemic.

Reports on physical and psychological abuse of immigrants and people of color have changed my perspective on discrimination. I now understand that discrimination is not about race or color but misinformation that creates social beliefs and norms which justify the differential treatment of minority groups in society. Before taking the course, I believed that discrimination was a factor of race and economic status. My questions then were, why can’t we have laws and penalties for those found guilty of discriminating against others? Why can’t we educate people to eradicate this social norm? The knowledge action made me realize the multi-dimensional nature of discrimination, and now my questions are, do we even know every basis for discrimination? Can laws and policies on human rights adequately address discrimination?

My identity and social community influenced how I perceive discrimination. I believed that social bias was overrated since it was a means for people with better socio-economic backgrounds to emphasize differences in society. For instance, unlike the poor, the rich can buy comfort and respect. The different cultural practices and beliefs influence how we deal with unfamiliar experiences and the resulting social groups. According to Khatatbeh (2020), restrictive measures employed to curb the pandemic have become an excuse for discriminatory actions. Therefore, addressing such a challenge might be impossible since discrimination is inevitable as it is rooted within our cultural practices.

After the class, I intend to take part in actions designed to address discrimination. Knowledge of the social and psychological effects of discrimination has made me realize the need to eliminate this spiteful norm. According to Wu et al. (2020), prejudice is associated with psychological disorders such as depression, stress, and anxiety. I have gained adequate knowledge throughout the course to help me decipher social issues such as prejudice. For instance, I learned about the multiple identities within communities and how they influence social clusters and differential treatment. Additionally, I have learned that social systems define power dynamics, politics, and even the control of injustices and oppression against minority members of society.

Discrimination is a complex social problem that has been the center of debates for ages. This course has helped me recognize the relationship between identity and discrimination and how new challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic highlight the multi-dimensional nature of this problem. Discrimination is not an issue about race, economic status, or gender; it is about identity, which encompasses multiple factors. I intend to use the knowledge acquired throughout the term to create positive change and eliminate discrimination.

References

Addo, I. Y. (2020). Double pandemic: Racial discrimination amid coronavirus disease 2019. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 2(1), 1-4. Web.

Devakumar, D., Shannon, G., Bhopal, S. S., & Abubakar, I. (2020). Racism and discrimination in COVID-19 responses. The Lancet, 395, 1194. Web.

Khatatbeh, M. (2020). Efficacy of nationwide curfew to encounter spread of COVID-19: A case from Jordan. Frontiers in Public Health, 8, 394. Web.

Marshall, W. (2020). Why is COVID-19 more severely affecting people of color? Mayo Clinic. Web.

Wu, C., Qian, Y., & Wilkes, R. (2020). Anti-Asian discrimination and the Asian-white mental health gap during COVID-19. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 1-17. Web.

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