Work

Digital racism and antiracism toward Asian and Muslim communities during the Covid-19 pandemic: the Australian experience

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Australia witnessed a substantial degree of racism toward Asian and Muslim communities during the Covid-19 pandemic, much of which was shared and amplified on social media. However, while a growing body of national and international literature has illuminated the problem of racism during significant crisis events, limited studies have addressed how these narratives are both produced and resisted in online spaces. In this paper, I present the findings of a Thematic Content Analysis of how Asian and Muslim communities were constructed on Twitter/X during Australia's 2020–2021 lockdowns. Drawing on the literature surrounding Networked Counterpublics —and analyzed through a Systemic Racism lens—findings illuminate how publics used Twitter/X as a space to both legitimize and contest racist narratives relating to the pandemic, further demonstrating the power of social media as a vehicle for the amplification and resistance of racism during a significant global crisis.

Source: Media International Australia

DOI: 10.1177/1329878x241274446

Author: Ashleigh L. Haw

Institution: University of Canberra

Language: English

Topic: Communication and COVID-19 Impact

Subfield: Communication

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,450