https://www.flickr.com/photos/64481432@N00/295274246
The representation of the Covid-19 emergency as a “war” against an “invisible enemy”, proposes a new declination of the discourse of fear and it offers new arguments in support of nationalism. In Italy, especially in the phase that preceded the lockdown, the search for a scapegoat on which to channel the growing and yet understandable social panic, has once again privileged the foreigner, especially Asian, and in particular Chinese. Moreover, between 20 January and 8 March, Lunaria documented 61 episodes of insults, discrimination, arson attacks and attacks on foreign citizens in connection with the spread of the Covid-19 virus. The vast majority are Chinese and Asian citizens. There were, however, not only insults, speeches and misinformation. The institutional management of the emergency has shown on several occasions that, if Covid-19 knows no discrimination whatsoever, those who should offer protection do not seem to behave in the same way. This contribution, which can be downloaded below, analyses the different forms of discrimination that have affected foreign people during Covid-19 emergency.
