“We Haven’t Been the Squeaky Wheel”:
Asian-Americans’ Responses to Asian-hate Incidents during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Abstract
This qualitative study used a narrative approach to document the experiences of 10 Asian-American working professionals before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and to examine how they made sense of the surge in Asian-hate incidents. Episodic narrative interviews were the main source for data collection. The findings revealed that the participants experienced stereotyping and discrimination in the pre-pandemic workplace which was influenced by gender and social class. During the pandemic, the group faced fear and anxiety and thus, they kept their circle small. Although the participants expressed their shock and disbelief on these incidents, they also felt a sense of guilt. Most believed that this was a resurfacing of systemic racism, but they shared their skepticism and fatigue on what the media showed. They also blamed the US and Chinese administrations for the uptick of these incidents. Finally, the participants empathized with other marginalized groups who have endured similar experiences.
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