A History of Pandemic Xenophobia & Racism

The recent shootings in Atlanta highlighted a surge of anti-Asian violence in the United States throughout the pandemic. Disease stigma and racism have together shaped pandemic response and policy for centuries. And so to better understand this history, Jim and Maeve speak with Alexandre White, a sociologist and medical historian at Johns Hopkins University. He shares his views on how a legacy of prejudice tied to disease should lead us to reexamine how we respond when outbreaks occur. Support this show and all of The Atlantic’s journalism by becoming a subscriber at theatlantic.com/supportus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices