The COVID-19 pandemic, Sinophobia, and the use of social media in Italy

Journal title MONDI MIGRANTI
Author/s Davide Girardelli, Stephen M. Croucher, Thao Nguyen
Publishing Year 2021 Issue 2021/1
Language Italian Pages 20 P. 85-104 File size 254 KB
DOI 10.3280/MM2021-001005
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In addition to triggering a worldwide health crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought in many countries increased phenomena of Sinophobia. Using integrated threat theory (ITT; Stephan & Stephan, 2000), this study examines anti-Chinese prejudice in Italy in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Educational level, conservative ideologies, and social media use have been included in the study among the possible antecedents. The data collection has been conducted with an online survey that involved 316 Italian participants in April 2020. The results showed that sex, intergroup contact, and direct knowledge of people with COVID-19 have contributed in bringing about the Chinese community in Italy as a poten-tial threat in the eyes of the study participants.

Keywords: Integrated threat theory; prejudice; sinophobia; social media; crowd-sourcing; hierarchical regression analysis

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Davide Girardelli, Stephen M. Croucher, Thao Nguyen, La pandemia COVID-19, la sinofobia e il ruolo dei social media in Italia in "MONDI MIGRANTI" 1/2021, pp 85-104, DOI: 10.3280/MM2021-001005