Racism and the Covid-19 Pandemic: An Analysis of Contributions Before, During, and Post-Pandemic

Unveiling the ways racist ideologies were deliberately constructed to sanction economic, emotional, and physical exploitation of Black Americans, this book examines how these stereotypes have been reinforced generationally.

Shawn Blue, a specialist in trauma, diversity, and health and wellness studies, examines the structural foundation and psychological makeup of the transatlantic slave trade and its formation of a system of racial hierarchy that created and perpetuated multiple biases and stereotypes of Black Americans in contemporary society. Slavery, as an institutional concept, has created systemic inequities that shaped and continue to exert power in American society today.

Blue offers recommendations for societal systems that create spaces for equitable care and treatment, provides necessary healing interventions for Black Americans, and reinforces a commitment to psychological theories that acknowledges the oppressed histories of Black LGBTQIA+ communities. She highlights changes that need to occur in order to restructure the scientific research field and enlist support from the practices of bystander-and-ally training, advocacy, and activism.

Shawn Blue is a Clinical Psychologist at Thomas Jefferson University, USA.