Anti-Chinese Racism, Geopolitics, and COVID-19: A Decolonial Inquiry into Institutionalized Racism and Knowledge Production

This paper examines the resurgence of anti-Asian racism during the COVID-19 pandemic and addresses how systemic racism can be confronted through a decolonial lens. It argues that institutionalized racism is a foundational element of Western modernity, sustained through the colonial matrix of power. By analyzing the racialized dynamics of the pandemic, the study reveals the covert forms of racism embedded in knowledge production and geopolitical narratives. Situating pandemic-related racism within the longue durée of coloniality, it critiques the selective framing of human rights and the epistemic dominance of Western narratives, which marginalize non-Western perspectives and perpetuate Orientalist representations of China. The paper concludes by advocating for decolonization as a necessary step to dismantle institutionalized racism and promote a more equitable global discourse.