Multiculturalism at a Crossroads: Toward Pandemic Antiracism Education in Post-COVID-19 Canada

• In Event: Inclusive Education

Abstract

Canada is often held up internationally as a successful model of immigration. Yet, Canada’s racial and ethnic conflict and division resurfaces during COVID-19 when there has been a surge in racism and xenophobia across the country towards Asian Canadians. Drawing on critical race theory and critical discourse analysis, this paper critically analyzes incidents that were reported in popular press during the pandemic pertaining to this topic. The analysis shows how deeply rooted racial discrimination is in Canada. It also reveals that the anti-Asian racism and xenophobia reflects and retains the historical process of discursive racialization. To combat and eliminate racism, we propose a framework of pandemic anti-racism education for the purpose of achieving equitable education systems in post-COVID-19 Canada.

Authors

• Yan Guo, University of Calgary

• Shibao Guo, University of Calgary