Covid-19 and Social Stigma: A Case of Indigenous People of North-East India

Abstract

The COVID-19 epidemic has aggravated social stigma and social discriminatory behaviour against indigenous people of northeast India. People affected by the virus within the indigenous community as well those returned from elsewhere is seen by the rest as the “other”. Such alienated treatment negatively affects and fuels the stigma thus hampering positivity. COVID-19 pandemic need to be understood and perceived correctly in order to efficiently prevent its spread and thus the stigma. Therefore, this paper will draw a conceptual understanding and will address the concern of stigma against the indigenous people of North-East India in the context of Covid-19.