University of Greenwich: Racism, Business Management Essay (BUSI 1475)

This essay, prepared for a Business Management course at the University of Greenwich, delves into the multifaceted issue of racism, particularly focusing on its relevance to globalization, technology, and conflict-collaboration dynamics. The introduction highlights the persistence of racism in the United States, despite societal progress, using historical examples and current events, such as anti-Asian sentiment during the COVID-19 pandemic. The essay then explores how globalization, with its interconnectedness and multiculturalism, both reflects and exacerbates racial tensions. It examines the role of technology, especially social media, in both amplifying and potentially mitigating racist sentiments. The analysis also covers conflict and collaboration, underscoring how racism fuels conflict while also exploring avenues for collaboration to combat discrimination. The essay incorporates data from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and other sources to illustrate the impact of racism, including its effects on mental health, economic outcomes, and social interactions. The conclusion synthesizes these themes and offers a personal perspective on the issue, emphasizing the need for continued efforts to address racism in various contexts.

University of Greenwich (UOG)
Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Business Management (Top Up)
ASSIGNMENT / PROJECT COVER SHEET
(to be completed individually by student)
UOG ID Number 001143731
Course Specialization
(*Please delete whichever is not applicable)
Marketing and Sales
Subject Code/Name BUSI 1475 / Management in Critical Context
Assignment Title Essay (100%)
Lecturer/Supervisor Mr. Chris Paget
Word count
DECLARATION
I, the above named student, confirm that by submitting, or causing the attached assignment
to be submitted, I have not plagiarized any other person’s work in this assignment and
except where appropriately acknowledged, this assignment is my own work, has been
expressed in my own words, and has not previously been submitted for assessment.

Table of Contents
I/ Introduction:................................................................................................................................6
II/ Globalization:.............................................................................................................................7
III/ Technology:............................................................................................................................10
IV/ Conflict and Collaboration:..................................................................................................13
1/ Conflict:....................................................................................................................................13
2/ Collaboration:......................................................................................................................15
V/ Discussion:..............................................................................................................................16
VI/ Conclusion:............................................................................................................................17
Bibliography.................................................................................................................................19

Table of Figures
Figure 1: Impact of Harassment (Source: ADL)................................................................9
Figure 2: Demographics of Harassment (Source: ADL)..................................................10
Figure 3: The percentage of respondents who reported being harassed is based on their
identities (Source: ADL)...................................................................................................11
Figure 4: Where does harassment take place? (Source: ADL)......................................12

I/ Introduction:
Nearly 60 years ago, Martin Luther King Jr. – Nobel Peace Prize awarded pastor and
human rights activist – once had the famous speech "I have a dream" about the future
of the United States, where everyone regardless of skin color has a peaceful, equal and
fair coexistence; yet into the third decade of the 21st century, even though the country
had its first president as someone who is not Caucasian, that dream was still unfinished
by a phenomenon called “Racism”. According to the definition of Australian Human
Rights Commision, racism refers to prejudice, discrimination or hatred directed at other
people because of their skin color, ethnicity or national origin. It can manifest in a variety
of ways and in a variety of locations. Racism is often associated with acts of violence or
harassment; it does not, however, have to be aggressive or threatening in nature. [4]
Having hatred and contemptuous thought for other people just because of the different
race is enough to be considered racist.
If in 2020 when the world boomed the Black Lives Matter movement again from tragic
events about black people being despised, insulted, even killed; then in 2021, these
things are repeating again, but this time the victims are Asian Americans. Based on an
online USA Today news article published by Ramirez (2021), since the start of the
COVID-19 pandemic, anti-Asian sentiment has risen sharply, with many in the
community blaming the Trump administration's divisive rhetoric. From March 2020 to
February 2021, Stop AAPI Hate, a San Francisco-based organization that monitors
discrimination and xenophobia against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, reported
nearly 3,800 such incidents. [[13]] It also documents the actions and cases that show
racism against Asian people, such as the mention of the killing of eight people at 3 spa
restaurants in Atlanta on March 16, 2021 (6 people among them were Asian
Americans), or the 1982 murder of Vincent Chin in Detroit, a Chinese-American who
was beaten to death by two struggling car workers with baseball bats for being mistaken
as Japanese.
This report will mention about the relevance of racism with three themes: globalization,
technology, conflict – collaboration, at the same time, there will be a discussion to raise
personal views on the issue.

II/ Globalization:
The United States itself is multicultural, with a mixture of different races such as
Caucasian, Black, Asian, Indigenous, etc. However, the unwritten law, the color of the
skin is still a criterion to recognize and evaluate a person here because this is a country
known in part because of its history associated with racism, with the majority of cases
occurring with the Caucasians being stigmatists, and other races becoming victims. It is
a sad fact that racism against Asians in this country does not happen on a day or two,
but as long ago as the Chinese immigrated to the United States in the 1850s, mostly to
California and other Western states, to work in mining and railroad building. These
precarious, low-wage jobs were in high demand, and Chinese immigrants did not
hesitate to do these works. The racist trope of "Asians coming to steal White jobs" was
born almost instantly. (Brockell, 2021) Asian Americans have long been seen as a
threat to a country that promoted an immigration policy that favors whites only. They
were dubbed a "yellow peril" because they were unclean and ineligible for citizenship in
the United States. (Leon, 2020) According to an online article from Asia Society (n.d.),
Asian Americans have faced a long history of exclusion and inequity in terms of school
policies and practices, especially during times of shifting demographics, economic
crisis, or war. [[14]] Not only the poor are despised, but even rich people with certain
status in society are despised just because they are Asian. For example, U.S. Rep.
Grace Meng, who is now in her 40s, recalls the insults and name-calling she and her
fellow Asian Americans sometimes endure on New York's playgrounds. She said that it
was something they grew up with. But she realized that without fighting, injustice and
suffering would still cling to Asian Americans the way previous generations suffered.
(Ramirez, 2021)
Among Asian groups in America, the Chinese make up the majority. The Chinese here
include all people of Chinese descent, not just Chinese people who was born and raised
in China. Going to any major American city can find a Chinese community, and
Americans often call these places "Chinatown". As a result, the majority of Americans
are incapable of distinguishing the different groups of people in Asia. Even for some
people, when they talk about Asia, they think of China first. So when former President

Trump called COVID-19 "China virus" and "Kung-flu", he indirectly caused negative
attention on the Asian community in America. To Trump's supporters, they thought
these statements were harmless. But in reality there is a close relationship between
"hate crime" and "hate speech". (Kiệt, 2021)
Based on Lancet (2020), the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic created great fear for
mankind, and fear is a crucial ingredient for racism and xenophobia to flourish. The
Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has exposed social and political
divisions within populations, with racialized and divisive reactions to fear
overwhelmingly impacting marginalized groups. COVID-19 policy responses have
disproportionately impacted people of color and migrants – people who are over-
represented in lower socioeconomic classes, have reduced health-care coverage, or
work in insecure jobs – rather than becoming an equaliser, considering their potential to
impact everyone. This is particularly true in resource-poor areas where social security is
lacking… On the other hand, migrants, particularly those without documents, avoid
going to hospitals for fear of being identified and reported, resulting in late presentations
with potentially more advanced disease. [[11]]
Racism is a global issue which threaten the peace and equality for human. It has
negative effects on the finance, economics, physical and mental health of many people
being targeted or afraid of being targeted. Today, the most obvious form of racism
probably is verbal violence. According to the survey report of the Anti-Defamation
League (ADL) on the impacts of harassment (2021), a large number of respondents
(23%) said they had difficulty sleeping, focusing, or feeling anxious. Despite reports that
less platforms intervened when harassment was identified, nearly a fifth of harassment
targets (18%) approached the network to seek assistance or report harassing material.
Another 16% of respondents took precautions to protect their physical safety, such as
changing their venue, changing their commute, taking a self-defense class, avoiding
being alone, or avoiding certain places. These habits were often accompanied by other
negative consequences, such as depression and suicidal thoughts, anxiety, and
financial impacts. [[2]]

Figure 1: Impact of Harassment (Source: ADL)

III/ Technology:
According to the press release of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) with survey report
(2021), Asian-Americans experienced the largest single increase in extreme online hate
and abuse year over year, with 17% having experienced sexual harassment, stalking,
physical assaults, swatting, doxing, or sustained harassment this year compared to 11%
last year. Half (50%) of Asian-American respondents who were harassed said the
abuse was motivated by their race or ethnicity. [[1]]
Figure 2: Demographics of Harassment (Source: ADL)
The most common types of abuse were isolated incidents: 35% of respondents were
called insulting names, and 26% had someone try to shame them on purpose.
However, more serious forms of harassment were also common – 27% of American
adults said they had been harassed, largely unchanged from the 28% who said they
had been harassed the previous year. [[1]] Sexual assault, stalking, physical assaults,
swatting, doxing, and sustained harassment were all included in ADL’s definition of
"severe harassment."

Figure 3: The percentage of respondents who reported being harassed is based on
their identities (Source: ADL)
Adults in the United States who were harassed said they were harassed the most on
Facebook (75%), followed by Twitter (24%), Instagram (24%), and YouTube (21%).

Figure 4: Where does harassment take place? (Source: ADL)

Social media in particular and the Internet in general can be used as tools for racism,
but it can also be used in a more positive direction. In terms of having online news with
global coverage, this has helped people to acquire many different types of information
to better understand the general situation of the world, and the hottest realities are
happening. The Asian-American discrimination is a clear example. Online news can be
used as a propoganda tool, the evidence is that with them, we see the horrors of
racism, and somehow we are aware of what needs to be done to work to prevent this
problem. Also, online news reports provide evidences of how many people have worked
to fight racism. For example:
 U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson of Georgia, a member of the Congressional Black
Caucus, was scheduled to host a virtual communication with Meng and U.S.
Rep. Judy Chu of California on anti-Asian discrimination and crime. The event
was broadcast on Johnson’s Facebook page and Zoom. (Ramirez, 2021)
 The initiative to encourage social media users to join the hashtag
"StopAsianHate", to spread the message of ending hatred towards Asians, is
strongly supported around the world. (Hà, 2021)
IV/ Conflict and Collaboration:
1/ Conflict:
As clear as day, racism is a kind of conflict; stemming from the disapproval and hatred
towards a group of people with different races, nationalities,... There are four main
reasons for racism, according to the Australian Human Rights Commission: [[5]]:
 When we are young, a lot of our attitudes are created. When family members or
friends share discriminatory beliefs, it is natural for us to adopt those viewpoints
as well. The problem is that unless we take action, they will remain with us for the
rest of our lives.
 It is natural to want to spend time with people who have similar interests,
backgrounds, cultures, and languages. It fosters a sense of belonging that is
extremely valuable. The disadvantage is that it may create divisions between

other groups, leading us to believe that our community is superior to others over
time.
 We often judge the book by its cover. People of various ethnic backgrounds may
also be stereotyped as "lazy," "brainy," "aggro," and so on... Is there a way to
overcome stereotypes? Don't pass judgment on an entire party. Learn about
people of various ethnic backgrounds to see how much you have in common.
 We also look for someone else to blame for our issues while we are upset or
irritated. People who do not look or speak like us easily become the target for us
to show our acts of discrimination and hatred.
Violent clashes, murder, even manslaughter because of color do not always happen,
but people can still identify the existence of racism in the US by dealing with cases in
public authorities, or through day-to-day behavior among people living in certain
communities. In fact, systemic racism can be seen in many parts of the country: from
schools, offices, courts, to the police. (Hà, 2021) The Asian community has long been
referred to by a "model minority", describing Asians as a peaceful, non-contested,
obedient, and diligent race. At first glance, it sounds like a very proud word. But that
concept is an invisible stigma tool because it imposes a stereotypical image on Asians
in America… So the problem of stigma lies not only in attacks targeting Asians, but also
in other forms such as stigmatization statements or intangible tools like praise of "model
minority". (Kiệt, 2021) When Covid-19 broke out in the United States, former President
Trump often called the virus as "the Chinese virus" or "the Wuhan virus", which has
fueled an increase in hate attacks and discrimination against Asian Americans. This
situation is largely derived from the blind misconception of a part of Americans that the
Asian-American community was the cause of the Covid-19 spread in the United States,
causing more than half a million deaths. As a result, the number of hate and stigmatized
attacks against Asian Americans has increased. (Huân, 2021)
In addition to the Caucasian stigmatizing Asians, the more sad thing is that many
Asians have also refrained from activism. For example, many Asian churches have also
shied away from activism, a move is seen as at odds with their roots as cultural and
advocacy hubs for newly arrived immigrants. (Ramirez, 2021) One of the reasons
partially is due to the Asian culture. Some Asians are not familiar with the litigation
culture, usually they solve problems by themselves. There are other people who may

come from countries with untrusted police systems, which make them hard to trust the
help of the police. In addition, the language barrier also causes many difficulties for
many people. (Kiệt, 2021) But no matter what, silence is a crime and it will be the best
weapon to push social problems more and more terrible.
2/ Collaboration:
For a long time, certain efforts have been made to jointly prevent racism from Asians.
Asian-American activists are always researching and proposing solutions (advocating
ethnic studies curricula, community-based violence protection programs, etc). The
evidence is given in an article by Ramirez (2021) published online on USA Today [[13]]
 Aarti Kohli, executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Asian Law
Caucus, a national legal advocacy group said that one of the fascinating things
he had heard is that this is the first time Asian Americans have been invited to
share their personal stories at work. People are always shocked to learn about
their coworkers' experiences with racism. As a result, he was seeing a much
wider acknowledgement of the racism directed at the community.
 U.S. Rep. Grace Meng said one thing she would like to see is for Americans to
better understand each other's backgrounds and contributions, and that one way
to do that is through public education.
 Stop AAPI Hate has also called for ethnic studies curricula to combat bullying,
community-based violence prevention efforts to protect the elderly, and the
extension of civil rights laws to end workplace harassment.
 U.S. Rep Judy Chu is also a supporter of two hate-related bills in Congress, the
No Hate Act and the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, both of which aim to boost hate
crime monitoring.
 Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta urged state and local officials to
increase crisis-intervention funding and multilingual assistance through mental
health, legal, and job programs, as well as address the root causes of racial
violence and hatred.
 The Asian American Christian Collaborative released a strong statement this
week criticizing what it called a "denial of accountability" on the part of American

churches and denominations for perpetuating social circumstances that have
resulted in "unequal, unrighteous and ungodly treatment and murders of racial
minorities." The group's declaration, which has been signed by hundreds of
religious leaders, recommends church leaders to increase Asian American
representation in church leadership and to contribute to educational efforts to
combat nationalism, bigotry, and xenophobia in their congregations, among other
things.
 Asian American leaders said they are taking cues from the Movement for Black
Lives coalition, as well as Muslim and Asian activists who dealt with
Islamophobia after the event on September 11, 2001 and previous generations of
community leaders who pursued justice for Vincent Chin after his death, in calling
for structural reform and organizing around public hate crimes and deaths.
V/ Discussion:
Racism is an unforgivable crime, and sadly, they tend to be more frequent, more
sophisticated, and terrible. They make victims suffer from injustice, lose their right to live
as a true human being, are always viewed in a lowly and wrong way, even some people
die unjustly because they do not. like what the society in that area wanted. And those
who discriminate, always carry the illusion that they are eliminating the consequences
so that they always feel like they are the best. In a statement on the International Day of
the Elimination of Racism (March 21), President Joe Biden admitted that the United
States is facing a lot of issues of racism and xenophobic natives. He called for a joint
effort to end this situation and pledged to change existing laws in the United States that
supposedly "tolerate" discrimination. (Hảo, 2021)
But this is not only happens in the United States. Not now, racism against Asians in
other places in the world has just emerged, it has been "deeply rooted" for decades in
Western society. Recently, this issue has suddenly come back strongly, raising alarm
bells about the increase in dangerous hatred towards Asians in the US and Western
countries. From England to Australia, reports of crimes involving hatred against East
Asians and Southeast Asians both increased as Covid-19 raged in the past year. At
least 11 people of East Asian and Southeast Asian descent that CNN corresponded

with spoke about racist and xenophobic behaviors, such as alienation on board, verbal
abuse, and even assault . Many European countries such as France, Germany and
Belgium do not collect ethnic demographic data, so it is difficult to give an accurate
figure on the extent of this problem. Hate crime statistics recorded in the UK and
London police figures show that more than 200 hate crimes against East Asians took
place between June and September 2020 – an increase of 96% over the same period
last year. (Hảo, 2021)
Therefore, solutions to combat this evils need to be put in more force. In addition to the
solutions outlined earlier, I personally think that each individual needs to increase self-
awareness, by learning to recognize what characteristics each race will have, and have
a respectful, equal view of the races. You may not be too fond of a certain race, but it is
not an excuse for you to have hatred and stigmatic thoughts for those people. If there
are acts of harassment and discrimination against Asians or any races; we should not
remain silent, but should immediately report such actions to the social media platform
administrator (for online harassment) or the authorities, at the same time spread the
correct knowledge and understanding of what is related to race (categories,
characteristics, related issues,...)
VI/ Conclusion:
“Every person born into the world says something new, something that never
existed before, something original and unique ... If there had been someone like
her in the world, there would have been no need for her to be born.”
--- Martin Buber (1878 - 1965), a famous Austrian philosopher ---
Racism does not happen on a small scale, but on a global scale, causing certain
consequences in terms of globalization, technology, conflict – collaboration. In terms of
the Asian American community alone, on the negative side, in general it has divided
people in terms of sympathy or relationships, ... The number of cases of violence
caused by discrimination has increased, there are also more people who die, if they are
lucky enough not to enter the door of death, they also have to live with psychological

trauma for their whole life. Many people suffer the loss of loved ones, human rights, and
their self-esteem is trampled. But on the positive side, there have been many people
trying to prevent this, with solutions aimed at changing many of the misconceptions of
the Asian American community, and jointly prevent acts of violence verbally or
physically. The #StopAsianHate movement has been strongly supported and it can be
seen one of the most memorable events of 2021. These efforts need to be stronger, not
only against direct discrimination, but also to give the silent people the courage to stand
up and fight, because silence will indirectly make things worse.

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