The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many challenges to the whole world. However, it is impossible to deny that people’s health and the medical industry have suffered the most. That is why various politicians, experts, and other officials address this issue and emphasize the virus’s harm. The work by Kendi (2020) also comments on how the pandemic has adversely influenced the American population’s health. Thus, the given paper will summarize this article and explain the connection between this writing piece and conflict theory.
In the beginning, it is reasonable to explain the content of the article. Kendi (2020) starts by expressing his worries regarding the fact that his partner, Sadiqa, works in the emergency department. However, one cannot say that it only is a personal story because the author then focuses on how the virus affects the whole nation. In addressing this issue, Kendi (2020) relies on statistical data and identifies that COVID-19 influences the population unevenly. It refers to the fact that black Americans, Latinos, and Asians are more subject to the disease compared to the white population. For example, the author admits that black Americans only comprise a small population part in Michigan and Washtenaw County, but it does not prevent them from representing more than 40% of coronavirus cases (Kendi, 2020, para. 9). It indicates that some racial disparities have been revealed against the background of coronavirus.
The racial groups above are not the only individuals who experience negative consequences. The homeless and the incarcerated also suffer from coronavirus because such individuals live in those conditions that promote the spread of disease. However, one should note that African Americans represent approximately 40% of the homeless population (Kendi, 2020, para. 23). Simultaneously, the author admits that white people are more subject to COVID-19 in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities. The author concludes that the data may demonstrate that different races are more vulnerable to the pandemic, but further research is necessary to check whether this statement is correct and unbiased.
Conflict theory is a suitable paradigm to explain interactions within society. This phenomenon implies that the world has limited resources and that it is people’s task to compete for them. According to this theory, a community consists of social classes that determine what opportunities individuals have in approaching and utilizing various resources, including food, education, employment, and others. The difference between these classes results in the fact that all people do not have equal opportunities in society. Since different institutions also have competition as their inherent quality, they contribute to social inequality. The given state of affairs leads to the fact that some individuals and groups are in a worse position in society.
According to the information above, it is possible to mention a special connection between conflict theory and the content of Kendi’s (2020) article. The writing piece demonstrates that various population groups have different outcomes in dealing with the pandemic. This situation can be explained by the fact that they do not have equal possibilities and opportunities in society. For example, when it comes to the homeless and the incarcerated, there is no doubt that these individuals do not have sufficient resources and opportunities to manage the pandemic’s disadvantages. Furthermore, the given theory also explains why nursing home residents suffer from the virus. It refers to the fact that these individuals have a disadvantaged position in society because they cannot take care of themselves.
The paradigm under analysis can also be used to explain why some minority groups are more vulnerable to the disease. Since no one can state that various races imply some genetic peculiarities that are more subject to being infected by the virus, there must be a different explanation. It relates to the fact that black Americans, Latinos, and Asians are typically disadvantaged in the United States. For example, Kendi (2020) reports that “Asians are the poorest immigrant group in New York City” (para. 19). It denotes that these individuals will inevitably experience worse access to limited resources. Against the background of the COVID-19 pandemic, this state of affairs indicates that the disease will affect some population groups more severely than others. Thus, conflict theory is used in the article to demonstrate that access to financial, social, and other resources determines how successfully various population groups will respond to a challenge.
In conclusion, sufficient data prove that the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected the whole world, and the United States is not an exception. However, it is worth mentioning that there are some inequalities regarding how the virus has impacted various American populations. It relates to the fact that minorities and socially vulnerable individuals are more subject to be infected. Conflict theory is suitable to explain why it is so. This paradigm stipulates that a community consists of many social classes that compete for limited resources. Belonging to a particular class or group determines how successfully an individual can overcome the existing challenges. Regarding the coronavirus crisis, black Americans, Latinos, Asians, the homeless, the incarcerated, and nursing home residents do not have sufficient resources to withstand the virus.
Reference
Kendi, I. X. (2020). What the racial data show. The pandemic seems to be hitting people of color the hardest. The Atlantic. Web.