„Дежурни кривац” у епидемијама и пандемијама: од синофобије до „Хвала, брате Си!”
Scapegoats in Epidemics and Pandemics: From Sinophobia to “Thank you, Brother Xi!”

Summary/Abstract: Ever since there had been pandemics, there was a search for a “scapegoat,” to whom all the anger of the community faced with deadly fear is directed. Throughout history, the “scapegoat” was sought for plague, cholera, smallpox, Spanish flu, HIV, Ebola, and various epidemics and pandemics, including the coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic, leading to discrimination and violence, most often directed towards a specific ethnic or religious group. Immediately after the announcement of the coronavirus pandemic, the Chinese became targets of attacks. The attacks on the Chinese also had a political dimension, mainly due to the rise of China’s political and economic power at the beginning of the 21st century. In case of Serbia, before the virus reached it, the discourse about China as the “scapegoat” was mainly taken from foreign media. However, the situation quickly changed because this dominant discourse did not coincide with Serbian foreign policy and the “strategic partnership” between Serbia and China. During the first month after the pandemic in Serbia was declared, China became the leading partner in the struggle against the pandemic. The billboards represented the peak of the outpouring of friendship, spelling “in gratitude to Chinese leader Xi Jinping”. Even though China and the Chinese were considered “scapegoats” in many parts of the world, Serbia followed a different behavioral model during the pandemic. This included strengthening its friendship with China and growing populism and authoritarianism.

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