Staying away, staying alive: Exploring risk and stigma of COVID-19 in the context of beliefs, actors and hierarchies in India

The article examines the media discourse of risk and stigma which developed in response to COVID-19 pandemic India, employing theoretical frameworks Mary Douglas Erving Goffman. Accessing Factiva database archive, authors analysed a total 139 stigma-linked reports, using Discourse Network Analyzer (DNA) identify thematic groups beliefs related actors contributing on contagion. results exhibit clear difference opinion various stigma-related among individuals diagnosed or assumed susceptible COVID-19, including issue disclosing identities. In domestic have dominated discourse, particularly national government agencies, rather than intergovernmental organisations foreign governments. content analysis this shows that new hierarchies emerged based confirmed suspected contact with disease along reinforcement traditional myths superstitions, leading discrimination against quarantined individuals, their families, healthcare staff socially marginalised communities.