On Thursday, March 20, 2025, a pivotal roundtable discussion took place at CEU in Vienna to mark the fifth anniversary of the first lockdown in Austria. The COVID-19 pandemic has not only been a public health crisis; it has also exposed deeply entrenched issues of racism, antisemitism, and structural discrimination in societies worldwide. This event featured prominent speakers, including Ruth Wodak (University of Lancaster/CEU Nationalism Studies Department), Márton Rövid (CEU Romani Studies Program), Jan Rybak (CEU Jewish Studies Program), and Lydia Gabcova (Former Principal Project Manager at the Plenipotentiary Office for Roma Communities of the Slovak Government).
From left to right in the photograph are: Márton Rövid, Ruth Wodak, Mathias Möschel (Moderator), and Jan Rybak (Lydia Gabcova attended online).
The discussion focused on how marginalized communities faced state repression and how conspiracy narratives and the radical right exploited the crisis for their own agendas. Co-organized by the CEU Jewish Studies Program and the Romani Studies Program, the event offered insights into the complex interplay of racism, politics, and the impact of the pandemic.
Ruth Wodak opened the discussion by highlighting the lack of sufficient study on the pandemic’s broader social implications. She shared her findings on conspiracy narratives, stating that the term conspiracy “narratives” is more fitting than “theories” because these narratives serve as coping mechanisms for individuals rather than having any scientific basis. Wodak also noted the critical role of science during the pandemic, pointing out that Austria has the highest level of scientific skepticism among European Union countries, a phenomenon exacerbated by the pandemic. She then introduced a discourse strategy that blames an imaginary, homogeneous collective of Jews as scapegoats, which she calls the “Judeus ex machina.” Wodak explained how this strategy, rooted in far-right rhetoric, draws on an old pattern of framing the elites as enemies to fight for freedom. To illustrate this, she showed caricatures that depicted George Soros as the enemy. Wodak emphasized that this narrative has a long history of using Jews as a convenient target for political purposes. She further shared images from Vienna during the pandemic, where far-right groups and neo-Nazi factions were present at anti-vaccine and anti-government protests. The discussion concluded with a reflection on the renationalization, exclusion of vulnerable groups, rise of authoritarianism, and political flip-siding that really started with the pandemic.
Márton Rövid proceeded with the discussion through his presentation, titled "Anti-Roma Racism: Lessons Unlearnt." In his presentation, Rövid explored the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on Romani communities, highlighting increased health risks, educational challenges, economic precarity, and increased stigmatization through media and authorities. He emphasized how limited access to e-learning for Roma children and students further deepened these challenges, widening existing gaps in education and opportunity. However, Rövid also highlighted encouraging developments, such as community-led initiatives and the effective use of digital networks to foster resilience and support during the crisis. Lydia Gabcova then presented on the Slovak case, detailing the government's response to the pandemic. Roma communities faced stricter lockdowns than non-Roma areas with similar infection rates, driven by stereotypes portraying them as "spreaders" of disease. Authorities used excessive force rather than allocating essential resources such as food and medicine, deepening mistrust and complicating future health cooperation. Gabcova emphasized the importance of trust and communication in crisis management and highlighted the need for inclusive healthcare access and vaccination efforts. Both speakers stressed the need for systemic, long-term changes to address the inequalities faced by Romani communities.
Jan Rybak then addressed the rise of antisemitism during the COVID-19 pandemic in his talk, “The Oldest Hatred and the New Plague.” Rybak identified three salient aspects of antisemitism that emerged during the pandemic: Conspiracy theories blaming Jewish individuals or groups for the virus, including claims like “Zionism could be behind the virus”; discrimination and physical attacks targeting Jewish communities, particularly Orthodox Jews, who are more visibly identifiable; and the spread of antisemitic rhetoric within public health protests. Rybak pointed to the use of the slogan “Vaccination will set you free” at protests, referring to the phrase at the gates of Auschwitz, to emphasize the disturbing and false comparison between the mass murder of Jews and life-saving vaccination efforts, distorting history and undermining public health. Rybak contended that these narratives are deeply rooted in historical prejudices associated with racial and religious “purity,” effectively transforming Jews from scapegoats to the very disease itself that must be eradicated.
This discussion highlighted how the pandemic reinforced entrenched prejudices and inequalities faced by Roma and Jewish communities. Confronting the historical roots and ongoing social reality of anti-Roma racism and antisemitism is essential for building a more inclusive and equitable society, and this work must remain a priority moving forward.
Written by Dania Lemmer, MA student in Nationalism Studies with a specialization in Jewish Studies.
You can view the recording of the event here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTjFjX_bW4I