Self-Regulation, Empathy, and Compassion: A Critical Triad to Develop Anti-Racist Digital Citizenship in the Time of Pandemic

Abstract

The coronavirus has unleashed another pandemic - xenophobia. This article aims to counter the xenophobic narrative that affects many Asians and people of Asian descent due to COVID-19 pandemic.  To counter this narrative, we offer an anti-racist digital citizenship framework in social studies. This illustrates a critical triad of self-regulation, empathy, and compassion. Self-regulation is the ability to develop cognitive control of emotional reactivity to facilitate self-directed change. Empathy is the understanding of another person’s emotional state and the projection of oneself into the other’s situation. Compassion is taking a mindful action to alleviate the struggles and sufferings of others