In my current research on the lived experience of ageing in extreme poverty, I am trying to illustrate something connecting the discursive social process of 'Othering'. But I am struggling to find a term that can best define the reverse process of 'Othering'. What it could be in one/two words? Your contribution is much appreciated.
Othering is usually done toward those that does not fulfil the dominant discourse, right? So, the dominant, taken-for-granted discourse is already established before individuals/ groups can be othered. I don't see it as a reverse process. Or, do you mean what should be the non-othered people be termed as? I usually use 'elites'.
If 'othering' is treating people as different / outside the 'norm' then the opposite might be 'normative acceptance'.
As in - 'the othering of group A can be compared to the normative acceptance of group B'.
'Elite' and 'privilege' could also be used but these may be associated more strongly with value judgements.
The converse of "othering" might be "belonging" if "othering" refers to the phenomenon by which some individuals (or groups) are deemed not to fit the norms of a larger social group.
Dear Carmelita Ginting-Carlström; Kirsten Gow and Olivier Serrat, thanks a lot for your reply. It gives me some directions. I felt I need to clarify more. As I am exploring the relational perspective of extreme poverty, I consider 'othering' as a relational distancing. I am trying to establish a relational matrix of 'Othering' and 'agency erosion' or 'agency deformation' for which I consider the reverse process as 'agency formation'. Similar to this I need to find a term/phrase that resembles the reverse process for 'othering'? I found 'elite' and 'privilege' more as an antonym of the 'Other' than 'othering'. Also, I doubt whether we want the othered to be 'elite' rather we want them to be mainstreamed, included and so on. In this case, older persons living in severe poverty are my research population. And we continue the debate....
If the "othered" become part of the "mainstreamed", wouldn't they 'blend' with the existing mainstream group? It's no longer a distinct group but suffused as one? Is it possible though? It'll require a dramatic change in the established discourse as well, given your "othered" group being very different from established image of the entrepereneur.
But, based on your own comment, I'm reminded of 'gender mainstreaming', which aims to promote gender equality at policy level. But, it's been criticized a lot! So, I'd refrain from using the term "mainstreaming" because of this.
Anyways, I'm all over the place now. Thank you for making me think! 😄 Now I'm just going to throw some words that reflects the blending of the othered into the mainstreamed: unification, integration, merging.....
I don't understand exactly what you mean. The opposite of otherness would be integration or adaption in this culture.
It may that that an alternative framing of your question could help, Owasim.
One step in what might be a useful direction could be to make a broad distinction between emic and etic perspectives and emic vs etic research. Etic and emic research could establish the difference in discursive perspectives between 'outsiders' and 'insiders' each group of whom may tend toward 'othering' the others. Another useful distinction may be to ask about the 'scale' of othering.
Dialogue between those holding these 2 perspectives could bridge the gap between them (depending on the scale of othering), through what Freire calls cultural synthesis. So initial questions may be, how inevitable is othering and at what scale does it seems to be occurring, and with what apparent outcomes (answers may form part of your initial hypotheses)?
I suggest including, which means: you are invited to be a part of the group even if you are different, and more than that- we see your differences as contributing, so you are welcome to bring your difference to the group with you
Dear Akram
I would suggest countering othering with "recognition", it the meaning given to recognition in the conceptualization of social justice made by Fraser and Honneth (2003). I'm attaching an article I just published that specifically makes this offer, in regard to people living in poverty. Hope you'll find it relevant.
Dear Elena Izaksonas; Bill Walker; Sharon Mishkovsky; Shachar Timor-Shlevin; Adelaida Struck González thanks a lot for your input which are immensely helpful to reframe my thoughts.
Shachar, Your finding that recognition needs to be seen at the discursive, relational, and institutional levels of operation is helpful. However these levels beg another question. According to which values is recognition most consequential (eg in terms of empowering marginalised groups)?
Dear Bill, this is a very good question. My study traces the operation of recognition in the context of "critical" (e.g. social-justice-informed, or the social critique of hegemonic social orders) practices and values, however, in the public social services in Israel (as in other places of course) such critical voices are struggling for position, facing the hegemonic stance of conservative and neoliberal perspectives. And in any case, the questions of feasibility and consequentiality need further research. Thanks for this question!
Hy Scachar
Today, social empowerment must be accompanied by values and ethical principles, as well as respect for others and for diversity. Otherwise, the balance may tip to undesirable situations as in Latin America.
Would just be cautious of any term that suggests the ‘othered’ group needs to adapt or assimilate with the ’default’ group. I like ‘normative acceptance’, or a similar term that suggests moving towards a place where the ‘othered’ group does not have take the burden of acceptance by the ‘default’ group.
Dear Vikki Price, thanks for your comments, I can't agree more. In fact, this came as an inherent message from the data itself.
Did your research come up with anything about 'consciousness raising' Owasim Akram ? Am interested in this and wondered if it was something that came through around otherness?
Did your research come up with anything about 'consciousness raising' Owasim Akram ? Am interested in this and wondered if it was something that came through around otherness?
I think belonging is the reverse form of othering. There is an institute at UC Berkeley doing some powerful work on these issues. It is called the Othering and Belonging Institute.
The term belonging and the work on belonging are compelling. Also, the term radical kinship might be helpful (my frame of reference for that is Fr. Greg Boyle).
Interesting question considering that there is the other outside and the other within. When reflecting on the other within one calls it introspection, etc , but when one reflects on the other without there are several ways of categorizing such other: Alien, different, inclusive, exclusive, age group, etc.
Interesting question considering that there is the other outside and the other within. When reflecting on the other within one calls it introspection, etc , but when one reflects on the other without there are several ways of categorizing such other: Alien, different, inclusive, exclusive, age group, etc.
I think it's important to ask where (eg in what system) is 'othering' occurring by whom, and why. Is such othering deep-rooted and habitual? Could othering be learnt by observing (eg listening to) and imitating others? If it's a habitual bad habit, then some neuropsychological research suggests that the processes by which we develop bad and good (eg more inclusionary, fostering health belonging) habits are similar. This article has some other interesting findings relevant to answering these and related questions, consistent with the wider literature I've been reading: https://www.templeton.org/grant/automated-self-control-the-neuropsychology-of-developing-good-habits
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