Othering
February 18, 2024
Prompt: Taking the concepts of self and other, think about your community (your home, your college or university, some other community in which you are involved) and consider who belongs and who is an outsider.
This prompt reminds me of a conversation I had with a student who had grown up in Carlisle, and prior to their time at Dickinson College considered the students to be outsiders who came and went, but were relatively disconnected with the community. In my current community at Dickinson college, I consider similarly situated individuals to be a part of my community. This generally means I perceive students to be my community, and those who inhabit Carlisle to be “others.” This conversation made me question what specifically makes me consider someone a part of my community.
To me, those who share experiences with me, such as studying, finals, school dances, and student jobs are similarly situated, and therefore are a part of my community. They likely share my needs, desires and frustrations.
Those who I experience as a distinct individual are usually people I interact with. Even if such persons are acquaintances, I consider them to be individuals, with specific interests, and habits. Plural others are more likely to be people I know of but don’t interact with, such as those on the Dickinson sports teams. Based on an interactive approach, I don’t usually form perceptions about people I know as plural others. However narratives about plural others, without any other contextual or historical information, can be influential, in possibly dangerous ways. So for example, if one hears a rumor about a specific team, and they have no contextual knowledge to explain or refute the rumor, inaccurate or incomplete perceptions can be formed.
Narratives can be tools used to create inaccurate perceptions by those who have no interaction or knowledge to rely on to counter such narrative. In this sense, from an international politics perspective, “othering” can be harmful. If a politician, state or the media, tells citizens a specific narrative to justify their actions, then it can perpetuate such narrative. It also can serve as an explanation for harmful behavior when applied to public opinion. States can also bolster nationalism on a large scale, and perpetuate a narrative of a greater state or national community in order to explain harm or othering. However, that is not to say that nationalism as a source of community or pride is necessarily bad in policy, it is just that it, like many other things, can be twisted to perpetuate harms.
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In another sense, othering compromises the ability of people to be understood as multifaceted communities or individuals. Simple narratives or othering can be reductive to the reality of people or individuals. In this sense, othering is tempting as a descriptor of a group because it is easy to accept and move on. To have better understanding means to address personal bias, learn about others, and possibly make your own community uncomfortable by confronting their understanding of people. This dynamic of reducing individuals to the narratives that accurately or inaccurately describe them likely shows up in international politics, in the news media and in policy choices regarding regions. However, because of the failure to take communities and persons for face value, there is risk of inaccurate policy that perpetuates harmful narratives. It is, of course, impossible to completely understand each person or community in their whole, but it is important to let people dictate their own self narratives, instead of narratives created by “others.” We can interact with group we consider to be “others” by listening, and understanding.
February 18th, 2024 at 7:11 pm
Thank you for the post, Annie. A common theme so far seems to be nationalism. You discussed the dangers of nationalism being used by leaders to push narratives. In my opinion, the U.S. uses these narratives as justifications for excessive intervention. For example, the U.S. has had issues of overreach in countries like Iraq and Somalia. This in turn has led to failures by the United States. The politicians responsible for these failures avoid criticism by stating the goals of these missions were “democracy building” and human rights promotion. I think due to the lack of foreign policy knowledge the general population has, combined with the U.S. reputation as a moral actor in international affairs, leaders such as George Bush and Bill Clinton have not been held accountable for these failures. This in turn has prevented the United States from learning from our failures. Furthermore, these interventions have cost the U.S. money and lives violated the sovereignty of the respective countries, and led to human rights issues. Besides staying informed on foreign policy events and the news, how do you think U.S. citizens can hold our government accountable for these foreign policy failures?
February 18th, 2024 at 7:33 pm
Yes, the U.S. usage of nationalism as a narrative to excuse and justify intervention and action was exactly what I was considering when I wrote this post. Nationalism is how it is justified, when alternative interests might be the real reason behind intervention. I think narratives that emphasize “humanitarian” intervention can be especially harmful, because it can be difficult for those who are not studying such policy to understand the real reasons behind such policy. Such excuses also seem harmful because they are often lacking in voices and input from those who are impacted by the intervention. As we discussed in class last week, often citizens don’t consider foreign policy in voting, and media regarding policy is often preoccupied with domestic politics. I think in order for citizens to hold the government accountable, we first need to consider what citizens are aware of. Education can be a powerful tool in holding the government accountable. The more educated voters and citizens are, the more likely they are to respond when they disagree with policy, and hold leaders accountable for their actions.
February 19th, 2024 at 4:04 pm
Thank you for the post Annie! what caught my eyes the most about your blog was how personal it can be to view people as individuals rather than groups. You are definitely right about the fact that those around us who we see as individuals and asses on that individual level, are those who we have personal one on one interactions with. I myself, noted that this idea of self and others to me at-least comes from a very personal space. I was also interested in your comment on college/university and the activities they foster as part of your community. I too, see that wherever my educational environment is my community is. One last note I’d like to elaborate on is the implications you mentioned of the “self” vs. “others” on international politics and particularly through social media. Social media is not only a wide spread platform that engages with individuals across the world, it is also fast spreading. When narratives spread quickly, it doesn’t dictate they die off quickly. In fact, narratives remain like a glue. Once people have pre-conceived notions, it becomes very difficult to change their views.
February 19th, 2024 at 5:42 pm
Hi Amna! Thank you so much for your thoughtful response. I considered what made me consider someone an individual and found it wasn’t shared experiences, but instead personal interaction. I love that you brought up social media, because I think that unlike other method of media, social media is so unregulated and fast-paced that misinformation and harmful narratives can spread rapidly, without repercussions. It is so easy on social media, to disconnect from the self, meaning that people do not have to be responsible for what they do and say. And because you don’t have to acknowledge someone face to face, there is perhaps a stronger othering as a result. It only captures a small pictures of someone, when it is even accurate.
February 20th, 2024 at 2:05 am
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on community, othering, and the intricate ways our perceptions of belonging can be influenced by our experiences and stories. You have expertly highlighted how shared experiences like studying and participating in school activities can create a sense of community among students while excluding those who do not participate. Your perspective sheds light on how communities are built by including people and excluding ‘others.’
How can educational institutions like Dickinson College actively bridge the gap between students and the broader Carlisle community in a way that challenges narratives of othering and promotes a more inclusive sense of community belonging?
February 20th, 2024 at 4:15 am
Thank you so much. I very much appreciate your comment. I think that one of the ways that Dickinson College can bridge the gap between students and residents of Carlisle, is by interaction. Often I feel we are rather insulated on campus from events in the area. However, I appreciate when residents come to events. In fact, just tonight I participated in an event in which a resident was the most active and present participant in discussion. I think that local perspectives, are not only good for our education, but might also help students like me (who are at least two planes flights from home) feel more comfortable in the community. Thereby, more consistent positive and meaningful interaction can help bridge the gap.
February 20th, 2024 at 2:05 am
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on community, othering, and the intricate ways our perceptions of belonging can be influenced by our experiences and stories. You have expertly highlighted how shared experiences like studying and participating in school activities can create a sense of community among students while excluding those who do not participate. Your perspective sheds light on how communities are built by including people and excluding ‘others.’
How can educational institutions like Dickinson College actively bridge the gap between students and the broader Carlisle community in a way that challenges narratives of othering and promotes a more inclusive sense of community belonging?
February 20th, 2024 at 4:52 pm
Thank you for sharing quite eloquently your thoughts. I hadn’t considered the ways in which my home university students are seen as separate from residents of the area, but that definitely rings true for me as well. I think it’s important to note that like you said there is always a narrative, and multiple at that. This is unavoidable. What we should strive for, in my opinion, is avoiding the reduction of people to groups or statistics. It is in this way that minds can be changed.
February 20th, 2024 at 6:46 pm
Hello Ian,
I appreciate this comment. I think you are right, while statistics and reductive ways of thinking can be the easiest way to think about something or someone, this way of understanding people is often lacking in context.
February 20th, 2024 at 5:51 pm
Thank you for sharing your personal experience and insights on what constitutes a community. Your thoughts on the role of narratives and their potential harm in shaping perceptions of others are particularly interesting. From what I gather, you suggest that our personal perceptions of individuals or groups is largely dependent on our interactions with them. Those we interact with regularly are perceived as distinct individuals, whereas those we are less familiar with are seen as plural others. Additionally, you highlight the potential danger of narratives that create incomplete or inaccurate perceptions of others, particularly when these narratives are used to justify harmful behavior. I wonder, how can we encourage the creation and sharing of narratives that promote inclusivity and understanding? And how can we ensure that these narratives are accessible to a wide audience, particularly those who may be most susceptible to harmful narratives?
February 20th, 2024 at 6:39 pm
Hello Rashid,
Thank you so much for this comment and your questions.The best way I can think to encourage the creation of narratives that are inclusive and understanding, is actually through listening. Often it seems that even if harmful narratives exist, the person or people they involve are trying to communicate their real experiences. If those who are susceptible to harmful narratives take time to listen carefully and learn, understanding will follow. In addition, I think there is a need at least in the U.S. for more honest and accurate news and media. People should be held accountable when spreading falsities.
However, some might think this is too optimistic or incomplete. If you think I am missing anything feel free to response. It is a tough problem to address.