Racial Othering: structural roots and anti-racist actions from below

With the rise of excessive nationalism in traditionally liberal democratic societies, those identified as ethnoculturally ‘Other’ are often seen as threats to national values and security. Responding to racial Othering requires clarity about the problem and its structural roots. The first section of this paper defines racial Othering. The second section presents the historical, politico-economic, socio-cultural, and psycho-cognitive roots of racial Othering. The third section of the paper names examples of anti-racist responses to racism from below. It calls for demystifying the social origins of racial categories, challenging wilful ignorance of racism, and discomforting discriminatory dispositions. In closing, the paper reiterates the key points, argues why anti-racist movements need to be galvanised, and cautions against an inflated use of racism in such activities.