In a world marked by extreme divisions - from global conflicts to grave human rights violations - public figures struggle to find words that capture humanity's inclination to fracture itself. Throughout history, humanity has been plagued by unspeakable horrors like slavery, colonialism, the Holocaust, rampant refugee crises, femicide, and state brutality, all rooted in the belief in an irreconcilable "other." We yearn for a language that is capacious enough to make sense of all kinds of oppressions - whether tied to religion, ethnicity, ancestry, sexual orientation, ability, or gender. Terms like tribalism, prejudice, stigma, and caste have all been used to ignite change. They all, however, fall short.
Belonging without Othering is a profound exploration arguing that the struggles faced by marginalized groups can only be fully grasped through the lenses of othering and belonging. Social justice lion and scholar john a. powell, and acclaimed researcher Stephen Menendian, the main champions of these ideas, unearth the mechanisms of othering, drawing on examples from around the world, and throughout history. In a time when diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are being contested, and activists narrowly concentrate on specific and sometimes conflicting communities, this book offers an approach that encourages us to turn towards one another - even if it involves questioning seemingly tolerant and benevolent forms of othering. Crucially, the authors assert that there's no inherent or inevitable notion of an "other."
The authors make a compelling case for a true "belongingness paradigm," one that liberates us from rigid self-concepts while celebrating our rich diversity. This paradigm hinges on transitioning from narrow to expansive identities that bind people together in unprecedented ways. As the threat of authoritarianism grows across the globe, powell and Menendian make the case that belonging without othering is the natural but not the inevitable next step of our long journey towards creating truly equitable democracies.
Table of Contents:
1. Othering and Belonging
2. Marginality and the Other
3. From Us to Them
4. Fear of the Other, Rise of the Demagogue
5. Toward Belonging
6. From the Other to the Self(ves)
7. Hope for an Uncertain Future
The Mechanics of Othering
About the Author :
john a. powell is an internationally recognized expert in civil rights, structural racialization, housing, and democracy, and the Director of the Othering and Belonging Institute at University of California, Berkeley. He is a former legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union.Stephen Menendian is Assistant Director at the Othering and Belonging Institute, where he manages many ongoing research projects, including the Inclusiveness Index and the California Zoning Atlas.
Review :
"At a time when social justice movements seem determined to divide into smaller and weaker factions, Belonging without Othering makes the convincing case that we are being deliberately pitted against each other by elites, and that the most radical thing we can do is invest in our shared humanity. This sharp and hopeful analysis is a generous and transformational gift. The stakes—our collective survival—could not be higher."
—Naomi Klein, author of Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World "A powerful offering to a world longing for less division and less hate. powell and Menendian bring story and social science together to create a persuasive case that we can have our identity and culture without warring over them."
—Heather McGhee, author of The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together "With a breathtaking understanding of justice and an unshakeable belief in human dignity, john a. powell and Stephen Menendian describe a divided society and invite us into a finer world where unity does not require erasure. The writing is lucid, generous, and often beautiful, and it is used to express profound righteousness and moral clarity. It would be hard to read this book and not be inspired to think better and live better."
—Andrew Solomon, author of Far from the Tree and The Noonday Demon "It is easy to feel like our nation is broken apart and can't be repaired–that our differences are just too great. john a. powell and Stephen Menendian disagree, and after you read Belonging without Othering, you will, too. This is the most hopeful book I have read in a long time."
—Arthur C. Brooks, author of From Strength to Strength and Build the Life You Want "Belonging without Othering provides a path out of the darkness of toxic polarization and towards the light of more inclusive and harmonious communities. It's both an inspiring call and a practical guide for how to widen our welcome and strengthen our bonds. powell and Menendian have given us the book we need to read now."
—Eboo Patel, Founder and President of Interfaith America and author of We Need To Build: Field Notes For Diverse Democracy "Brilliant! john a. powell and Stephen Menendian narrate a journey into the very heart of politics and group conflict. Deeper than the myriad issues and material grievances at stake, we find the human longing for belonging animating our identities and our politics. But powell and Menendian elucidate—and warn us against—the dangerous shortcut to in-group solidarity: the rife casting of an 'other.' Imploring us to construct a 'Big Us' that refuses to make opponents into irredeemable enemies, they point the way to a democratic and just politics in pluralistic society."
—Jonathan Smucker, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Popular Comms Institute.
