Othering

Othering refers to a process that is intended to mark certain people as ‘different’, or ‘other’. Characteristics such as appearance, clothing, language skills etc. are taken as the reason for this. The basis for this process is juxtaposing your ‘own’ group as ‘us’ with the ‘others’ as ‘them’. This division also goes hand in hand with a hierarchization in which the ‘other’ is presented in an openly negative or exoticizing way as supposedly positive, but is always subordinated to the dominant society and classified as not belonging. Othering thus prevents those affected from participating in society on an equal standing to others, leading to marginalization and discrimination.

Source: IDA-NRW