Othering

 Othering means treating or portraying a person or group as fundamentally different, alien, or “not one of us.”

It often involves:

• Emphasizing differences (culture, race, religion, nationality, beliefs, etc.)
• Creating an “us vs. them” mindset
• Dehumanizing or stereotyping the other group, sometimes subtly

Simple definition

Othering is the process of seeing or treating someone as an outsider who does not belong.

Examples

• Saying “People like them don’t share our values”
• Portraying immigrants, minorities, or certain groups as threats or inferior
• Media framing a group only through negative traits

Why it matters

Othering can lead to:

• Discrimination and prejudice
• Social exclusion
• Justification of unfair treatment or violence

Opposite of othering

• Inclusion
• Empathy
• Recognizing shared humanity

If you want, I can explain it in very simple terms, academic language, or with real-world examples depending on your context.