“Us and them” – Prejudice and Peace – Dr. Tiffani Betts Razavi

History furnishes no shortage of examples of the suffering of one group of people at the hands of another, even as news headlines daily document ongoing conflict and oppression. Some stories are well known, others obscure or lost, and none are as well understood as they need to be to overcome the barrier posed by the “us and them” attitude that is at their root.

In this respect, Professor Jeffrey Herf’s recent lecture called attention to how much there is to learn, and what needs to be addressed in our efforts to better the world. By exposing the historical narratives and conspiracy theories underlying anti-Semitism, Professor Herf demonstrated how and why this “oldest hatred” persists and is even on the rise, provided a powerful illustration of the beliefs and attitudes underlying prejudice, and flagged the dangers of a prejudiced world.

Human beings suffer from the tendency to operate in the world in terms of “us and them”, “in-group and out-group”, to limit self-identity by defining the self with reference to others, to seek a sense of power, authority, superiority or self-esteem by comparison with others. MacMillan (2020) notes that ever since humans began to settle land for farming, “they learned to defend themselves with walls”. One could argue that this approach persists, that “defending your own group successfully— and, often, conquering others” remains the basis for in-group preservation and success. Generation after generation, the metaphorical walls are reinforced, giving rise to an “us and them” attitude that breeds prejudice, lack of awareness and indifference to the suffering of others, and worse, the acceptance of discrimination, violence and oppression as justified, leading to silent collusion, and failure to advocate for justice and human rights.

While the root assumptions of prejudice may differ and lead to diverse forms of injustice, as Prof. Herf demonstrated by contrasting racism and anti-Semitism, all forms illustrate the damaging effects of resorting to an “us and them” mentality as the basis of self-identity. To challenge that mentality with the notion that one’s identity as a member of the human race takes precedence over other identities and associations is therefore critical to any effort to overcome prejudice and to build peaceful, cohesive communities.

Research in peace education shows that recognizing multiple forms of identity under the umbrella of shared universal values can prompt re-evaluation of the notions of in-group and out-group, acknowledgement of intersectionality, and the conversion of longstanding competitive or untrusting relationships to cooperative ones (Tal-Or, Boninger & Gleicher, 2002; Komatsu, 2017). The same pattern is reflected in the emphasis on greater inclusivity in certain movements, such as the climate change movement and the participation of people of color highlighted by Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson at the 2020 annual lecture of the Bahá’í Chair (September 2020), the legal empowerment of women in local environmental issues described by Prof. Margaret Satterthwaite, and Dr. Marie Berry’s illustration of the decisive involvement of women in a range of social issues in various countries in their contributions to the Women in the World Conference hosted by the Bahá’í Chair (September 2019).

Across contexts, then, the transformation of mindset beyond “us and them” to a higher identity – just “us” – with a common purpose that cannot be achieved under the weight of prejudice is central not only to a culture of peace, but to the wellbeing of humankind and the planet. To shift mentality is not straightforward, and requires the development of new sets of knowledge, skills and attitudes. Expanding awareness of prevailing stereotypes, and examining history through alternative lenses – as Prof. Herf did so helpfully in his lecture – are important components of the process, enhancing inter-group and inter-individual trust, especially when based on the “ethics of care” (Page, 2004). We learn the value of peace as well as our essential human identity most effectively through a nurturing, supportive, and caring learning environment. Alongside knowledge, acquiring skills such as active and attentive listening, and attitudes such as willingness to trust and to take constructive and collaborative action (Kester, 2012), allow us to understand multiple identities in the framework of our over-arching human identity, and to build “positive peace” (Galtung, 1988).

That we continue to find evidence of the “us and them” mentality even among well-meaning groups of people in caring environments (for example, Tanu 2020) does not mean that efforts are pointless, rather that in this complex process of collective change there remains work to be done. Prof. Herf’s lecture was a clear reminder that eradicating prejudice is a long, hard journey, but it is not without progress. In response to questions about anti-Semitism in various settings including religious and academic communities his answers were strong and constructive – focus on what people are doing to action their beliefs, to call for greater knowledge of the problems, to unearth the roots of prejudice as a means to refine and mature our responses. There is merit in the commitment to try to shake off prejudice, to see more clearly, to change the patterns of thought and action, and to pass to the next generation a different kind of self-identity – not one which denies religion or culture or race, but which puts these dimensions in the perspective of a common human purpose.

References

Galtung, J. (1988). Peace and social structure. Essays in Peace Research (Vol. 6). Copenhagen: Christian Eljers.

Kester, K. (2012). Peace education primer. Journal of Global Citizenship & Equity Education, Vol 2, No 2.

Komatsu, T. (2017). Education and Peace. Oxford Research Encyclopedia, Education.

MacMillan, M. (2020). The World That War Has Made, Wall Street Journal, October 3-4, 2020

Page, J.S. (2004). Peace education: Exploring some philosophical foundations. International Review of Education, 50 (1).

Tanu, D. (2020). https://www.tieonline.com/article/2778/strange-bedfellows-when-race-isn-t-always-about-race

About the Author

Tiffani Betts Razavi (DPhil. Oxon) is a Visiting Research Professor at the University of Maryland Bahá’í Chair for World Peace and a senior staff writer for The International Educator. Her research and writing explore people and their environments, the changing nature of work and education, and the conversations that connect observation and insight with practice.