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Belonging without Othering: How We Save Ourselves and the World
The root of all inequality is the process of othering – and its solution is the practice of belonging
We all yearn for connection and community, but we live in a time when calls for further division along the well-wrought lines of religion, race, ethnicity, caste, and sexuality are pervasive. This ubiquitous yet elusive problem feeds on fears – created, inherited – of the "other." While the much-touted diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are undeniably failing, and activists narrowly focus on specific and sometimes conflicting communities, Belonging without Othering prescribes a new approach that encourages us to turn toward one another in unprecedented and radical ways.
The pressures that separate us have a common our tendency to cast people and groups in irreconcilable terms – or the process of "othering." This book gives vital language to this universal problem, unveiling its machinery at work across time and around the world. To subvert it, john a. powell and Stephen Menendian make a powerful and sweeping case for adopting a paradigm of belonging that does not require the creation of an "other." This new paradigm hinges on transitioning from narrow to expansive identities – even if that means challenging seemingly benevolent forms of community-building based on othering.
As the threat of authoritarianism grows across the globe, this book makes the case that belonging without othering is the necessary, but not the inevitable, next step in our long journey toward creating truly equitable and thriving societies. The authors argue that we must build institutions, cultivate practices, and orient ourselves toward a shared future, not only to heal ourselves, but perhaps to save our planet as well. Brimming with clear guidance, sparkling insights, and specific examples and practices, Belonging without Othering is a future-oriented exploration that ushers us in a more hopeful direction.
We all yearn for connection and community, but we live in a time when calls for further division along the well-wrought lines of religion, race, ethnicity, caste, and sexuality are pervasive. This ubiquitous yet elusive problem feeds on fears – created, inherited – of the "other." While the much-touted diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are undeniably failing, and activists narrowly focus on specific and sometimes conflicting communities, Belonging without Othering prescribes a new approach that encourages us to turn toward one another in unprecedented and radical ways.
The pressures that separate us have a common our tendency to cast people and groups in irreconcilable terms – or the process of "othering." This book gives vital language to this universal problem, unveiling its machinery at work across time and around the world. To subvert it, john a. powell and Stephen Menendian make a powerful and sweeping case for adopting a paradigm of belonging that does not require the creation of an "other." This new paradigm hinges on transitioning from narrow to expansive identities – even if that means challenging seemingly benevolent forms of community-building based on othering.
As the threat of authoritarianism grows across the globe, this book makes the case that belonging without othering is the necessary, but not the inevitable, next step in our long journey toward creating truly equitable and thriving societies. The authors argue that we must build institutions, cultivate practices, and orient ourselves toward a shared future, not only to heal ourselves, but perhaps to save our planet as well. Brimming with clear guidance, sparkling insights, and specific examples and practices, Belonging without Othering is a future-oriented exploration that ushers us in a more hopeful direction.
430 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 23, 2024
128 people are currently reading
878 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 6, 2024
As DEI gets legislated out of school, work, and society, powell and Menendian provide a language to talk about and to affect a place where everyone belongs, without making anyone feel like they are being othered. This is a necessary read for those who work with or interact with other people.
June 2, 2024
A necessary work, I enjoyed taking time to read this and considering how myself and other groups I belonged to could create better spaces for everybody to belong. I enjoyed the discussion around geopolitics being connected to the phenomenon of othering.
If I had to critique, and I don’t know if critique-ing a work you consider necessary is warranted, there are a few spelling errors and the didactic style might have made it longer but in reorganizing focus not around racism, discrimination, or any of the other issues plaguing our society but into a higher or more bridged concept, the authors do well to thoroughly explain with real world evidence their stance and how it can reconstitute society for the better.
If I had to critique, and I don’t know if critique-ing a work you consider necessary is warranted, there are a few spelling errors and the didactic style might have made it longer but in reorganizing focus not around racism, discrimination, or any of the other issues plaguing our society but into a higher or more bridged concept, the authors do well to thoroughly explain with real world evidence their stance and how it can reconstitute society for the better.
February 8, 2025
I desperately want to give this book more than 2 stars. Its message is one of vital importance for our times and contains such an enlightening retelling of many global atrocities and the mechanisms, frameworks and thinking behind such actions, shedding light on why these things happen, and more importantly how we can prevent them happening again and work to repair the damage done.
However, firstly, I have never read a book with so many spelling and grammatical errors. It made the reading experience jarring and interrupted. One chapter especially had multiple mistakes per paragraph which made the flow challenging and detracts from the content. I would expect something from a revered educational institute (Stanford University Press) to have better editing processes in place.
Secondly, I really struggled with the condescending tone throughout. The first few chapters of the book go to great lengths and pains to disparage and tear apart other ideas, studies, and works on the same topic, in an attempt to show the superiority of the authors ideas (which, at that stage of the book, had not yet been expounded). In my opinion this was wholly unnecessary and the authors should have let their framework and appeals speak for themselves.
Thirdly, the book quotes a (flawed) study that describes women (and young people) as more easily influenced than men. In a book about trying to find ways to bridge and find commonality and belonging, I fear this may have had the complete opposite effect in turning a whole demographic away.
Lastly, I personally found the writing style to be superfluous, very repetitive, and long winded.
I would love to see this book rewritten in a more accessible way that would ensure it could reach the eyes, ears, minds and hearts of so many more people.
However, firstly, I have never read a book with so many spelling and grammatical errors. It made the reading experience jarring and interrupted. One chapter especially had multiple mistakes per paragraph which made the flow challenging and detracts from the content. I would expect something from a revered educational institute (Stanford University Press) to have better editing processes in place.
Secondly, I really struggled with the condescending tone throughout. The first few chapters of the book go to great lengths and pains to disparage and tear apart other ideas, studies, and works on the same topic, in an attempt to show the superiority of the authors ideas (which, at that stage of the book, had not yet been expounded). In my opinion this was wholly unnecessary and the authors should have let their framework and appeals speak for themselves.
Thirdly, the book quotes a (flawed) study that describes women (and young people) as more easily influenced than men. In a book about trying to find ways to bridge and find commonality and belonging, I fear this may have had the complete opposite effect in turning a whole demographic away.
Lastly, I personally found the writing style to be superfluous, very repetitive, and long winded.
I would love to see this book rewritten in a more accessible way that would ensure it could reach the eyes, ears, minds and hearts of so many more people.
July 14, 2024
A truly insightful look at the issues of belonging and othering with excellent suggestions. The thoughtfulness is good although the history is only ok.
September 20, 2025
More of an academic read than I was expecting or was ready for, but I am glad I worked through it.
An excellent discussion that explains both the tears in the fabric of our society and what might be done to repair them.
A big project, for sure, and we are not moving in the right direction at the moment, but we are worth it.
Of particular note:
--the discussion about DEI programs and ways they succeed and fail
--The four elements of belonging: inclusion, connection, recognition and agency
--the practice of bridging through telling our stories, that I think is a place libraries can play a role
--the necessity of broadening our identities and understanding how they change and are changed for us
--the practices of demagogues that exacerbate othering
An excellent discussion that explains both the tears in the fabric of our society and what might be done to repair them.
A big project, for sure, and we are not moving in the right direction at the moment, but we are worth it.
Of particular note:
--the discussion about DEI programs and ways they succeed and fail
--The four elements of belonging: inclusion, connection, recognition and agency
--the practice of bridging through telling our stories, that I think is a place libraries can play a role
--the necessity of broadening our identities and understanding how they change and are changed for us
--the practices of demagogues that exacerbate othering
October 25, 2024
Deeply impactful and incredibly well researched, this book left me with much to think about and a whole list of additional books to read.
April 2, 2025
Like the concept, found the book a real academic slog with maybe not a ton to say practically
January 10, 2025
It's quite thick, academic, and informative. I loved the book, insights, research, and thoughtfulness. I caught myself many times feeling resistance as I read passages about solidarity and a bigger "we". It's a great book for those who want to study the concepts of identity, othering, and a proposed pathway to belonging. This is a great foundational book to add if you are interested in emergent strategies.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews