Xenophobia

Xenophobia, and occasionally xenophobia ( gr ξενοφοβία " stranger anxiety " of ξένος xenos " stranger " and φοβία phobia "fear", "fear" ), refers to a negative, exclusionary or hostile attitude toward a person or group (see also group -focused enmity ) that are seen as different. The objection may be based on real, perceived or alleged social, religious, economic, cultural or ethnic differences. Because xenophobia thus also targeting groups that are not classically referred to with the term "alien ", the word has the term xenophobia increasingly being replaced.

A negatively connoted foreign image is seen of social psychology over, strangers with hostility ' created to produce a superior self-image. In the processes of construction of images about supposedly " foreign" or "other" scientific, media, political and other actors in society are involved. The term is avoided in the research on racism where it overlooks the processes of stigmatization by psychologizing and biologisation and suggests a quasi- causal explanation of inherent violence and exclusion.

The concept of xenophobia overlaps with the racism and can only be imprecise differ from this often. While parts of the social science see a difference between xenophobia and racism, others reject the notion from as unscientific and see him as a mere euphemism for racist attitudes and actions.

Term

Etymology and history of the concept

The term xenophobia has been used in French in 1901 in Anatole France's novel Monsieur Bergeret à Paris and recorded in 1906 in Albert Dauzats French dictionary Nouveau Larousse illustré as a keyword. In connection with the Dreyfus affair, the writer described the anti-Semitic demagogues as " misoxènes, xenophobes, xénoctones et xénophages ". The Grand Dictionnaire de l' Terminologique Office Québécois de la Langue Française has two entries for the concept of xenophobia:

• A sociological ( founded on stereotypes and unfounded generalizations prejudices against foreigners based on rumors, misunderstandings and different customs ) and
• A psychological ( hostility towards foreigners with social and non- pathological background).

Social psychological models of explanation

In social psychology discriminatory behavior with the notion of xenophobia are considered among social and psychological aspects.

• Rebellious Self- submission

As an explanation for the occurrence of xenophobia Nora Räthzel created the term " Rebellious Self- submission". As a rebellious self- subjugation they called a phenomenon in which resistance against social exclusion will not be directed against the cause, but as a scapegoat for an unaffiliated third parties in the form of the other, the stranger. This act of compensation serve ultimately one's own submission to the states that they were looking to fight.

Biological evolution model of explanation

In evolutionary applies xenophobia than likely -than-life dienliches heritage from the animal -human transition field.

Individual psychological explanatory model

Individual Psychologically, the - far older - the term " xenophobia " supported mainly by a latent aversion or fear of infants before the unfamiliar or alien ( " fear of strangers "). It is formed differently in different social cultures, for example in Germany as a " bogeyman ". Accordingly, they can later deepened in life, ideological or be fought ( with themselves and / or others). Scientific evidence that they can be fully " stored " do not exist.

In clinical psychology morbidly increased xenophobia is considered a form of anxiety disorder.

Legitimating explanations

The term xenophobia is occasionally used in different ways to to legitimize racism and discrimination as a result of biological, cultural or economic circumstances:

• Examples of biologizing explanatory models: species defend their own " territory" against intruders. To what extent are biological determinants, acquired through socialization behavior or free on a small scale decisions xenophobia of man, is controversial. What is perceived in a particular case as "foreign" ( and rejected) depends from proven primarily by historical and cultural factors.

• Examples of economic models of explanation: xenophobia occurs in large amounts in countries of increasing the number of unemployed. That is, the higher the unemployment rate of a population, the higher the proportion of xenophobic tendencies. This hypothesis is supported by numerous empirical studies and is considered scientifically verified ( valid ) in the sense of intersubjective verifiability.

The ethologist Eibl - Eibesfeldt indicated the defense of the stranger bezeiehungsweise perceived as alien and historically different performing demarcation of groups as anthropological requirement to maintain a stabilizing group norm. Standards made ​​" the behavior predictable, wearing order in the community and thus provide security " Eibesfeldt refers to the formative function of cultural norms:

For the culturising explanatory model all social action is shaped culturally, that is, collective distance and hostility is acquired mood (see also mentality of a society). However, allegations are made, according to which so-called tribal societies, but also rural societies with landowners structures whose traditions would rely heavily on fixed rules, new citizens must be set against reluctant to hostile. In many cases, the same companies are represented as extremely hospitable; mercantile cultures ( like ancient Greece - see Homer, Herodotus, or Aeschylus ) apply to these structures as rather vorurteilsarm. The predominant religion had great influence on the observable attitude towards "foreigners". A comparable slow social change favoring xenophobic reactions. According to Pierre Bourdieu climb the ability to reduce xenophobia with the complexity of society.

Together, these explanatory models that historical and social construction processes for self and other images are not investigated, but are accepted as a quasi-natural conditions.

Others

An essential feature of the propaganda in the First World War was that was advertised on the motivation of its own population of the participating countries for military service with xenophobic prejudices and patriotic symbols.