Othering is in the news. Last week it was the subject of the keynote at Walmart's Belonging Summit, at the Bentonville home office, by john a. powell, director of the Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley.
Ways we other: Ignore and pity people. Diss others to show we belong in a group. Do things for people, not with them.
Ways not to other: See the dignity in others and give them agency in participating. Change your environment to foster belonging.
Walmart example: recognizing that bright lights, loud noises, splashing water, and other stimuli tell sensory-sensitive people, including people with autism, that they don't belong. So all stores have "sensory-friendly" hours every day from 8-10 am. The idea started with a Saturday pilot that was so successful it extended to all stores every day.
Here's powell, who prefers his name in lower-case, and Walmart.org's Julie Gehrki at the summit, and Walmart.org's Naomi Gunnell, MPA and UT Health Center for Health Equity's Naomi Tice on a late-night neighborhood store foray.