Othering & Belonging Institute

Even more so than when we launched our inaugural Inclusiveness Index report in August 2016, there is a much greater and sharper appreciation of the role of inter-group dynamics in shaping the political, economic and cultural environments we inhabit. Fears of demographic and cultural change intersect with historical patterns of inter-group conflict to inflame fragile societies and engender political instability. To take but one example, the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar has spiraled further into large-scale ethnic cleansing and forced displacement. Inclusion and exclusion, tribalism and fear of the “other” has become increasingly central to understanding our current moment.