Othering has been one of the most effective tools used by those who would weaken our constitutional democracy to gain power.

There has been a long, slow march to the place we are now. Elitist authoritarians have taken decades to seek control of the institutions of America’s democracy. Today we are living the results of their efforts. Every step of the way, “othering” has been used to help them reach their goals. It is essential we understand the power of othering in America today. And it is important for us to understand how these anti-democratic leaders came to power.

This webinar spotlighted new research on how to begin to counteract othering in political discourse. Drawing on insights from behavioral and political science, our expert panel discussed:

—The mechanisms and impact of othering in society
—Potential narrative strategies that humanize and build bridges across difference

This research is one part of a three-pronged research study on othering. The first prong is a large-scale quantitative study; the second involves qualitative work and a diary project; and the third testing ads and simulating a real campaign back-and-forth.

We were joined by experts from Hart Research: Geoff Garin, Corrie Hunt and London Wagner.

Download Hart Research’s Slides
Learn More About the Research Study
Read More About the Right’s Pathway to Power