Otherness: Between Vilifying and Dignifying

Abstract

Otherness is an intricate concept which is at the core of human ontology. In fact, this alterity is very substantial in the processes of self-identification and identity formation. Nonetheless, otherness has always been subjected to variegated essentialist and vilifying modes of representation and interpretation in furtherance of a hegemonic discourse of violence. Hence, representing otherness, namely racial otherness, cultural otherness, gendered otherness and epistemic otherness becomes in many instances engrafted within the dehumanizing framework of “othering”. In this regard, abiding by the Levinasian logic and by Irigaray’s philosophy of difference, it is possible to entrench an ethical, human relation with Otherness.

Keywords: Otherness, othering, representation, difference, discourse.

DOI: 10.7176/JLLL/57-06

Publication date:June 30^th 2019