From the glossary of the Information and Documentation Centre for Anti-Racism Work (IDA e.V.) on othering:
“Based on ‘we’-‘you’ constructions, the ‘you’ becomes the allegedly entirely other, who is thought of as less emancipated, enlightened, tolerant, democratic, educated, etc., in contrast to the ‘we’. Elementary differences are constructed that are hierarchically evaluated and emphasised—whether openly negative or exoticising and seemingly positive.” 325
Othering describes a process of highlighting oneself and one’s social image by classifying people with other characteristics as “alien”. In othering, a evaluative distancing from the allegedly other takes place. Othering can be translated into German as “Fremdmachen” (making foreign).
Woke activists frequently accuse allegedly privileged persons of engaging in othering towards marginalised groups.326 Anyone who criticises marginalised groups allegedly does so only to strengthen enemy images.327 The fight against othering therefore prohibits addressing certain problems that are considered woke taboos (e.g. antisemitism or sexism among Muslims).
At the same time, it is woke activists themselves who engage in othering, as only certain groups are granted a claim to solidarity and support. Woke campaigns often rely on targeted othering, in which people with certain narratives are forced into a good-evil scheme: for example, privileged and marginalised, racist and antiracist, democrat and populist, solidaristic and fragile. Anyone who contradicts woke ideologies is to be portrayed as morally inferior (see Truth).