Revisiting ‘resilience’ in light of racism, ‘othering’ and resistance

Abstract

In this commentary the authors analyse how the concept of resilience can be and has been applied to Black, Asian and minority ethnic families and communities in ways that are biased, stigmatising and pathologising. They argue that current definitions of resilience need to be redefined and reconceptualised, particularly in settings dominated by White middle-class voices that define what ‘positive emotions’, ‘successful traits’ and ‘coping mechanisms’ entail. Here, through racism and flawed perceptions and interpretations of resilience and ‘othering’, members from ethnic minority communities are defined as in need of resilience support, whilst at the same time their experience of structural racism, e.g., in relation to mental health support, social/health care practices and school exclusions, is being erased. Instead, the authors argue that resilience can also mean ‘resistance’, i.e., resisting bad treatment and racism, as well as reflecting agency, identity and ownership of one’s own life and choices within this. Reframing resilience thus means taking account of multifaceted and interactive effects of personal, material, institutional and political factors that impact on behaviour, wellbeing and resilience, as well as acknowledging that the way in which ‘behaviour’ is received is by default flawed, if this is largely informed by an oppressive White middle-class viewpoint.

Strengthen and Respect Each Thread

“…The social tendency to outline conceptual lines or borders between members of the dominant culture and “others” within a particular society, perpetuates the systemic othering of historically minoritized communities and cultures (e.g., race and poverty) [ 13 , 14 ]. Culture is often erroneously used interchangeably with race.…”

“…Male Eurocentrism and gender binaries were established as the norm across much of the colonized land and anyone who did not fit the dominant culture was “othered”. Sims-Schouten and Gilbert state that “’othering’ is achieved through three distinct representational pathways: through representational absence, through representations of difference, and through representations of threat” [ 14 ] (p. 86). Furthermore, “self-other distinctions are central to social and temporal spaces and identities, and research shows that specific social groups (such as members of minority ethnic communities) are often presented as the ‘other’” [ 14 ] (p. 86).…”

“…Sims-Schouten and Gilbert state that “’othering’ is achieved through three distinct representational pathways: through representational absence, through representations of difference, and through representations of threat” [ 14 ] (p. 86). Furthermore, “self-other distinctions are central to social and temporal spaces and identities, and research shows that specific social groups (such as members of minority ethnic communities) are often presented as the ‘other’” [ 14 ] (p. 86). In the stories of Zuni and Bear, “othering” caused the traditional cultures, communities, and its members to begin to unravel.…”

“…It is the bedrock of self-concept, group identity, approaches to problem solving, and decision making” [ 15 ] (p. 24). Being “othered” [ 13 , 14 ] then would be cause for disharmony that leads to social classifications of mental health imbalance. The complexities of belonging to various minoritized groups (e.g., women of color, non-binary, etc.)…”

“…When disparities that “other” groups of people are called out, they are often met with comments about resilience and grit [ 14 ]. These are common concepts ascribed to historically minoritized groups as necessary traits that they lack when viewed through a deficit-based lens.…”