Nativism, Nationalism, and Xenophobia: What Anthropologists Do And Have Done

Aug 16

The new issue features a timely and important World Anthropologies special section on "Nativism, Nationalism, and Xenophobia: What Anthropologists Do And Have Done." In their foreword, Virginia R. Dominguez and Emily Metzner provide an overview of the seven essays, which reflect on "developments in many countries, in the recent past as well as in the contemporary moment, where anthropologists have had to live and work in environments that most found too nativist, too nationalist, too protectionist, and downright xenophobic and intolerant. Put differently, most colleagues included here describe periods, actions, practices, activities, representations, and/or rhetoric they find antithetical to anthropology." As they remind us, "Anthropology is not a homogeneous field, but it does tend to see itself as standing for equality, human rights, social justice, respect for diversity, and indeed even fighting for the underdog. When so many of our colleagues around the world tell the stories of incidents they have witnessed that go against those widespread anthropological values, it is time for us to pause and contemplate our response(s)."