Simon Bell

Tribalism and Prejudice Simon Bell

Tribalism, prejudice, and racial hatred are concepts that are attributed to the extremes, but, in reality, they are commonplace and in many ways the social and political norm. In this brief work these issues are discussed alongside reflection on the genocides of the Holocaust and in Bosnia. Can the hatreds of those periods be understood, and do they have parallels in society today? Is modern populist nationalism in westernized democracies something that is a cause for concern? Is there a racist personality? Are there benefits from understanding why some in society perceive others to be an economic, symbolic, or cultural threat?The ability to understand hate does not excuse it. But understanding empowers those who wish to challenge intolerance. This work provides some answers by reference to various academic studies. It also asks questions that have yet to be answered. It is hoped that it will help to enable and equip others to ask those same questions and seek to contribute to a more informed debate.