Thank you for this posting of your lecture. There is much to digest here. Having trained in the social psychology tradition, I find your lecture consistent with my understanding of dehumanization. There is a full spectrum of social forces that support a full spectrum of demonstrative dehumanization as knee-jerk responses to just about everything that opposes a protected social order. I combine my non-academic study of dehumanization and of cognitive dissonance - to focus on that mental phenom where conflicting information and beliefs cohabit and resist resolution. I also see the act of dehumanizing others and act of self-dehumanizing. The process is circular and intractable.
David. I really enjoyed and profited from your Lebowitz Prize lecture. However, I didn't see anything about how essentialism works in conjunction with dehumanization. In Less Than Human, you cite Hirschfeld and others who research essentialist thinking. Have you neglected that area of research currently? The reason I ask is that I have used Hirschfeld, Gelman, and others in my own research on essentialism in relation to ethnic conflict in China and Thailand, where I have done research. Again, I really liked your analysis of Freud and Davidson's position and benefited from your discussion. Best, Ray
Thank you for this posting of your lecture. There is much to digest here. Having trained in the social psychology tradition, I find your lecture consistent with my understanding of dehumanization. There is a full spectrum of social forces that support a full spectrum of demonstrative dehumanization as knee-jerk responses to just about everything that opposes a protected social order. I combine my non-academic study of dehumanization and of cognitive dissonance - to focus on that mental phenom where conflicting information and beliefs cohabit and resist resolution. I also see the act of dehumanizing others and act of self-dehumanizing. The process is circular and intractable.
David. I really enjoyed and profited from your Lebowitz Prize lecture. However, I didn't see anything about how essentialism works in conjunction with dehumanization. In Less Than Human, you cite Hirschfeld and others who research essentialist thinking. Have you neglected that area of research currently? The reason I ask is that I have used Hirschfeld, Gelman, and others in my own research on essentialism in relation to ethnic conflict in China and Thailand, where I have done research. Again, I really liked your analysis of Freud and Davidson's position and benefited from your discussion. Best, Ray
Essentialism is still crucial!