Amidst the current backdrop of fragmentation, mistrust, and a growing far right, inter- and intra-group divisions are rising to new levels, in Europe and around the world. These dynamics can contribute to a fragmented movement landscape in which power is spread between groups who might otherwise work together. To counter this division, bridging and coalition-building are critical tools to establish social, cultural, and political power. But building bridges between groups is rarely simple or easy, particularly when these groups have different access to power, resources, and perceived legitimacy. The Democracy & Belonging Forum, a program of UC Berkeley’s Othering & Belonging Institute, aims to facilitate bridging between diverse stakeholders to advance policies and practices for a world where everyone belongs and no one is othered.

January 2024 was an unusual start to a new year in Germany. Hundreds of thousands of people defied the dark and bleak winter to take to the streets in protest in cities across the nation. The cause of these protests were unprecedented reports that leaders from the country’s rising far right party had attended a meeting with rightwing extremists and neo-Nazis in which the possibility of deporting millions of migrants, as well as so-called “unassimilated citizens,” was discussed. The response to this news was immediate and, at first glance, deeply heartening, with support going as high up as Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who declare the protests a strong sign in favor of democracy and the German constitution.

And yet, fractures in this seemingly aligned assembly quickly emerged, as German racial justice activists criticized both the lack of diversity amongst protesters on the ground and a widespread silencing of pro-Palestinian voices at marches. Ultimately, it took very little time for cracks to appear in the movement.

Movement breaking within the context of a rising far right

Indeed, fragmentation, mistrust, and division has surged globally in recent years, with significant consequences for core democratic norms and structures that rely on a general embrace of pluralism and some level of social cohesion. Very often, this fragmentation is cultivated by authoritarian populist actors who stoke anger and anxiety by blaming perceived “others,” such as migrants or LGBTQIA+ communities, for societal challenges or cultural shifts. The resulting fear and confusion provide fertile ground to subsequently degrade democratic norms—with support and consent from the general populace. This strategy of cultivating illiberalism by stoking division via strategic othering is not emerging from a vacuum, but is being developed, shared, and resourced by far right strategists across regions, particularly from the US and Europe.

Despite the familiar cycle of fragmentation, scapegoating, othering, and illiberalism playing out across Europe, North America, and globally, concerns around democracy and those around social and racial justice are still widely viewed as separate challenges. Advocates working centrally to advance social justice and those centrally working to strengthen democracy are often not in conversation and unequipped to handle tensions that lead to breakdowns when they might otherwise build power against a shared opposition. These divisions, if remained unaddressed, will benefit authoritarian populist movements most of all.

Staying at the table

This is not to say that groups focused on social or racial justice should cede their demands for the sake of protecting democracy, nor must they stop using “breaking tactics” such as calling out or oppositional protests that successfully accelerate change. In at least some circum-stances, however, it may be wise to stay at the table—or at the protest—and demand accountability while remaining aware of the larger landscape in which fights are playing out and might be weaponized.

Similarly, democracy advocates must engage seriously with justice concerns if they are to effectively build a diverse coalition that can counter authoritarianism and advance democratic structures that include everyone. This includes considering the ways that democracy itself has harmed and marginalized minority and racialized groups. Democracy, after all, must be rooted in belonging for all people if it is to truly be democratic—and belonging requires that all groups not just be invited to the table, but allowed full co-creation of the table itself.

The Democracy & Belonging Forum

Building bridges between groups is rarely simple or easy, particularly when these groups have different access to power, resources, and perceived legitimacy, as is the case with the pro-democracy and social justice sectors. The former enjoys widespread support in traditional spaces of power, such as in the office of the German chancellor as showcased above, while the latter faces an uphill battle of even getting through the door. This is certainly a challenge that requires strong relational approaches that can help build trust and level the playing field, at least to some degree, as well as an awareness of the dynamics of privilege by the more powerful party. But when power imbalances are viewed as an inherently insurmountable barrier to bridging and cross-group power-building—or as a justification for breaking—the main winners are authoritarian populists. This challenge, as well as the inherent tensions between holding an orientation towards bridging and pluralist democracy while demanding justice and accountability, is at the heart of the Democracy & Belonging Forum.

The Forum is a research and network hub catalyzed by UC Berkeley’s Othering & Belonging Institute that aims to counter democratic degradation, reduce fragmentation, and oppose authoritarian populism and othering of all kinds in Europe and the US. It pursues this goal by building relational infrastructure that can successfully hold tension, conflict, nuance, hurt, and dissent, while exploring the sometimes competing interests of democracy renewal and social justice. As a transatlantic network with more than 300 members across Europe and North America, the Forum’s theory of change is rooted in the hypothesis that power is a product of relationships, particularly across sectors, geographies, ideologies, identities, cultures, and other forms of difference. Its goal is to support, resource, and strengthen a global multi-identity movement for democracy rooted in belonging, which necessitates bringing diverse actors together who may have different conceptions of both an ideal democracy and belonging.

The Democracy & Belonging Forum is the first non-US based program of the Othering & Belonging Institute (OBI).

The institute is a think and do tank based at UC Berkeley that works to advance policies and practices for a world where everyone belongs and no one is othered. In 2023, activities outside of the US included the Othering & Belonging Conference in Berlin.

The iac Berlin assumes a dual role for OBI in Europe: as an implementing organization and strategic partner for their approach to partnering and network building.

This article was orginally published in the iac Berlin Activity Report 2023. The entire report is available as free download:

Contact

Do you want to learn more about the Democracy & Belonging Forum and its approach? We'll be happy to hear from you.

Evan Yoshimoto
evan.yoshimoto@iac-berlin.org