Exclusion and the New Politics of Hatred

Colin Crouch argues that at the base of all political conflicts are struggles over which types of people should be included in and which excluded from various rights, including the right to exist at all within a particular society. This is more fundamental than any conflict between left and right or between classes, and it gives rise to tropes of inclusionary and exclusionary rhetoric that can be transferred across issues – from ethnicity to gender and sexual orientation, and including demands for nations to isolate themselves as much as possible from contacts with others.

Today the forces seeking exclusions of many kinds are gaining ground in the strategies of many governments, parties and movements. Drives to exclude lead rapidly to the incitement of hatred, which leads in turn to acts of performative cruelty and physical violence.

Deeply opposed as he is to the politics of exclusion, Crouch seeks to understand and explain its rationality. He passionately advocates a politics of inclusion but, at the same time, he recognises the real obstacles that a commitment to inclusion must confront. While not optimistic about how these struggles will play out in the coming years, he seeks a path through which campaigns for openness and welcome could still triumph in dark times.

Exclusion and the New Politics of Hatred offers a keen insight into the challenges of fostering inclusivity in an era marked by increasing division. Crouch’s dedication to finding solutions in the face of adversity shines through as a beacon of hope for those committed to a more open and accepting society.