On Being the Other. The Experiences of Baltic and Nigerian Migrants in Ireland

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article explores the concepts of othering and the Other through the experiences of Baltic and Nigerian migrants in Ireland. By looking at the racialisation of both groups, considered the Other within Irish society, our work finds that these two groups experience othering in different ways based on class, ethnicity, and race. The way these two groups are racialised subsequently influences their pathways of migrant integration within Irish society as distinct newcomers who are positioned differently within a racial hierarchy in Ireland. Overt differences like skin colour play an important role, especially for second-generation Nigerian interviewees, when not being accepted as Irish in Ireland. The paper not only contributes to the literature on race and racialisation but also demonstrates the complexity of racialisation within Irish society.