Majority Of Population Research Articles

Jews and Muslims in the 19th district of Paris: Together or apart?

From an intercultural perspective, this article explores majority/minority and between minorities interactions, and revisits Allport’s contact theory, in a socially and ethnically diverse urban area hosting a large proportion of Jews and Muslims. The data comes from a telephone survey of a sample of inhabitants of the 19th arrondissement of Paris. Open and closed questions explore the symbolic social and political boundaries respondents construct between ‘us’ and ‘them’, and their patterns of sociability. Survey experiments with vignettes deal with more sensitive issues (reactions to circulating cartoons at school and police reactions to verbal assault, according to the ethnicity of the victim). The immediate social and ethnic surrounding of each respondent is reconstructed on the basis of census and ethnographic data. The results go against several common beliefs. Religion is not the only dimension of respondents’ identity; it intersects with social class, gender and generation. The relations between Jews and Muslims are not so much conflictual as ambivalent. Being minorities and feeling discriminated against as such brings them together. They both are more religious than the majority population, more traditional on sexual issues and more family-oriented, and most of them consider that Jews and Muslims have a common cultural heritage and should be united against discrimination. Nevertheless, there are friction points (Israeli-Palestinian conflict/the colonial past of France). Politically and socially Muslims are closer to the non-European immigrants, while Jews are closer to the French and the European-born ‘white’ population. Antisemitism is a clear taboo; anti-Jewish cartoons are seen as far more reprehensible than any other. But a majority of the sample, and Muslims a little more than average, see Jews as a ‘group apart’, and believe in the old stereotype about Jews having more influence, being more likely, for instance, to be helped by the police if needed.

The Cultural Legacy of Historical Ethnic Violence: The Impact on Access to Finance and Innovation

Using the case of the pogroms that took place in the historical region of the 'Pale of Settlement' in Eastern Europe, this paper analyzes the cultural legacy of ethnic violence and its long-term economic impact on access to finance and on corporate innovation. We find that firms in regions with a higher historical intensity of ethnic persecution face greater financial constraints, relying more on internal finance and experiencing reduced access to external finance. These financial limitations are linked to sluggish innovation activities among present-day firms. We propose that a mechanism of financial antipathy, rooted in a persistent anti-market culture fostered by historical ethnic animosity, explains these effects and reflects a long-term degradation of local social capital. Our results are supported by causal evidence using instrumental variables based on the precursors of historical inter-ethnic violence. The animosity and discrimination against the minority group appear to transfer to the broader economic activities in which that group was involved, creating lasting economic consequences for the majority population – consequences that continue to affect financial development and innovation to the present day.

Migration and Diverse Belongings in a Neighbourhood Context: Population‐Based Study of Older Russian‐Speaking Migrants in Finland

ABSTRACTBelonging is a fundamental human experience that plays a critical role in shaping individuals' connections to their communities. Establishing a sense of belonging to a destination society can be particularly challenging for older migrants. Neighbourhood factors and the broader regional context may influence one's sense of belonging to various communities. However, research exploring how neighbourhood‐level factors relate to different types of belonging remains limited. Using data from a population‐based study on older Russian‐speaking migrants in Finland (n = 1082, 57% men and 43% women; mean age 63.2 years, 36% response rate) and a postal code area database (3036 postal codes on mainland Finland, with an average of 1802 residents and an average area of 112 km2), we examined various types of belonging among Russian‐speaking migrants aged 50 years or older and how both individual and neighbourhood‐level factors were associated with the types of belonging. Categorical Principal Component Analysis (CATPCA) was employed to study types of belonging, and multilevel regression analysis was used to examine associations between the types and neighbourhood and individual factors that were identified. Three types of belonging were identified: belonging to the majority population, that is, ‘Finns’; belonging to Ingrian Finns; and belonging to Russian speakers. In neighbourhoods with a higher proportion of Russian speakers, belonging to Finns was weaker. Moreover, significant differences in belonging to Russian speakers were observed across regions of Finland. Thus, in regions located near the Finnish–Russian border, belonging to Russian speakers was stronger. Although neighbourhood characteristics were not associated with belonging to Ingrian Finns, individual‐level factors, such as being older, receiving income support, and having lower education levels were associated with this type of belonging. Additionally, good command of the local language contributed to belonging to Finns and weakened belonging to Russian speakers.

Transformasi Orang Melayu di Sarawak, 1830-an sehingga 1963: Dari Kesedaran Kebangsaan kepada Kesedaran Politik (The Transformation of the Malays in Sarawak, 1830s to 1963: From National Consciousness to Political Consciousness)

This study aims to examine the transformation of consciousness among the Malays in Sarawak from the 1830s until 1963. The study is completed based on literature and archival methods, utilizing primary sources such as British documents, reports, government official publications and newspapers. Secondary sources including books and articles are also referenced. The emergence of national consciousness among the Malays in Sarawak can be traced back to the presence of local resistance movements against the representatives of the Brunei government in the 1830s and the Malays’ opposition to the Brooke administration’s policies since the 1850s. Their resistance was primarily aimed at defending ethnic interests for survival and preserving their rights as residents of Sarawak. Furthermore, the development of education has enhanced awareness among the Malay population through Malay schools and educational opportunities. Social activities, such as the establishment of organizations in Malaya in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, also spurred the formation of religious and literary organizations in Sarawak. National consciousness among the Malay population developed more rapidly following the publication of the Fajar Sarawak newspaper in the 1930s. This development subsequently led to the formation of Malay organizations to unite the Malays and safeguard their interests in Sarawak. After the Japanese occupation, the issue of Sarawak’s surrender to the British emerged, marking the beginning of political awareness and the struggle of the Malays to defend their state’s independence. Additionally, political developments and elections in Sarawak during the 1950s and early 1960s further highlighted the political consciousness that was later translated into political party movements and the subsequent struggle for Sarawak’s independence from colonial rule. Thus, it can be seen that there has been a transformation of consciousness among the Malays from national consciousness to political awareness. From the discussion, it is also evident that although the Malays are not the majority population, they played a significant role in the political development in Sarawak.

The social impact of halal tourism policy in South Korea: apart from the economic sector

ABSTRACT For the last decade, South Korea government has diversified its tourism industry by developing halal tourism, particularly in Seoul, despite its majority populations are non-Muslim. This research sees that the halal tourism policy initiated by the South Korean government has a main target to increase the economy, especially from foreign Muslim tourists. In fact, in addition to achieving these targets, there are other impacts of this policy, namely social impacts. Using qualitative method where data were obtained from interviews and literature study, This article found that the social impact of this halal tourism policy is not only limited to cultural exchange and general social interaction between local communities and Muslim tourists, but there is a deeper interest in Islam marked by the growth of the Muslim population there. The implications of this study extend to social integration, demographic change, and cultural adaptation, all of which are critical to effectively managing the impact of halal tourism in South Korea. This article contributes that a tourism policy can affect social dynamics, in this case especially the growth of the Muslim population in South Korea as a consequence of these policies, which is a relatively under-explored area in tourism research.

Against the Grain:International Migrants, the Children of Migrants and National Life Expectancy in Sweden, 1990-2019

International migrants and their children represent increasing shares of the populations of major host countries and have growing potential to affect estimates of national mortality. Yet, while many studies have observed mortality differences between immigrants, their children, and the majority population, few have progressed beyond this point to quantify the actual impact of these differences upon national life expectancy levels. Studies that have reveal that immigrants increasingly enhance national life expectancy, but do not progress beyond a single average generational effect. Here, using established demographic methods, we aim to quantify and unpack the impact of migrants and the children of migrants on national life expectancy in Sweden, with emphasis on potential differences by age, generations, and migration background. Going “against the grain” relative to other countries, we reveal an initial negative effect of first-generation migrants on national life expectancy levels in Sweden, followed by a gradual waning and disappearance of this effect over time. This change is attributable to the transformation in origin composition of Sweden’s migrant population from migrants born in Nordic countries (that have higher mortality than the majority population) to migrants born in non-Western countries (that have lower mortality than the majority population), particularly at working ages. For children of migrants, nearly all ages and migrant backgrounds contribute to an increasingly negative effect on national life expectancy over time. The unique and disparate mortality risks of migrants, the children of migrants, and the majority population suggest a need to monitor their mortality separately so as to maximise potential future gains in national life expectancy in Sweden.

Spatiotemporal dynamics of geomorphology, landuse, and storm surge inundation of FDMN settled in Bhasan Char island using geo-spatial techniques

Bhasan Char has undergone noteworthy transformations in its geographical characteristics since its emergence in 2003. Driven by sediment transported by the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna river system, the island has gradually transitioned from a stretched-out configuration to a more rounded shape primarily due to continuous accretion, while erosion has been minimal since 2012. Currently, the island is being prepared to accommodate over 1 million Forcefully Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMN) refugees. This investigation, conducted over the time frame spanning from 2003 to 2023, utilizes multi-temporal satellite imagery to scrutinize the altering geography of the island, encompassing the processes of erosion and accretion, modifications in the coastline, and changes in land utilization and coverage influenced by seasonal variations. By employing the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS)/Phased Array Type L-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR), the study pioneers an evaluation of storm surge risks that are specific to this island. Additionally, the research utilizes water indices to understand the seasonal geomorphic dynamics of the island and performs a supervised classification to assess land utilization and coverage alterations. The inundation map shows accretion in the north and erosion in the south and southeast. Southwest is the most stable area with the majority population. After the 'Ashrayan -3′ project, significant land use and land cover changes occurred, including urbanization, embankment construction, and agricultural modifications. The average elevation of the island is 2.84 m above sea level, with a risk of inundation from storm surges exceeding 3 m. Rehabilitated populations are particularly threatened if the embankment height of 4.8 m is surpassed. The study's outcomes indicate that other projects worldwide might use the island restoration efforts as a model. This emphasizes how crucial it is to keep an eye on changes in land cover and use for upcoming planning and adaptation initiatives. Moreover, it highlights the necessity of proper assessments of storm surge hazards to guarantee the security and longevity of island communities.

Olfactory Stereotyping and Anti-Roma Racism: The Cultural Significance of ‘Roma Smell’ in Slovene Anthropology, History, Literature, and Criminology

Abstract The article draws on various sources about Roma in Slovenia to show the role of body odour and illustrate the role of perceived odour in racial discri- mination and in maintaining distinctions between the majority population and the Roma. The cultural significance of Roma body odour is a complex and multi-layered topic, traceable in several sources dating back to the 19th century. The odour associated with the Roma has been described from various perspectives. In anthropology, the study of Roma odour provides valuable insights into cultural perceptions and stereotypes about the Roma community. Throughout history, the depiction of Roma odour in literature has often reflected societal prejudices, perpetuating negative stereotypes and discriminatory attitudes towards this marginalised group. Literary works frequently emphasise the bad odour of this ethnic group, while paradoxically ascribing to the Roma an excellent sense of smell, often used metaphorically to represent subtle intuition. In criminology discourse, the association of Roma odour with criminality highlights the interconnectedness of ethnicity and the criminal justice system.

Calling Out the Catalogue

The implicit and explicit silencing of Romani and Traveller voices in museum and archive collections, and in the wider narrative of British history, has been increasingly recognised over the last decade (Matthews 2015). In the pursuit of decolonising museums and archives, however, institutional recognition of the significant contributions of Romani and Traveller peoples to the traditional music heritage of the UK and Ireland has largely been absent. Throughout the 20th century and increasingly since the 1960s, folk song collectors around the British Isles have turned to Romani Gypsies and Travellers in search of traditional songs and music. Hamish Henderson, Ewan MacColl, and Peggy Seeger, amongst others, admired Romani and Traveller singers for preserving what collectors perceived to be native song traditions. Recordings of Romani Gypsies and Travellers, held in national and regional sound archives, have had a lasting impact on folk repertoires in the UK and Ireland. However, the incorporation of such recordings into specialist collections has tended to erase Romani and Traveller identities. As the cultural and ethnic backgrounds of the singers are rarely acknowledged in the catalogues, and are searchable only with specialist knowledge, their songs are implicitly added to the canon of English, Scottish or Irish folk music. The songs are thus co-opted, not to tell Romani Gypsy and Traveller stories and history, but those of a majority population. This article addresses specific issues pertaining to an English archive collection held at the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library in Cecil Sharp House, London. Recognising the precariousness of funding that many specialist collections face, we do not simply critique a lack of progress regarding representation. Instead, we outline how Romani and Traveller communities might collaborate with archivists, cultural events organisers, and universities, to connect archival collections with various publics in England today.

Overqualification Among Second-Generation Children of Immigrants in the Swedish Labour Market

Research on the children of immigrants born in the host country (G2) consistently reveals disparities between their educational achievements and labour market outcomes compared to the majority population. This study provides new insights into understanding this disparity by examining patterns of overqualification—i.e., a downward educational mismatch—among the G2. Specifically, it explores 1) how overqualification patterns differ between the G2, foreign-born immigrants (G1), and the majority population and 2) how overqualification patterns vary across ten G2 ancestry groups compared to the majority population. Utilizing Swedish total population register data and linear probability models, this study estimates the probability of overqualification across different immigrant generations and ancestry groups, employing the Realised Matches method to measure overqualification. The results indicate that while G2 individuals have a lower probability of experiencing overqualification compared to G1, they face moderately higher probabilities of overqualification than the majority population—up to 19% higher. This disparity is particularly pronounced among G2 individuals with tertiary education and those of Iranian, Middle Eastern and North African, and Other Non-Western origins, with up to 39% higher probabilities. These findings suggest that G2 individuals, particularly those of non-Western origins, encounter significant challenges in translating their educational qualifications into commensurate employment within the Swedish labour market.

Binational Identities and Experiences of Discrimination in the Context of Migration: The Role of Transnational Family Ties and Practices

ABSTRACT Previous research suggests that migrants develop binational identities – a sense of belonging to both their country of origin and of settlement. These identities, in turn, are determined by the way they are treated by the majority population of the receiving society. This article aims to contribute nuance to these understandings of binational identities and experiences of origin-based discrimination in migrants by bringing in a further perspective: transnationalism. In particular, we suggest that transnational family ties and practices increase migrants’ sense of belonging to their country of origin and additionally moderate the impact of origin-based discrimination on the sense of belonging to the country of origin and settlement. We test these hypotheses based on a representative survey among the migrant population in Germany. While findings confirm the hypothesis regarding a direct relationship between transnational family ties and practices and sense of belonging, the moderation hypothesis was not confirmed. Instead, by tendency the relationship is more pronounced among participants without transnational family ties and practices. Findings highlight the importance of the transnational perspective to further contextualize the relationship of origin-based discrimination to binational identities among migrants, thus to investigate the role of social context in binational identity formation.

The Role of Networks in Mobilization for Ethnic Minority Interest Parties

AbstractRecently, parties that are run by and for ethnic minority citizens with a migration background have become more prominent. They can be considered a manifestation of ethnic political segregation. A key example of such a party is DENK in the Netherlands. So far, the explanatory literature has focused on how programmatic considerations drives voting for these parties. Other factors, such as the role of social networks in mobilization, have received limited testing and limited exploration in more detail. Furthermore, the literature on social networks is mainly based on majority populations. To inform our understanding of the role of social networks in voting (in general but also particularly among ethnic minority communities and for ethnic minority interest parties) this paper analyzes the voting behavior for DENK focusing on the role of personal, online and religious networks. The paper uses both qualitative interviews (with bicultural youth in the third largest city of the Netherlands in 2022) and quantitative surveys (the 2021 Dutch Ethnic Minority Electoral Study). Our analysis points to the importance of religious and personal networks for voting for DENK, whereas online networks appear to be less relevant.

Braiding Sámi Diversity and Sámi Pedagogy into Early Childhood Teacher Education: An Example from Norway

The framework plan for kindergartens in Norway emphasizes knowledge of Indigenous Sámi culture among the core values of pedagogical practice. Preservice students in early childhood teacher education (ECTE) are thus obliged to learn about Sámi culture. We explored and developed collaborative teaching interventions for Sámi topics. We aimed to “braid” Sámi diversity into our teaching and make the lessons explorative, practical, and student-active, in line with the basics of Sámi pedagogy. The teaching emphasized how Sámi people were historically connected to the land through sustainable livelihoods and respect for natural resources. We developed the teaching interventions through action-based research in three cycles (2022–2024). Our primary material consisted of students’ responses to online surveys and group interviews. The findings show that students gained a broader understanding of diversity within Sámi culture after the interventions. They reported greater interest and better learning outcomes, especially from the active and practical lessons. The Sámi teaching content, structure, and methods explored in this study may be relevant to other ECTE or other teacher education programs, especially those related to teaching Indigenous topics to majority populations.

‘I am fine, but my group is not': exploring the meanings of the personal/group discrimination discrepancy among minority and majority populations

ABSTRACT Prior literature has highlighted that individuals are more likely to report discrimination against their group rather than towards themselves, a phenomenon known as the personal-group discrimination discrepancy (PGD). Drawing on a recent, large-sample representative survey from France, Trajectories and Origins 2 (TeO2), we offer a novel empirical approach for measuring the discrepancy and investigate three channels through which it operates: identity affirmation, awareness of discrimination, and spatial proximity to discrimination. We show that the discrepancy – reporting group discrimination but no personal experience of discrimination – and its determinants vary substantially across minority and majority populations. Among ethnoracial minorities, awareness of discrimination through higher education, as well as spatial proximity to racially-motivated crimes, increases the likelihood of exclusively reporting group discrimination. Among the majority, the discrepancy is more prominent among those with a salient ethnoracial identity and far-right political orientation, but less so among the higher educated, pointing to politics of racial grievance among disadvantaged majority members. The conclusion highlights the theoretical and methodological implications of different discrimination measurements as well as their potential consequences for individual outcomes.

Small but Salient: The Securitization of Ukraine’s Ethnic Hungarian Minority

Abstract This article analyzes the key factors behind the securitization of Ukraine’s small ethnic Hungarian minority in recent years and how they affect local interethnic as well as interstate relations. It draws on elite interviews conducted in the Ukrainian-Hungarian borderland, and other sources including speech acts. Four underlying factors were identified. The first two are Hungary’s kin-state aid and dual citizenship law, which have empowered Ukraine’s ethnic Hungarians, with the community appearing larger and potentially more threatening in the eyes of the majority population than its mere size justifies. The other two factors are Ukraine’s language policy and Transcarpathia’s future being subject of conspiracy theories in light of Russia’s invasion of eastern Ukraine, which have negatively affected interethnic ties, although somewhat less in the borderland than between Hungary and Ukraine at large. In Transcarpathia, our different informants had diverging perceptions of who is stirring tensions but agreed that actors from outside their region were to blame. Overall, what has emerged is a clash of Hungary’s kin-state politics and Ukraine’s nation-state-building efforts. The article ends with more general implications for kin- and host-state relations in times of conflict.

5.O. Scientific session: Exploring incidence and access to care for migrants and ethnic minorities with long-COVID

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected migrants and ethnic minorities throughout Europe leading to the assumption that long-COVID would also affect these groups to a larger extent than the majority populations. So far, the few studies on long-covid including data on migrants and ethnic minorities suggest that they are also disproportionately impacted by long-covid, but conclusive findings are lacking in European countries and beyond. However, a large number of migrants and ethnic minorities suffering from long-COVID is a major concern for equity in health. Given that migrants and ethnic minorities are more likely to experience barriers to health services, it may also be the case in terms of their ability to access services for long-covid. This would have an unknown impact on long-COVID related. Further, long-COVID may have more far-reaching implications among these populations as they are often more socio-economically vulnerable, holding more temporary jobs with a greater job insecurity. Consequently, unattended long-COVID among migrants and ethnic minorities is likely to exacerbate existing social inequalities and inequalities in health. The aim of the workshop is therefore to discuss different novel perspectives on long-COVID among migrants and ethnic minorities to share their insights from recently published or upcoming studies with leading scientific researchers on the topic. We include both qualitative and quantitative studies focusing on both the incidence and risk factors and on experiences with diagnostic pathways in accessing health care services for long-COVID. We have invited four researchers representing four different European countries to obtain a diversity of perspectives with different country contexts. The format of the workshop is a scientific session. After an introduction by the chair, four researchers will present new studies and different perspectives on long-COVID among migrants and ethnic minorities. Each presenter will have 7 min for presentation and 3 minutes for questions. After the presenters there are 20 minutes for discussion headed by the co-chair. Key messages • Document and discuss the effect of the pandemic regarding long-COVID on some of the most hard hit populations. • Lessons learned that can inform future pandemic policy and structural efforts to reach the most vulnerable.

Ethnic disparities in clinical severity of COVID-19 as predictor of long COVID

Abstract Background Recent studies from Europe have shown a higher incidence of long COVID among ethnic minorities compared to the majority population. Little is known of these disparities, but they might be related to factors such as COVID-19 disease severity, barriers in access to health and individual factors such as working and living conditions. This study will elucidate possible predictors of long COVID related to COVID-19 disease severity in an ethnic diverse hospitalised cohort. Methods A retrospective cohort study of 1648 patients admitted with COVID-19 at three hospitals in Copenhagen, Denmark, between 1st February 2020 and 31st May 2022. Clinical data was extracted from health care records, and subsequently linked to data from Statistics Denmark on long COVID diagnosis (ICD-10 “DB948A”) as well as migration status. Results 1361 patients were discharged alive and of those, 113 (8,3%) patients got a long COVID diagnosis. Preliminary analyses show no excess risk of getting a long COVID diagnosis as a migrant compared to patients of Danish origin (RR = 1,20, p = 0,35). Some ethnic disparities are seen in disease severity among all patients discharged alive. Patients with migrant background were admitted to the hospital later (6,8 vs 5,6 days, p < 0,0001), and at a greater risk of needing high flow oxygen administration upon admission (RR = 1,46, p = 0,0012) compared to patients of Danish origin. Furthermore, a higher degree of systemic inflammation is seen among migrants with regards to lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) compared to patients of Danish origin (349,7 vs 317,2 U/L, p = 0,0014). No significant differences in c-reactive protein (CRP) levels (92,8 vs 85,9 mg/L, p = 0,11). Conclusions Preliminary analyses indicates possible ethnic disparities in COVID-19 disease severity among patients discharged alive possibly playing a role as predictors of long COVID. Low health literacy or language barriers might partly explain this. Further analyses are needed. Key messages • In preliminary analyses of 1381 patients previously admitted with COVID-19, we find no excess risk of a long COVID diagnosis (DB 948B) among patients with migrant background. • Preliminary analyses show some ethnic disparities in COVID-19 disease severity that might act as possible predictors of long COVID.

Increasing inequalities in mortality among individuals with a foreign background in Sweden

Abstract Background Previous research indicates that migrants in high-income destination countries not only experience a mortality advantage but also demonstrate lower or absent socioeconomic inequalities in mortality compared to the general native population. Yet the extent to which an income mortality gradient may also be evident among the descendants of migrants has been largely unexamined. Existing evidence has revealed that descendants of migrants face mortality risks higher than both migrants and their native-born peers. Methods This study utilizes longitudinal population registries covering the entire registered population of Sweden from 2004 to 2016. The study population comprises individuals aged 25 to 64, employing an open cohort design. Using Poisson regression, we examine the relationship between income rank position and cause-specific mortality among native-origin Swedes and eight nativity groups based on individuals’ country/region of birth, age of migration or parental origin. Results While foreign-born individuals who migrated as adults exhibited lower inequalities in all-cause mortality compared to native-origin Swedes, descendants of immigrants, particularly those with non-European backgrounds, show larger inequalities. Examination of specific causes of mortality revealed that external causes, notably accidents and assaults, account for increased disparities among non-European foreign-born men who migrated during childhood and male descendants of immigrants with non-European backgrounds. Conclusions Income-related inequalities in mortality are less pronounced among migrants compared to the native-born majority population in Sweden and tend to be higher among descendants of migrants, depending on gender and parental origin. The analysis highlights the role of external causes of mortality in shaping these inequalities, indicating that income disadvantages, augmented by a migrant background during upbringing, amplify specific health risks within these groups. Key messages • The study reveals lower mortality inequalities among migrant adults but a higher magnitude of inequalities among male descendants of immigrants, especially with non-European backgrounds. • Income disparities, combined with migrant backgrounds, amplify health risks among descendants of migrants in Sweden, underscoring the need for tackling social inequalities.

Mimicry of Marginality in Soft Authoritarian Identity Politics

This study examines soft authoritarian identity politics, a political phenomenon which portrays struggles for minority rights as a threat to the majority population. Employing Critical Discourse Analysis and focusing on the mainstream discourse in France, this article analyzes presidential speeches, discourse from high-ranking government officials, and media. It reveals the normalizing effects of reversing discursive positions and the growing ideological convergence between far-right stances and government rhetoric.

Empowering voices: Breaking mental health stigma

Empowering voices: Breaking mental health stigma John Hoey and Mary Cannon from Department of Psychiatry, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland, share their research around breaking mental health stigma to empower voices. Research consistently shows that people from marginalised groups are almost four times as likely to experience mental conditions such as psychotic symptoms than the majority population (van der Ven et al., 2022). Yet, they are much less likely to seek timely clinical intervention or reach out to friends and family for support. Why is this, and what can be done to encourage people to seek help? In our April 2024 blog “Can the Arts be an Effective Tool to Combat Psychosis Stigma,” we described stigma, as defined in the Oxford English Dictionary, as “Negative feelings that people have about particular circumstances or characteristics that somebody may have.” Although in recent years, attitudes towards certain mental conditions such as anxiety or depression have become more ‘normalised’ and openly discussed, other conditions, such as psychotic symptoms, remain stubbornly stigmatic and shrouded in fear. When it comes to mental health, those who both fear most, and are the subjects of fear, are marginalised groups, which can negatively impact both engagement and recovery.