Flores, R. L., Okorodudu, C., & Shepherd, V. (2020). The Intersection of Psychology and Human Rights in Addressing Racism, Discrimination, and Xenophobia: Past, Present, and Future Directions
In Neal S. Rubin and Roseanne L. Flores, Handbook of Psychology and Human Rights
Summary
Today hate crimes are on the rise locally, nationally, and internationally. Many of these crimes stem from racism, discrimination, and xenophobia. The questions that arise are (1) What are the psychological premises that underlie one’s beliefs about racism, discrimination, and xenophobia? and (2) What are the psychological, social, and human rights consequences if we fail to act? In this chapter we address these questions by (1) describing the psychology of racism, prejudice, and discrimination; (2) examining how the United Nations and the global community have historically addressed racism and discrimination; and (3) providing an overview of the history of how psychological science has been used to address racism and discrimination within the global community. Finally, the chapter concludes by addressing the psychology of diversity and calling upon the global community to use evidence to address how we can best create a more equal society, given our differences, so as to maximize the potential of all of humanity and ensure the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.