The hearing of ethnocentric, racism and xenophobia, without any doubts connote negativity. Their resemblance as products of stereotype, discrimination and prejudice, makes it difficult to cast distinction between them, although each has its peculiar characteristics. Professor Emerita Abena Takyiwaa Manuh, Director and Associate Professor Institute for Africa Studies together with other professors on a Webinar organised by the African Centre of International Criminal Justice (ACICJ), disentangled the terms.

Albeit ethnocentrism being about ethnic groups and a potential characteristic of ethnicity, it is rather based on super evaluation of ones’ own ethnic group and an implicit under evaluation of other groups (Prof Manuh). However, ethnicity proceeds nations but the challenge arises when different ethnic groups live within the same country and there is a majority and minority groups. For instance Hans ethnic group constitute almost 92% of the Chinese population. As a result, there is always a struggle between the majority and minority groups. Often than not, the minority groups always crave for secession because having their own country would give them some sense of relevance.

Prof Dejo Olowu pointed to the existing differences between ethnicity and yet it is addressed with ambiguity such as Nigerians, Chinese  etc. This also goes attest the fact raised by Prof Manuh that ethnocentrism is only a challenge in a confined boundary.

Prof Manuh explains xenophobia as the fear of foreigners, which also happens within a nation-state. The feeling of them and us, is what brings about this fear.

In the case of South Africa not all foreigners but only those from the African Continent. Prof Olowu argues that xenophobia is not only the fear of foreigners but the rejection of oneself for the adoption of everything being foreign. Both agreed that xenophobia is not peculiar to any specific country.

Prof Manuh linked racism to slavery, imperialism, colonialism and whites’ domination. But among the three, racism is the most recent as compared ethnocentric that have persisted over the age and xenophobia also being relatively old. 

Prof Olowu said ethnocentrism and xenophobia are the product of racism. Anthony E. Cook as, an American professor, was more concerned with how racism was institutionalised through the establishment of Jim Crow laws to legalise racial segregation. By systematic racism, a division was created among the people and to tend against each other as being superior and inferior, to enable the powers that be to have a leeway. 

By Bernice Bessey (Student)