Dushin O.E. Stigmatizing of the Other in the Medieval West-European Culture
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15688/lp.jvolsu.2025.3.4
Oleg E. Dushin
Doctor of Sciences (Philosophy), Professor, Department of Philosophy, History and Theory of Art, Vaganova Ballet Academy
Zodchego Rossi St, 2, 191023 Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
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https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8770-9036
Abstract. The author of this article studies the Medieval Western European tradition of attitudes towards the Other, concerning, in particular, various heretical doctrines and other religions that were stigmatized as infidels (Jews and Muslims), describes some specific practices of their forced identifications, and also researches the stigmatizing representatives of various forms of deviation and professional activities. The scholar stresses that the formation of the image of the Other contributed to the affirmation of the status of the Western European aristocracy and the development of the conception of "We." At the same time, it is pointed out that the process of social differentiation became a necessary moment in the formation of European statehood and was initiated by the medieval universities' schools. Plus, the Roman Catholic Church, as the author says, made its significant contribution to the implementation of these social strategies, extremely demonizing the image of the Other. However, the author draws attention to the fact that these positions, in a sense, were based on the works of ancient scholars Aristotle and Hippocrates. It is remarked that these social projections were realized at the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries, when the Crusades began and popular heretical movements became widespread. In this regard, the Church and the authorities, as noted in the article, aimed to create a strict disciplinary area in the Medieval West European countries. As a result, the author emphasizes that the process of stigmatization of the Other was connected with the long historical perspective of the formation of the mentality of Western European man with all national characteristics and social differentiations. In conclusion, the article argues that the image of Imperium Christianum, which united the medieval Catholic world, included noticeable differences and differentiations. However, in the face of infidels, stigmatized as Others, these differences receded into the background. Besides, according to the author of this research, the most important point was that the ability to work diligently and skillfully manage one's own household, as well as the habitus of social interaction, was perceived as a necessary foundation for the exercise of property rights, whereas the lack of labor skills inherent in "uncivilized" peoples called into question the possibility of exercising this right; that was the justification for the prospect of colonizing these peoples.
Key words: Other, stigmatizing, prudens, civilitas/urbanitas, Imperium Christianum.
Citation. Dushin O.E. Stigmatizing of the Other in the Medieval West-European Culture. Logos et Praxis, 2025, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 29-34.(in Russian). DOI: https://doi.org/10.15688/lp.jvolsu.2025.3.4
Stigmatizing of the Other in the Medieval West-European Culture © 2025 by Oleg E. Dushin is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
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