Rights and the Challenge of Belonging

“Rights and the Challenge of Belonging“

Speakers: Seligman, A. (Boston University & Communities Engaging with Difference and Religion [CEDAR]); Montgomery, D. (University of Maryland & CEDAR)

Date: 26 February 2020

Speaker Session Preview

SMA hosted a speaker session presented by Dr. Adam Seligman (Boston University & Communities Engaging with Difference and Religion [CEDAR]) and Dr. David Montgomery (University of Maryland & CEDAR) as a part of its SMA General Speaker Series. Dr. Montgomery and Dr. Seligman’s presentation focused on addressing the challenges of living with difference and identifying the tools needed to rebuild civil society. The speakers began by discussing rights and belonging. Belonging, Dr. Seligman explained, is specific, particular, and exclusive. Belonging in a community constrains how one can act in a community too. Rights, on the other hand, are generalized and framed as inclusive. Rights apply to individuals and allow one to act freely in a community as well. Dr. Seligman then spoke about boundaries and how they allow for both group (and community) cohesion and exclusion. Next, the speakers focused on political divisions forming throughout the world. Dr. Montgomery and Dr. Seligman offered a “sociological analysis of these divisions that focuses on different approaches to the problem of society as envisioned by the political left and right.” They explained that rights and belonging lead societies down different paths that dictate how those societies should respond and operate. When a society focuses more on rights, its top value is justice, whereas when a society focuses more on belonging, its top value is peace. Dr. Montgomery and Dr. Seligman stated that the far right has latched on to arguments in favor of belonging, while the left has responded by advocating for abstract and universal human rights. Both sides, however, have grown to emphasize that strangers are dangerous. Dr. Montgomery and Dr. Seligman explained that difference and discomfort extend across multiple levels of social organization, and that with increased diversity, differences are more frequently encountered. Societies must address and live with the challenges, the ambiguity, and the discomfort that come with difference. Moreover, they must consider justice and mercy and how they will deal with the differences that the other side creates. To conclude, Dr. Montgomery and Dr. Seligman stated that societies should encourage collaborative civic engagement and must give moral credit to those outside of our communities, rather than just those within our communities, in order to achieve acceptance.

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