Positive Prejudice as Interpersonal Ethics

Positive Prejudice as Interpersonal Ethics examines prejudice not only as a negative attitude toward others that should be eliminated but also as an orientation that enables perception and understanding. Because prejudicial attitudes appear in all human daily interactions, the interactions have the ability to shape self-concepts, the self-esteem, and the moral character of the participants. By examining this concept at the intersection of three fields—social psychological studies of the nature of prejudice, phenomenological examination of a person’s interpersonal experiences, and ethical consideration of the character of constructive interactions—this book places the idea of prejudice in its larger context. By studying prejudice as situational understanding that impacts all perception and interpretation, Sara Kärkkäinen Terian offers a way to shift our understanding of prejudice from negative to positive and considers recognition of one’s value as a person an integral part of positive prejudice and respect as its necessary basis.