Moving on to Create Dignified Humanization: Countering Populism

This chapter aims to encourage action for dignified
humanization to counter the pervading
dehumanization inflicted, among others, by
populism, making real the quest to (re)establish
human values and dignity, encouraging
respect for differences and inclusion in the
communities. It addresses NGO workers,
social activists, teachers, professionals, and
students to think, question, and find strategies
to implement, with the communities, spaces
where people are respected in their human
rights and values. The roots of these problems
may be in power and oppression mechanisms
influencing life-views and attitudes in organizations,
families, and individuals reifying
them. The chapter context is both the Global
South and the Global North referring to divisions
of the world nations understood as
neither spatial nor geographical, but as hierarchical
relations of power between North and
South, rather than the contested concepts
‘developed’ and ‘developing’ countries. We
include views of philosopher Rosa from Germany,
historian Mbembe from South Africa,
and education philosopher Freire from Brazil.
Furthermore, we illustrate how to counter populism
within academia, through a specific case
from the psychology discipline taught at a
Global South university. Thus, we have
addressed the quest: How can all people’s life
quality and well-being be improved, especially
for those historically dehumanized?