The Fear of Immigrants

Overview of the Article

  • Author: Ratuysha Tummala-Narra, PhD, Boston College

  • Purpose:

    • Describes psychoanalytic perspectives on xenophobia and defense mechanisms related to race.

    • Explores the experiences of immigrants from marginalized communities, especially BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color).

    • Examines how structural forces and oppression can be analyzed through a psychoanalytic lens.

Clinical Implications

  • Investigates how xenophobia manifests in therapy.

  • Discusses the role of psychoanalysts in addressing both internalized (unconscious) and overt expressions of racism.

  • Examines therapist-patient differences in identity and privilege.

  • Written after the 2016 U.S. election, linking sociopolitical unrest and unconscious dynamics.

Understanding Xenophobia

  • Definition:

    • Xenophobia refers to the fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners and anything perceived as foreign.

  • Ethnocentrism:

    • The belief that one's own culture or community is superior to others.

  • Correlation with Immigration:

    • Contact with immigrants reduces xenophobia; however, xenophobia tends to increase with rising immigration levels.

Internal and External Dynamics of Xenophobia

  • Xenophobia is experienced both consciously and unconsciously.

  • Embedded in early object relations, forming internalized beliefs from early childhood experiences with significant caregivers.

  • Downstream vs. Upstream Forces:

    • Downstream: Individual, intrapsychic factors.

    • Upstream: Structural societal forces contributing to xenophobia.

Intersection of Xenophobia and Racism

  • Xenophobia and racism are mutually reinforcing forms of oppression.

  • Immigrants of color are subjected to both types of oppression.

  • Forms of Expression:

    • Internal: Attitudes and beliefs toward self and others.

    • External: Interpersonal actions driven by prejudice.

Psychoanalytic Theory on Immigrant Experiences

  • Immigration experiences are complex, affecting both clients and therapists who identify as immigrants.

  • Recognizing that xenophobia and racism influence everyone’s identity is essential for therapeutic exploration.

  • Immigrants often desire the privileges associated with whiteness, which may require disowning ethnic identities.

Influence of Historical Context

  • Premigration social, racial, and class hierarchies may perpetuate immigrant challenges and experiences.

  • Immigrants might navigate these hierarchies to establish identity and community.

  • Suggested reading: Caste by Isabel Wilkerson for parallels between India’s caste system and US racial hierarchy.

Psychoanalytic Processes Relevant to Immigrants

  • Ambivalence:

    • Love and hate towards significant others often coexist.

  • Identification:

    • Children develop by identifying with parents, possibly adopting discriminatory beliefs.

  • Defense Mechanisms:

    • Projection: Seeing one’s own hated aspects in others.

    • Dissociation: Keeping conflicting feelings separate.

    • Splitting: Viewing people as wholly good or bad.

Case Vignettes

  • Case 1: John:

    • John sought power by aligning with whiteness, reflecting a love-hate relationship with his parents.

  • Case 2: Anika:

    • Anika distanced herself from her ethnic heritage to escape marginalization and internalized biases.

Conclusion of the Study

  • Acknowledges the universal need for safety in psychic functioning and the cultural variability of human experience.

  • Emphasizes shared human needs for dignity, identity, love, and generativity.

  • Calls on society to collectively address these needs.

Discussion Points

  • Analyze which psychoanalytic theory (classical vs contemporary) the case vignettes illustrate.

  • Reflect on therapy dynamics, therapist attitudes, and broader psychoanalytic understandings of immigration and societal factors.