What does dehumanization mean?
Dehumanization is the process of treating people as less than human. It may involve portraying an individual or group as inherently inferior, worthless, dangerous, or outside the protections normally extended to human beings. The term is commonly used in discussions of prejudice, racism, xenophobia, propaganda, torture, slavery, exploitation, and other forms of institutional or social cruelty. Dehumanization can be expressed through insults and stereotypes, but it may also occur indirectly through rules or systems that strip people of dignity, privacy, rights, or individuality. Because the word names a process rather than merely an unpleasant feeling, it is especially useful when describing how attitudes and institutions can combine to make severe harm seem acceptable. In everyday moral and political debate, it signals serious ethical concern and is usually more associated with formal commentary, journalism, education, and human-rights advocacy than with casual conversation.
nounThe process of treating people as less than human, often by denying their individuality, dignity, rights, or humanity. It can occur through language, institutions, ideologies, or acts of cruelty and exclusion.
- The process of treating people as less than human, denying their individuality, dignity, rights, or fundamental worth.
"The campaign condemned the dehumanization of refugees and demanded that they be treated with dignity."
"The dehumanization of migrant workers in the detention center was condemned by human-rights organizations."
"In his essay, the philosopher examined how propaganda works through the gradual dehumanization of an enemy."
The plural is used for distinct instances of the process, as when comparing the dehumanization of different groups or analyzing several separate forms of it.
"The exhibition examined several dehumanizations of women throughout history."
Calling people less than human can make cruelty seem ordinary, so recognizing dehumanization is often the first step toward resisting it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does dehumanization come from?
Dehumanization is an English formation built on human, with the prefix de- expressing removal or reversal, followed by the verbal suffix -ize and the noun-forming suffix -ation. The root human ultimately comes from Latin humanus, meaning humane, humane, or belonging to a human being. Its cognates include humane, humanity, and humanize, all of which share the same underlying idea of human nature and human worth.
Related word forms
How dehumanization is actually used
This is a formal and strongly critical term. It is especially associated with discussions of prejudice, propaganda, torture, slavery, racism, xenophobia, and other practices that deny people equal dignity or rights. British and American spelling conventions may use -ize or -ise in related forms.