Concluding Remarks 1: Invitation to a More Hopeful Future

As I discussed cultural marginalization with the people around me, I came to realize that many of them – even those who conventionally did not seem to belong to the category of “marginalized” – expressed how they had experienced exclusion based on their beliefs and values. We seem to live in a time where people are scared to express who they are, where they come from, and what they believe in and stand for. We seem to live in our fearful bubbles, no longer able to engage in genuine human-to-human dialogue based on mutual respect and acceptance. As polarization intensifies and countries enter wars, more and more democracy and freedom of speech seem to be stripped away. Instead, fear, anger, helplessness, and injustice prevail. Yet, the papers and testimonials in this book made me realize that all of us are on the same side – for peace. How can each of us use our agency, which often feels limited, to overcome the forces of fear and anger and help create organizations and societies that can promote freedom, hope, and happiness? How can we end human misery? As academics, how can we advance knowledge and create theories that help us develop human society in a direction that overcomes cultural marginalization, views humans as humans rather than as categories or systems, ends conflict, unites enemies, and facilitates mutual understanding, forgiveness, respect, and love? By way of concluding the book, I invite the readers to join in creating such a future.