From withdrawal to self-empowerment: Coping Strategies in the Face of Racist, Sexist, Queerphobic, and Classist Discrimination

Previous studies on coping strategies for discrimination have mostly focused on individual dimensions of discrimination, such as racial discrimination. The research project broadened this perspective by categorizing existing studies on coping strategies for discrimination and analyzing similarities and differences in the coping strategies of various groups affected by discrimination in Germany. The focus was on comparing long-term responses to racist, sexist, queerphobic, and classist discrimination. Particular attention was paid to the social conditions surrounding experiences of discrimination (e.g., the existence of community structures, recognition as a group vulnerable to discrimination, cultural repertoires) and the role these factors played in the coping strategies chosen.

Although studies on reactions to experiences of discrimination already existed, they mostly focused either on individual dimensions of discrimination (especially racial discrimination) or on situational reactions. Comparative studies that examine several dimensions of discrimination and also take into account the group-related social conditions of discrimination have been lacking until now. The project closed this gap by comparing long-term coping strategies for dealing with experiences of discrimination across different dimensions of discrimination. In particular, it analyzed the extent to which group-related socialization and collective identity influence the coping strategies chosen. 

• To analyse long-term coping strategies in response to discrimination experiences through a comparative examination of multiple discrimination dimensions.
• To examine the influence of group-based socialisation on the development and selection of coping strategies.
• To assess the role of collective identity and broader social contexts in shaping responses to discrimination across different social groups.

Methodologically, the project was divided into three steps and combined quantitative and qualitative data.

1. In the first step, categorizations of responses to discrimination from other studies were compared and suitable categorizations were merged.
2. In the second step, survey data was used to analyze whether differences in long-term reactions to discrimination could be identified along the categories of gender, racialization, sexual orientation, and social status. Multivariate regression analyses were performed for this purpose.
3. In the third step, episodic interviews were conducted with individuals who had experienced sexist, racist, queerphobic, and/or classist discrimination. Specifically, interviews were conducted with 14 individuals who identified as women, Black, queer/LGBTQI*, and/or affected by poverty. The interviews aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the extent to which social conditions of discrimination experiences and collective identities were relevant to the chosen coping strategies.

The results of the interviews confirmed that interpretations and explanations of experiences of discrimination are central to the action-oriented responses that those affected choose to take in response to discrimination. It also became apparent that self-identification with a group vulnerable to discrimination plays an important role in this as a collective frame of reference.

People who understand their experiences as structural discrimination are more likely to engage in long-term, collective-oriented strategies aimed at social change, the development of alternative, inclusive narratives, and the creation of community spaces. In contrast, individuals who interpret discrimination primarily as an individual problem and also individualize how they deal with it are more likely to choose withdrawal and adaptation strategies, as well as forms of private support. 

The interviews revealed group-specific differences that supported our assumption that group-specific socialization and collective identity are relevant for the choice of coping strategies.