Imaging the Other: Essays on Diversity emerged from Nancy Porter's essay in Conn and McGuire's second collection of essays, Not Etched in Stone: Essays on Ritual Memory, Soul, and Society. Porter explored the creation of the "other" as the basis for conflict among humans. In the present collection, each author considered the general theme in the context of her or his own background, interests, and research.
At a time when much of the world is in turmoil, these essays speak of the "other," how we create categories, the consequences of such categories, and ways of re-imaging those who, for whatever reason, are different from us. Each essay in this collection stands on its own and grows out of the author's unique discipline and experience; however, these essays intersect with each other in many intriguing ways.