An Inquiry into the Nature of “Soft” Oikophobia

In this paper the author discusses the concept of oikophobia as defined by the English philosopher Sir Roger Scruton. The primary aim of the paper is to demonstrate that one may justifiably differentiate two kinds of oikophobia, which are referred to in the paper as “hard” and “soft” oikophobia. There is a special emphasis on proving the latter to be a valid construct. The distinction is proposed by examining Scruton’s original notions of oikophobia and oikophilia through the lens of Max Scheler’s phenomenology of love and hate. In addition, several other authors who have written on phenomena meaningfully related to oikophobia in the West are discussed in a comparative manner so as to provide the means for further nuancing of the primary concept of oikophobia. Finally, as an example of “soft” oikophobia, the author has taken the current issue of the Kosinj Valley in Croatia.