Are you Privileged or Oppressed?

Abstract

Given the preponderance of research on students' resistance to multicultural courses, the authors begin to ponder this resistance by exploring students'preconceptions of social justice concepts. They present two mixed-methods studies to examine students' preconceived notions regarding two terms associated with social justice education: privilege and oppression. In Study 1, the authors conducted a qualitative investigation of students' self-definitions of whether they believe themselves to be privileged or oppressed. In Study 2, they take a quantitative look at students' reactions to hypothetical character scenarios differentiated based on two variables: (a) privilege or oppression and (b) socially conscious aspirations. The findings indicate specific ways that Whites, especially White men, view privilege and oppression differently from people of color. Findings are discussed in terms of students'resistance to multicultural education, with a focus on lack of intersubjectivity, sense of privilege, downplaying the existence of oppression, and lack of commitment to social activism.

The Whiteness of the Elephant in the Room

“…In addition to studies concerning white-identified individuals' challenges to understanding their whiteness, research has attempted to identify power structures inherent in educational environments, as well as political and economic systems. Each of these power structures appropriate labor and/or knowledge from Black and Brown bodies, while eventually leading to incarceration in an increasingly punitive system that is specifically aimed toward POC (Alexander, 2004;Becker & Paul, 2015;Boatright-Horowitz, Marraccini, & Harps-Logan, 2012;Brewer & Heitzeg, 2008;Chizhik & Chizhik, 2005;Chubbuck, 2004;Dutta et al, 2016;Eversman, 2014;Galman, Pica-Smith, & Rosenberger, 2010; T. L. Green & Dantley, 2013;Heiner, 2016;Larson, 2016;Manglitz, 2003;Milner, 2007;Mintz, 2013;Muhammad et al, 2015;Relles, 2016;Robinson & Culver, 2016;Soni-Sinha, 2008;Zufferey, 2013).…”

“…The need for a more critical praxis has made itself salient through education's inability to address these issues. This filter, by way of institutional standards, disguises the normative lens of whiteness and carries with it a bevy of advantages, greater access to resources, and easy facilitation of social capital that many white-identified individuals enjoy, whether or not they are aware of its effects (Chizhik & Chizhik, 2005;Dutta et al, 2016; T. L. Green & Dantley, 2013;Manglitz, 2003). Yet, this much-needed critical approach has its own obstacles and can be highly problematic as white-identified educators become aware of such inequities.…”

“…Self-driven education via social justice activism learning has made its mark in educational institutions through student grassroots efforts and the gathering of collectives dedicated to the engagement of a deconstructive discourse and social justice action (DeMatthews & Mawhinney, 2014;Smith & Lau, 2013). Critical pedagogies and theoretical frameworks concerning class, gender, and environmental justice, in addition to anti-racist curriculum, have been making their way slowly into the classrooms of middle schools, high schools, and universities (Boatright-Horowitz et al, 2012;Brown, 2004;Brunsma, Brown, & Placier, 2013;Chizhik & Chizhik, 2005;Dutta et al, 2016;Lazar & Offenberg, 2011;Nordstrom, 2015;Singer, 2016;Strmic-Pawl, 2015). Although many individuals learn about social and environmental justice issues through activism and formal educational institutions, social and environmental justice education-for white-identified individuals by white-identified individuals-is a relatively new phenomenon.…”

“…J. Powell, 2016;Rickford, 2016;Stolle-McAllister, 2007;Yanay & Lifshitz-Oron, 2008). In particular, the success of relationships between predominantly whiteidentified groups and those of POC identity depends on the willingness of whiteidentified individuals to educate themselves on the issues and concerns experienced daily by communities of color, which are vulnerable to racialized policies and practices, both interpersonal and institutional (Blaagaard, 2011;Campbell, 2016;Chizhik & Chizhik, 2005;Cross-Denny et al, 2015;R. Crowley, 2016;Dyce & Owusu-Ansah, 2016;Schmitz, 2010).…”

“…In the field of social and environmental justice, the ways in which white-identified individuals engage with, understand, support, and lend their voices to issues and concerns faced by vulnerable communities and communities of color vary widely. These efforts are influenced greatly by assorted socio-cultural problems that stem from the social construction of whiteness (Becker & Paul, 2015;Brady, 2014;Brown, 2004;Chizhik & Chizhik, 2005;R. Crowley, 2016;Dache-Gerbino & White, 2016;Diem, Ali, & Carpenter, 2013;Dutta et al, 2016;Galman, Pica-Smith, & Rosenberger, 2010; T. L. Green & Dantley, 2013;Gunew, 2007;Manglitz, 2003;McDonald, 2005;Mintz, 2013;North, 2006;Pennington, Brock, & Ndura, 2012;Perry & Shotwell, 2009;Pulido, 2015).…”