Recognizing Power Relations in Social Groups PDF

## Is Everyone Really Equal? ### Recognize How Relations of Unequal Social Power Are Constantly Being Negotiated - Imagine a classroom of 20 teacher education students. - 17 female students and 3 male - Female students are all early childhood or elementary majors and the male students are...

## Is Everyone Really Equal? ### Recognize How Relations of Unequal Social Power Are Constantly Being Negotiated - Imagine a classroom of 20 teacher education students. - 17 female students and 3 male - Female students are all early childhood or elementary majors and the male students are all secondary education majors. - 17 from middle-class suburban background, 2 from working-class rural background, and 1 from working-class urban background. - Students' ages range from 19-25 - All students are white - 2 students have learning disabilities, 0 visible disabilities - English is every student's first language - The professor, a white woman, points out that much like the demographic of teachers and teacher educators, the classroom is not very diverse, and that many of the students, feeling defensive, argue that there is a great deal of diversity among them. ### Critical social justice considerations: What do you see? - One of the dynamics at play is the difference between how a person using a critical social justice lens sees diversity, and how people who are using a mainstream lens see diversity. - The students, looking through the lens of individualism, see diversity in terms of personality, from this lens everyone is first and foremost a unique individual, and social group memberships do not have importance. - The instructor, who is looking through a critical social justice lens, sees the room in terms of key groups such as people of color, people with visible disabilities, people from a range of socioeconomic classes, people in non-traditional gender career tracks, and people with different linguistic and cultural capital. - The absence of these key groups is not an accident nor is it irrelevant, it is a result of long-term structural oppression. *** ### Putting It All Together - Terms like neutral or benign fail to describe the forces that have led to a classroom's makeup. - It is difficult to understand the usefulness of thinking about people in terms of social groups when we are socialized to think of ourselves as individuals. - Our social surroundings are often segregated from minoritized people, and we don't notice unless this segregation is pointed out. - If we don't see our social surroundings in terms of groups, we don't notice the segregation and are not compelled to change. - Colorblindness is pernicious because it creates the illusion of being colorblind, thus denying the presence of segregation and it's impact. - Lack of diversity in a setting is not an indication of power being absent; it is actually a reinforcement of power – specifically, where groups are and aren't, is critical for seeing how power is reproduced in institutions. - The more social group diversity there is in any social context, the more we increase our collective ability to consider multiple perspectives. - The presence of multiple perspectives is only the first step. The second step is to foster an environment wherein people from minoritized groups, and their allies, can voice their perspectives. Environments that are numerically diverse around key social group memberships are not necessarily prepared to support or engage with those perspectives. ### Critical Social Justice Considerations: Defensiveness - Student's defensiveness suggests that the ideology of individualism has been challenged. - When in dominant groups, it is uncommon to consider yourself a group member. - It is common to take umbrage at the suggestion that your race, class, or gender is relevant to your life experiences. - It is challenging to argue that our group memberships are salient. *** ### Critical Social Justice Considerations: Additional Layers of Complexity - Imagine a setting where the person who points out the lack of diversity is a person of color or a member of any other minoritized group who is not represented. - The risk it takes to bring up a topic of critical social justice to dominant group members depends on whether they are the numerical majority. - Common patterns regarding dominant group members are that they deny the existence of injustice, they are defensive, it's uncomfortable to remind them of it, and they lack humility to listen to minoritized groups. - Minortized people are aware of these risks and know that they are outnumbered and likely to be outmatched. - Dominant group members tend to dismiss the voices of minoritized group members as: based on biased interests, disruptive, emotional or illogical, and unworthy of consideration. - When a minoritized person has temporary authority, their rank overrides their status, and their expertise is diminished. ### Critical Social Justice Perspectives - Acknowledge group memberships and understand the saliency of them. - See at the group level and understand the saliency of your group memberships. - Recognize that colorblindness hides rather than addresses social injustice. - Recognize what is lost in homogeneity. - Move beyond good/bad binaries. - Work from the knowledge that the societal default is oppression. Ask "how is it manifesting here?" rather than, "is it manifesting here?" ### Critical Social Justice Skills - Lower any defensiveness you may be feeling. - Educate yourself about groups you have been separated from. - Build authentic cross-group relationships. ### Understanding Our Own Positions Within Relations of Unequal Power - Imagine a workplace meeting with 14 people sitting around the table. - 3 are men, all white - 11 are women, 3 women of color - White woman is chairing the meeting - Men make the first suggestions and then argue with each other without waiting for other suggestions. - Women ask questions for clarification. - Men interrupt, talk over each other, and often preface their comments with: "I know I've been talking a lot but…" ### Critical Social Justice Considerations: Salient Group Memberships - The most salient group memberships in this scenario are gender and race. ### Critical Social Justice Considerations: What are the patterns at play? - The first pattern manifesting in the meeting is that of male domination of the discussion. - Men, and white men in particular, tend to take up an inordinate amount of talk time. - They are apt to speak first, speak next, and afford very little "wait time" during a discussion. - They may believe that the space is open and free, and the solution is simply for other people to just speak up. - The presumption is that anyone can speak if they want to. - In reality, airtime is a limited resource; due to typical time constraints, not everyone can speak even if they want to, and certainly not for as long as they want to. - Women have not been socialized to "just speak up." - Another pattern in this scenario is that of the men shifting their attention away when a woman begins to speak. - This reinforces the dominant messages that men's voices are more important than women's, that men are entitled to speak first, and what a woman has to say is not as valuable to men. - This is further problematic because the woman who begins to speak is a woman of color. - These patterns communicate to the women overall that their voices are less valuable, and reinforces male privilege but also White privilege because the women of color experience racism and white privilege in the same way. - The men don't seem to notice this behavior. ### Critical Social Justice Considerations: Why these patterns matter? - Those who speak first set the agenda, guide the discussion, influence decisions, are seen as leaders, and gain more social capital. - Dominant groups lead overall, and individual members of dominant groups might not be dominating. - Challenging social injustice requires challenging the patterns, regardless of individual intentions. - The lack of critical social justice skills and perspectives from dominant group members does not support inclusion of minoritized voices. ### Critical Social Justice Considerations: Additional Layers of Complexity: Intersectionality - Imagine a meeting without a member of a dominant group; 11 white women and 3 women of color. - In this context, the dynamics of race will rise to salience, and white women will tend to dominate, as they have been socialized to defer to the voices of white men, and dominate over people of color. ### Critical Social Justice Perspectives: - Recognize the range of social group memberships in the context - Think from the group rather than individual level. - Remember that patterns are not personal - Understand these patterns are deeply rooted and will not interrupt themselves. - Understand that although you are in the same room, you are not having the same experience as others due to dynamics of inequitable power. - When a member of the minoritized group speaks, be cognizant of your body language and when you decide to take a break, either mental or physical. ### Critical Social Justice Skills: - For the dominant group: - In general, don't speak first. - Self-monitor your participation. - Build your tolerance for listening. - Push your wait time beyond your comfort zone. - Invite different voices into the discussion. - Stating awareness of your pattern without stopping the pattern is disingenuous. If you are aware that you are dominating, stop dominating. - For the intersectional group: - Understand that because of racism and White privilege, you and the women of Color do not experience the White men's sexism in the same way. - While there are always other dynamics at play, use your White privilege when you can to support people of Color. - A powerful step in challenging inequity is to recognize how your own internalized (gender) oppression may be silencing you, and thus inadvertently contributing to the oppression of the women of Color. - Your role is not to protect or save people of Color. - It is not right to believe yourself to be the most qualified to act as an ally. - For the minoritized group: - Practice seeing how your group's socialized racial patterns may contribute to upholding racism for people from minoritized racial groups other than your own. - Challenge these patterns where they uphold internalized racial oppression for you and other people of Color. - Utilize the privilege you may have in other aspects of your life, and use your positions to leverage power and be heard. ### Think Critically About Knowledge - Imagine a movie called Saving Miguel about a white family that saves a Puerto Rican child from the "drug-infested ghetto" of a large urban city. - Miguel returns to the barrio and is surrounded by a gang who tries to intimidate him into joining them. - The white mother confronts the gang leader, who backs down and retreats. - The family adjusts to having a Puerto Rican child in their lives. - The movie has a happy ending when Miguel wins a spot at a prestigious arts school. ### Critical Social Justice Considerations: Key aspects of the exchange: - This story is told from the perspective of white people and reinforces the idea that white people are saviors of people of color. - The narrative is true, The idea that stories are true is common. - It is critical to understand the meaning given to any event: - From whose perspective is the story true? - Whose perspectives are missing? - Are all the elements true, or were some of those elements added to make the story more exciting or real? - How much was arranged, added, or subtracted to create dramatic pacing? - Who made these decisions? - Do these decisions reinforce stereotypes or challenge them? - This story is told from the perspective of white people, and reinforces the idea that white people are saviors of people of color. - The narrative is true, the idea that stories told in media are true is common. ### Critical Social Justice Considerations: Ideologies and Discourses in the text: - The plot of Saving Miguel is a classic narrative of White supremacy. ### Critical Social Justice Considerations: Economic and social interests in the production of the text. - Whose interests are best served by this story? - Who wrote and produced it? - Who is the primary audience? - Why will this story appeal to its intended audience? - Who will profit from it? ### Critical Social Justice Considerations: Additional Layers of Complexity - It's always important to question narratives inspirational to a mass audience because they often reinforce ideologies of White supremacy. ### Critical Social Justice Perspectives: - All texts represent a particular perspective. - All texts are embedded with ideology. - Texts that appeal to a wide audience typically do so because they reinforce dominant narratives. ### Critical Social Justice Skills: - Identify the ideology and what or whom it serves. - Build your tolerance for the social resistance you will likely get when you challenge ideologies. - Develop skills to lower defensiveness and diplomatically provide alternative perspectives. ### Act in Service of a More Just Society - Allyship refers to a member of the dominant group who acts to end oppression in all aspects of social life by consistently seeking to advocate alongside of the group who is oppressed in relation to them. ### In General, Being An Ally Means: - Validating and supporting people who are socially or institutionally minoritized in relation to you. - Engaing in continual self-reflection to undercover your socialized privilege and internalized superiority. - Working with other members of the dominant group and not positioning yourself as better or more advanced. - Advocating when the oppressed group is absent. - Letting go of control and sharing power when possible. - Taking risks to build relationships with minoritized group members. - Taking responsibility for mistakes. - Having humility and willingness to admit not knowing. - Earning trust through action. ### In Institutional Spaces, Such As Meetings, Allies Can Take These Actions: - Support members of minoritized groups in whatever ways you can. - Recognize minoritized people in relation to you, both in terms of rank and status. - Generate a working definition of critical social justice and a way to asses it. - Pay attention to the dynamics in meetings and facilitate to interrupt inequitable patterns. - Recognize that it matters who is in our environment, and the roles they play. - Work to increase representation along multiple fronts, but also to create a supportive climate. - Recognize and affirm the importance of discussing critical social justice issues. - Be honest about your lack of experience while demonstrating your willingness to try. - Change the process. - Facilitate by inviting other voices in. - Facilitate dialogue rather than debate. - Work in solidarity with others and not in isolation. - Be humble about your skills. - Be accountable to minoritized group members. - The "isms" are always operating, so feedback about something problematic you've done is not an accusation. Appreciating he courage it takes to give feedback on critical social issues, and keep trying. ### While the Above are examples of Actions an Individual Can Take: - See the United Steelworkers of Canada's diversity statement on gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender issues. ### At the Bargaining Table: - Negotiate anti-harassment workplace training, policies and procedures. - Bargain for anti-discrimination language. - Make sure your definition of spouse includes same sex partners. ### In the Union: - Start a Steelworker Pride Committee. - Help fight HIV/AIDS, and care for people who have HIV/AIDS. ### Take Action: - Help fight HIV/AIDS, as it's a union issue. - Support the Steelworkers Humanity Fund. - The Federal Government is appealing a court decision which granted Canada Pension Plan survivor spouse pensions to persons who lost their same sex partners between 1985-1998, and it's important to let your member of Parliament know you disapprove. ### What Does It Mean To Put Critical Social Justice Into Action? - The steelworkers offer a powerful example of collective action and accountability. ### Reflect Upon the Following and Jot Down Some Examples for Each: - Active Racism - Passive Racism - Active Antiracism - Passive Antiracism ### For Active Racism, Your Examples Might Include: - Telling or encouraging racist jokes - Excluding or discriminating against peoples of color in the workplace - Racial profiling - Accusing people of color of "playing the race card" when they try to bring up racism. ### For Passive Racism, Your Examples Might Include: - Silence - Ignoring incidents that you notice - Inequitable funding of schools - Lack of interest in learning more about racism - Apathy toward movements for racial justice - Not getting involved in antiracist efforts ### For Active Antiracism, Your Examples Might Include: - Working to identify internalized racial dominance if you are white. - Working to identify internalized racial oppression if you are a person of color. - Making sure there are multiple racial perspectives on an issue in the workplace. - Joining organizations working for racial justice. - Seeking out continuing education. ### For Passive Antiracism: - There are no examples of passive antiracism, because antiracism requires action, and by definition it cannot be passive. ### Developing Critical Social Justice Literacy Requires: - A lifelong commitment to an ongoing process. - Challenging our worldview and relationships to others. - It is easier to believe that attaining social justice is as simple as a list of dos and don'ts. - We must acknowledge that our achievements are not simply or solely the result of merit and hard work. ### Discussion Questions: 1. What are your next steps, and how will you meet your challenges? 2. The authors state that it is always the responsibility of the dominant group to interrupt oppression. Why? 3. How was the behavior of the two men problematic in the meeting, regardless of their intentions? ### Extension Activities: 1. Identify two people, one with whom you share a dominant group identity, and one with whom you share a minoritized group identity. 2. Produce an essay examining your life through a critical social justice lens. 3. Research the work of Frank Chin.