Collins , P. H. (1993). Toward a new vision: Race, class, and gender as categories of analysis and connection. Race, Sex & Class, 1(1), 25-45.
During
the fall after my undergraduate studies had been completed, my roommate at the
time had introduced me to a friend of hers.
She was like no one I had ever met before. She had a Spanish name, was born and raised
in an Islamic home, and was African American.
Reflecting back on that day I first met her, it is bizarre to know I had
almost written her off without even giving her a chance first. I had approached her as a person I would not
be able to connect with on a deeper level, as someone from such a different
background that there would likely be no common ground.
In the process of actually listening to what she had to say, however, I found a remarkable amount of sameness. Even when comparing the two identities I was most concerned about, her Muslim identity and my Jewish identity, I only found more similarities (such as our mutual avoidance of pork products). In Patricia Hill Collins’ piece Toward a New Vision: Race, Class, and Gender as Categories of Analysis and Connection she discusses the importance of recognizing limiting and stereotypical mental processes that are carried into our interactions. Collins urges her readers to purge themselves of their inner oppressors as much as they can in order to form more meaningful and lasting coalitions and bring about permanent social change.
Collins recognizes (at least) two vital steps in successfully exorcizing one’s inner oppressor. The first comes in the form of identities (race, gender, etc.), how they interact, and how we perceive them. In every case there are two groups with one being considered superior to the other. The group that is considered superior becomes the privileged group and the group considered somehow inferior or the “other” becomes the oppressed group. Collins warned against comparing and contrasting oppressions and ranking one as more painful than the other as it gets everyone away from what should be their ultimate goal – unity.
Collins goes into further detail in step one, discussing the dimensions of oppression. The dimensions are: the individual level of oppression, institutional oppression, and symbolic oppression. In terms of the individual level of oppression, it is one’s identities and the experiences that come with those identities that are most salient. All of one person’s identities combined help to shape opportunities and who one associates with. In my friend’s case, for instance, she is Islamic, African American, and female and looking at just her religion, race, or gender, fails to acknowledge the full scope of who she is as a person.
On the institutional level of oppression, Collins used the institution of slavery as an example. Another example of oppression at an institutional level that would be considered less obvious could be within a university. Textbooks are usually written predominantly by able-bodied Caucasian males, men and Caucasians are called on more within classroom settings, acceptance rates vary between races, and there are typically multiple buildings on a campus that are more difficult to access from a wheelchair. None of those identities (gender, race, able-bodied status) can be looked at in isolation as they all affect a student’s overall educational experience.
Within the symbolic dimension of oppression, Collins described the discrepancies in how different groups are viewed and the pre-conceived notions and assumptions society often develops toward them. A masculine identity, for instance, is considered everything a feminine identity is not and is thought to be superior. Since the masculine identity personifies the traits that society values, that difference in stereotypical attributes is used to justify male privilege. Another example of this concept would be to make a list involving a different identity, such as able-bodyism. When thinking of stereotypical traits considering characteristic for both categories, being able-bodied (non-disabled) brings up traits such as capable, confident, and assertive. In the case of an individual with a disability, the list might look more like: helplessness, timidity, and submission. As Collins pointed out with her own list, once race, gender, and socioeconomic status are added in the lists of what it means to be able-bodied or not would be altered.
The second step in working through one’s inner oppressor comes in the form of transcending the barriers between us. Collins proposes three ways to do so. The three ways involved relate to power and privilege, building coalitions, and establishing empathy. Her first suggestion involves recognizing that different oppressions, and privileges bring about different experiences. A power differential then forms causing issues within relationships which, if left unchecked, could bring about voyeurism (using oppressed groups as a source of entertainment) or academic colonialism (viewing oppressed groups as something to be taken advantage of).
One way to combat the issues both voyeurism and academic colonialism raise and work towards a transcendence of barriers is through the utilization of empathy. By getting to know each other’s experiences on a meaningful level and striving to truly understand the cultural and historical basis of that person’s oppressions, there is likely to be a decrease in the desire and ability to use that person. Relatedly, Collins suggests it is better to work with each other on a common goal than to pick a common enemy. While picking someone or something to mutually dislike would bring about a temporary alliance, choosing to join forces on one vision will allow for a longer and more peaceful union.
Any other examples for oppression on an institutional, symbolic, or individual level? What about a time where you entered a situation or met someone new with certain expectations and assumptions already in place? How did that situation turn out? Were there/are there any thoughts of what your assigned community might be like before having first gone to visit it? What experiences might you have with combating one’s inner oppressor? How aware were you of your inner oppressor up until now and how comfortable are you in challenging it? Any ideas or suggestions for those of us seeking to weaken our inner oppressors and strengthen our outer activists?
In the process of actually listening to what she had to say, however, I found a remarkable amount of sameness. Even when comparing the two identities I was most concerned about, her Muslim identity and my Jewish identity, I only found more similarities (such as our mutual avoidance of pork products). In Patricia Hill Collins’ piece Toward a New Vision: Race, Class, and Gender as Categories of Analysis and Connection she discusses the importance of recognizing limiting and stereotypical mental processes that are carried into our interactions. Collins urges her readers to purge themselves of their inner oppressors as much as they can in order to form more meaningful and lasting coalitions and bring about permanent social change.
Collins recognizes (at least) two vital steps in successfully exorcizing one’s inner oppressor. The first comes in the form of identities (race, gender, etc.), how they interact, and how we perceive them. In every case there are two groups with one being considered superior to the other. The group that is considered superior becomes the privileged group and the group considered somehow inferior or the “other” becomes the oppressed group. Collins warned against comparing and contrasting oppressions and ranking one as more painful than the other as it gets everyone away from what should be their ultimate goal – unity.
Collins goes into further detail in step one, discussing the dimensions of oppression. The dimensions are: the individual level of oppression, institutional oppression, and symbolic oppression. In terms of the individual level of oppression, it is one’s identities and the experiences that come with those identities that are most salient. All of one person’s identities combined help to shape opportunities and who one associates with. In my friend’s case, for instance, she is Islamic, African American, and female and looking at just her religion, race, or gender, fails to acknowledge the full scope of who she is as a person.
On the institutional level of oppression, Collins used the institution of slavery as an example. Another example of oppression at an institutional level that would be considered less obvious could be within a university. Textbooks are usually written predominantly by able-bodied Caucasian males, men and Caucasians are called on more within classroom settings, acceptance rates vary between races, and there are typically multiple buildings on a campus that are more difficult to access from a wheelchair. None of those identities (gender, race, able-bodied status) can be looked at in isolation as they all affect a student’s overall educational experience.
Within the symbolic dimension of oppression, Collins described the discrepancies in how different groups are viewed and the pre-conceived notions and assumptions society often develops toward them. A masculine identity, for instance, is considered everything a feminine identity is not and is thought to be superior. Since the masculine identity personifies the traits that society values, that difference in stereotypical attributes is used to justify male privilege. Another example of this concept would be to make a list involving a different identity, such as able-bodyism. When thinking of stereotypical traits considering characteristic for both categories, being able-bodied (non-disabled) brings up traits such as capable, confident, and assertive. In the case of an individual with a disability, the list might look more like: helplessness, timidity, and submission. As Collins pointed out with her own list, once race, gender, and socioeconomic status are added in the lists of what it means to be able-bodied or not would be altered.
The second step in working through one’s inner oppressor comes in the form of transcending the barriers between us. Collins proposes three ways to do so. The three ways involved relate to power and privilege, building coalitions, and establishing empathy. Her first suggestion involves recognizing that different oppressions, and privileges bring about different experiences. A power differential then forms causing issues within relationships which, if left unchecked, could bring about voyeurism (using oppressed groups as a source of entertainment) or academic colonialism (viewing oppressed groups as something to be taken advantage of).
One way to combat the issues both voyeurism and academic colonialism raise and work towards a transcendence of barriers is through the utilization of empathy. By getting to know each other’s experiences on a meaningful level and striving to truly understand the cultural and historical basis of that person’s oppressions, there is likely to be a decrease in the desire and ability to use that person. Relatedly, Collins suggests it is better to work with each other on a common goal than to pick a common enemy. While picking someone or something to mutually dislike would bring about a temporary alliance, choosing to join forces on one vision will allow for a longer and more peaceful union.
Any other examples for oppression on an institutional, symbolic, or individual level? What about a time where you entered a situation or met someone new with certain expectations and assumptions already in place? How did that situation turn out? Were there/are there any thoughts of what your assigned community might be like before having first gone to visit it? What experiences might you have with combating one’s inner oppressor? How aware were you of your inner oppressor up until now and how comfortable are you in challenging it? Any ideas or suggestions for those of us seeking to weaken our inner oppressors and strengthen our outer activists?
So guys, I accidentally wrote a blog for this week thinking it was my week. I figured (with a small suggestion from Holly) that I would share it with you in case any of you found it interesting.
ReplyDeleteCollins bases her writing off of the quote from Audre Lorde dealing with the idea that there is a piece of the oppressor in each of us. She begins by saying, “White feminists routinely point with confidence to their oppression as women but resist seeing how much their white skin privileges them…we fail to see how our thoughts and actions uphold someone else’s subordination.”
She argues that in order to fix this, we need two things. First, we need to change the definition of oppression. Essentially, we need to understand that oppressive categories are not mutually exclusive. She also argues that these categories are innately dichotomous in nature. A person is either white or not white, abled or disabled and so on. She argues that it is important to see that a person can be both black and female and poor and be oppressed, meanwhile a white poor woman is also similarly oppressed despite her skin color.
Second, we need to collectively change the way we act in the face of oppression. She further discusses Sandra Harding’s three dimensions of oppression. The first is an institutional dimension of oppression, or the idea that oppression is perpetuated at the institutional level at schools, businesses, government, church, etc. The second is the symbolic dimension, or the idea that symbolically maleness and femaleness are represented in specific ways. She identifies the very dichotomous descriptors used to refer to males and females where males are referred to in such ways as aggressive, leader, and strong and females are referred to as passive and emotional. Finally, she discusses the individual dimension of oppression or the idea that each of us as autonomous beings is directly impacted by our surroundings in such a way that it directly impacts our subconscious and outright treatment of others.
Next, Collins illustrates that the difference in life situation affords individuals with varying levels of power and privilege and goes as far as to say that members of privileged groups can minimize the appearance or even erase altogether the presence of the people in lower groups. She also argues that it is important to avoid treating those who are seen as “other” as people to study.
Collins argues that unifying people though causes can transcend differences in individuals through giving them a joined mission. She also argues that it is important to build empathy by taking a genuine interest in other people’s lives. She says this is more difficult for members of the subordinate groups as it involves building a level of trust that can be difficult when the other group has been seen as the “enemy” in the past.
As someone who is a nearly deaf female, this article presented itself a little differently to me than I expected it to. I have always somewhat “scaled” my oppression in comparison with others. Even when I felt that others were similarly oppressed, I felt that I was advantaged because I have a disability that cannot be seen or heard. In reality, I should have been looking at the system that is currently in place that incentivizes ranking or scaling oppression. As I have progressed through the social work program, I find myself trying to be more accepting of those who are different from me.
How do you handle feelings of oppression? Have you ever found yourself thinking oppressive thoughts of others? What do you do to combat this? How do you practice being more empathetic of the oppression faced by others?
Oppression, internal & external? I believe most of us have experienced degrees of oppression throughout life. Something good can result from oppression. The decision to embrace one's gifts and abilities, to not look for edification from others, and to reach a point in personal growth that gives us empathy. All this may culminate in helping others realize their own self-value, gifts, and abilities.
ReplyDeleteAs a forty-six year old black American, I no longer struggle with internal and external racial oppression as I did during my early to mid twenties. Based on stereotypes about black women as aggressive, neck rolling, finger pointing, attitude having females, I found myself thinking oppressively about myself and my race. Over the years, I've learned even more to see a person's color and to make a conscientious effort to get to know that individual as my sister or brother regardless of their race, and especially those who are oppressed.
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