Privilege Analysis Paper

Stuart Hall defines identity as an ‘already accomplished fact, which the new cultural practices then represent’. We should think instead of ‘identity as a ‘production’ which is never complete, always in process, and always constituted within, not outside, representation’ (Hall 1994 p.392). An individual’s sense of belonging to a particular group, thinking, feelings and behaviour can also be referred to as identity. One’s cultural image can construct identity; such features as hair, skin tone and height. History shapes our identity.

Privilege and Oppression are fueled through systems and the participation of society. Systems are “dominated, identified and centered” (90) around privileged groups, which make them superior to the non-privileged. To be privileged is to go through life “with the relative ease of being unmarked” (33), which is not the reality for the oppressed women who reside at Safe Haven. Safe Haven is full of “marked” individuals who are oppressed through systems and society. Specifically, the women I work with are individuals who have not been able to thrive in society due to the oppressed culture in which they live in. These women are shunned away from society, because it is the “privileged groups that are taken as the comparison that represents the

In the beginning of the year I entered this class with a very sheltered and ignorant view of current and past events. Through time and sociological evolution I have begun to see things in a different light. The development of my ability, to look at something or some kind of situation, lets me use the sociological terms in such a manner to relate them to micro and macro problems in society. This started with the assigned readings of the class; the aim was to decipher the messages the authors were presenting. The goal was then to dig deeper and use my experiences to help myself understand the concepts throughout the course. "The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be ignited." Plutarch (46-120 CE--common era) I was no longer

Minorities are still fighting to be seen as equals and treated as human but people still think we have achieved equality today. It really is up to educators to teach children about white privilege and how it affects people. White privilege is something that white people benefit from just because of what they look like, but they have no control over it. This can range from having more opportunities for jobs to being more likely to have enough money to go to private school. I am focusing more on the idea that white people have these benefits and have the privilege to deny that such a divide exists. Being able to dismiss the idea of white privilege shows ignorance and can minimize the experiences of those who have suffered at the hands of white privilege.

The world has become modern and global. Identification of the self is a complicated, though, an important problem of every individual. Self- identity is based on inner values and reflections on culture, politics and social interactions. The main point is that people label themselves to any particular group in the society (Worchel etc., 1998). According to Ferguson: “Identity commonly refers to which it makes, or is thought to make

The Merriam-Webster defines privilege as “a right to benefit that is given to some people and not to others” or “a right or immunity granted as a peculiar benefit, advantage, or favor”. Peggy McIntosh talks specifically of white privilege describing it as “an invisible package of unearned assets that I can count in cashing in each day” (1). White people are taught to think of themselves as “morally neutral, normative and average and also ideal,” it is never emphasized to us that what we experience on a daily basis and take for granite, is not any kind of social norm, but a privilege. Such simple and trivial ideas such as turning on “the television or open[ing] to the front page of the paper and see people of [white] race widely and positively represented” or the idea that swearing or “dress[ing] in secondhand clothes, or not answer[ing] letters, without having people attribute these choices or the bad morals, the poverty, or the illiteracy of my race” (3).

This week, the major claims) entailed in the readings were how differences among others and systematic constructs, such as privilege, damage those in society who are of a different race, gender, sexuality, et cetera.

Cultural identity is fluid and is developed through multidimensional aspects of one’s lived experiences, socially constructed ideals and perceptions of self. The African culture, similar to the Hawaiian culture is embedded and passed down through the creative arts. Thus, one identifies aspects of themselves through music, dance and other expressive

Foreigner’s privilege, in my own experience, has been a means where I act as a safeguard between black and white America. The end result is that Africans experience race differently from African Americans. In essence, racism glares with hostility when meeting an African American but wears a smile and pity when meeting an African. Consequently, I bought into stereotypes that led me to see African Americans through a racist lens. After all, an African American would insist that I do not know what it means to be black in this country. This led me to experience a torn identity between being black in America and African.

My initial reaction to privilege is one receiving accommodations or treatment based on a right that is granted to them. I personally think that privilege is something that should be earned not given because of a certain race or gender a person is. It just does not seem right that one is just given a right based on their race, gender, or even culture. With that being said, this new type of privilege that we are discussing, male privilege; I feel the exact same way about. I don’t think it fair that a male can receive recognition for a task, or get a job, or even a position on a team just because he is male. I have heard of this privilege as it is very common and dates back into history. My thoughts are that society is trying to equal out woman

Our identity can sometimes be shaped by the way others see us. As we have seen, the way in which others view us can have some sort of impact on how we see ourselves. There are also other contributing factors such as our years of adolescence, the basic human need of wanting to belong and maturing; all play an equally important part in the forming of our character and who we are. On balance it appears that there is not only one influence in the shaping of our identity, but there are many.

The book, Privilege, Power, and Difference brought awareness to where I stand as a Latina female in the United States. Growing up, I did not like to focus on the differences I experienced or saw others experience. These differences made me feel angry, scared, nervous, confused, and hopeless. Instead of focusing on the unfairness I was a part of I decided to look at it as a challenge, I would prove to myself that I could do whatever I set my mind to. I took every opportunity handed to me and tried to make the best of it, to make myself proud and my family proud. At least that is what I thought at the time, but now that I have had time to reflect on my desire to succeed I know that part of that desire comes from proving to the dominant culture that minorities can succeed.

Similar to my family’s critical role in my personal and social identity’s development, my ethnicity also contributes some of the most noticeable modifications of a social agents affect on an individual’s personal and social identity. Ethnicity provides a sense of belonging to a group and or a place in a globalised society. As for myself, ethnicity on a micro, meso and macro scale has become a major element in my personal and social identity’s

I live in a house with water and electricity. I go to a school that provides free education for all children. The people who live in my house have cars to get them and myself to and from any destination. Growing up, I saw these things as if they were my right, that they came easy to all, and that they are non-negotiable. Today I know that these things are not a right, but a privilege.

In having the education portion and the background of the definition on privilege. I got to analysis the article I choose in a deeper mindset. Right for the beginning I was critically thinking about the topic. I read the article I choose right after the assigned reading. That gave me an advantage in having everything that I just learned be fresh. I was able to break the article down into different areas from each of the assigned readings. I was more aware of how privilege can be interpretative. For example in Mclntosh reading, discusses that white people were never taught to see white privilege or male see male’s privilege. In Fortgang reading, he interpreted privilege to be coming from his family. He broke down the privilege that each person