The Relevance of Affirmative Action and the difference between Diversity and Social Justice Carmen Milagros Vélez Vega Associate Professor & Chair Social Sciences Department University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus School of Public Health

Critical Constructionist Framework From a critical constructionist perspective changes in language in and of itself constitutes a means for transformation of social constructions and what results from these. Social constructions are the shared understandings about our social context. They are dynamic, we develop them though interaction They change and can be changed with purpose… For example: What is a Puerto Rican Student, a Student with Disabilities, a Student with an LGBT identity, a Student that comes from an economically challenged background? I have faced many times the question and comment: Are you Puertorrican? You don’t look like it. To which I answer: What does a Puertorrican look like? I can help myself but think I am being compared to María in West Side Story. The same happends when I say I am a Lesbian. Somehow I believe people are thinking of a woman that looks and acts like a man (whatever stereotype that brings to mind) or Ellen Degeneres. I only wish I were that funny.

Social Determinants of Health SDH are the economic and social conditions that influence the health of individuals, communities, and jurisdictions as a whole (WHO, 2011).

SDH include, but are not limited to: (CDC, 2010). income, and income distribution; social exclusion; the social safety net; job security; economic and social conditions early childhood development; education, employment, and work; food security, health services housing,

Marco Conceptual de los DSS de la Organización Mundial de la Salud

Stunting es arrestar el desarrollo.

Diversity vs Social Justice The term diversity captures the differences among social groups, but not the ways in which these differences are shaped by systems of domination, subordination, and inequality. Distinction between Diversity and the different experiences of being different and why it occurs and how it manifests. the goal of SJ does not make diversity invisible but deals with the conditions and structures, interaction. Unequal status is not attended by a diversity embrace and accept perspective. Adams, 2008, NYU FRN seminar. adams@educ.umass.edu

Social Justice vs Diversity The term social justice captures the emphasis upon social structures and practices by which one social group, whether knowingly or unconsciously, exploits other social groups for its advantage. Social justice requires not the elimination of differences, but the elimination of domination, subordination, and inequality.

Adams, 2008, NYU FRN seminar. adams@educ.umass.edu Challenging Our Own Comfort Zones, as well as those of our students and colleagues Action Learning Edge Threat Fear Comfort Zone Status Quo Difference between safety and comfort Cognitive disonance can help challenge out of the comfort zone and promote learning. Information Awareness Learning Edge Adams, 2008, NYU FRN seminar. adams@educ.umass.edu

Adams, 2008, NYU FRN seminar. adams@educ.umass.edu Some Distinctions Diversity Approaches generally focus on appreciating social differences without analyses of power and privilege or differential access to resources and institutional support needed to live safe, satisfying productive lives Goal is appreciation and awareness Social Justice Education approaches generally focus on understanding the structural dynamics of unequal social power that results in some social groups having privilege, status, access that are denied to other groups. Goal is an understanding and analysis that results in individual and social action to interrupt and/or eliminate oppression Adams, 2008, NYU FRN seminar. adams@educ.umass.edu

Adams, 2008, NYU FRN seminar. adams@educ.umass.edu Social Oppression A social condition that establishes and maintains many forms of advantage and disadvantage based on real or presumed social group memberships. Social oppression operates on individual, institutional and societal/cultural levels Institutional oppression (en los espacios institucionales por joven, por viejo, genero… conceptos como discriminacion y prejuicios Sizeim as a product of sexism, social class, ableism, racism. Presumed social groups, presumed as inferior due to a hegemonic construct of what should be. Example intents to change the organic composision of maiz to help central and south american children grow larger more similar to the hegemonic body. Adams, 2008, NYU FRN seminar. adams@educ.umass.edu 13

Some Social Identity Categories Sex Race Class Religion Ability/Disability Age Gender Sexual Orientation Ethnicity Language Nationality 14

Manifestations of Social Oppression Sexism Racism Religious Oppression Ableism Classism Heterosexism Ageism Are some forms of oppression more fundamental than others? You can argue for many forms of oppression as fundamental. Power and the reproduction of power and it plays out in different ways Cultural capital Resources of power (micro powers Foucault) Transgender Oppression Ethnocentrism

Examples of Social Identity Categories and Social Group membership Race Black, White, Asian, Latino, native American, Multiracial Sex Female, Male, Intersex Gender Men, Women, Transgender, Genderqueer Religion Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Mormon, Espiritista, Santería… Sexual Orientation Lesbian, Gay, bisexual, Heterosexual Class Owning Class, Poor, Upper Middle, Middle/Middle, Working class Ability Disabled, Temporarily Able-bodied Age Elders, Adults, Young People

Levels of the Manifestations of Oppression intentional and unintentional Individual attitudes and/or behaviors. (e.g. acts of violence, prejudice, ignorance, hatred) Institutional policy, practice, norms Cultural assumptions, norms and practice 17

Conclusions or More Questions? What must be done to continue correcting these great social injustices and provide opportunities and supports for students that are diverse and oppressed that belong to groups protected under Affirmative Action Policies? How do we do justice to the demographic and economical changes that have brought to light the many other groups of people that face disparate educational opportunities?

A useful tool for exploring the complexity of Diversity vs Social Justice Based on: Five Faces of Oppression by Iris Marion Young, in Justice and the Politics of Difference. This text is available at: http://blog.lib.umn.edu/isoke001/engaging_justice/Five%20Faces%20of%20Oppression.pdf

Worksheet: in pairs give examples of each of the “5 faces of oppression” Exploitation Marginalization Powerlessness Cultural imperialism Violence & the normalization of violence

Worksheet: 5 faces x levels Individual Institutional Cultural & Societal Exploitation Marginalization Powerlessness Cultural Imperialism Violence & normalization of violence June 9, 2008

A Systemic and Complex Analysis of Affirmative Action Policies Taking into consideration the difference between Diversity and Social Justice framework and Policies. Looking into the complexity of human identities and contexts where ethnicity, sex, and others are frequently intersecting identities in one person.

We must consider which are the social and material differences that interfere with opportunities; not only to be admitted to Institutions of Higher Education, but also with the survival in an unfamiliar social context to which we have no reference or map to guide us.