Understanding Human Diversity Fall Chapter 7

What does “diversity” mean? Fall 20102

Human diversity Fall  Refers to all humans & searches for cultural, community, and human strengths

Dimensions of Diversity Fall  Culture  Race  Ethnicity  Gender  Sexual Orientation  Socioeconomic Status  Ability/Disability  Age  Locality  Spirituality & Religion  Intersectionality?

Dimensions of Commonality & Difference Fall Shared Group Identity Transmitted Intergenerationally (Race/Ethnicity—_____; Elderly—_____) Group membership lifelong vs. Acquired (Gender—_____; Disability—_____) Group membership apparent (Person of Color—_____; Gay/Lesbian—_____) Group membership a choice (Religious minority—_____; Elderly—_____)

Focus on Cultural Diversity Fall  What is culture?  Rules of the game in a particular society as expressed in:  Traditions  Norms  Child-rearing practices  Folklore/Stories children are told  How institutions are organized

Culture is Often Unconscious Fall  What we do “naturally”  Only find out when you violate cultural rules  Refugee kids hygene  Only explain it when asked  Halloween?  Santa Claus?

Race is culturally bound  “White” in U.S. vs. “White” in Brazil  Why do we use the racial categories that we do?  What is the difference between the following:  White  Caucasian  European-American  Anglo-Saxon  Aryan  White (non-hispanic) Fall 20108

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Sociopolitical Perspective on Diversity: Oppression & Liberation Fall  Oppression: Unequal relationship used unjustly to grant power & resources to 1 group (dominant group) & withhold them from another (oppressed group)  Focuses on inequalities in _____________ & _____________ power

What kinds of resources can be granted/ withheld? Fall  Jobs  Life Chances  ___________________________________________  Influential Networks  ___________________________________________

How have you been disadvantaged? Fall

How have you been advantaged? Fall

Diversity & Everyday Privilege Fall  Gender-- _____________________________________  Sexual Orientation-- ___________________________  Race-- _____________________________________  From Peggy McIntosh:  I cannot perform poorly without being a disgrace to my race.  I can choose blemish cover or bandages in “flesh” color and have them more or less match my skin.

Women & Pay Gap  Fall

Oppression Fall  “Oppression is any relationship or process by which 1 group violates the physical, social, or psychological integrity of another” (Franz Fanon)  “Breathing Smog” & “conventional wisdom”  Ex: Asian American as the model minority research

How Oppression Affects Communities Fall  Mass media  Neighborhood “tipping point”  Institutional oppression  Glass Ceiling in Workplaces  Interpersonal oppression  Voice/Gender Dynamics  Inter-group relations  when prejudice becomes racism

Levels of Ecological Environment Fall  Collective resistance: Civil Rights Movement  Organizational Resistance: Association of Black Psychologists  Individual Resistance: Oppositional Identity

Liberation & Social Action Fall  “Liberation in fullest sense requires securing full human rights & remaking of a society without roles of oppressor & oppressed” (Watts, Williams, & Jager, 2003, p. 1897)  Paulo Friere’s Model of 2nd order change  Critical awareness & understanding of oppressive system  Commitment to involvement in struggle  Collective action

Limitations of Oppression/ Liberation Perspective Fall  Addresses issue of social structure/power - different emphasis from cultural perspective  May inadvertently homogenize members of oppressed groups  Portray oppressed individuals as victims  May perpetuate a conflict model of issues

Extra Credit: Laramie Project  Thurs., Oct. 21 st 7:30pm  Friday, Oct.22 nd 7:30pm  Saturday, Oct. 23 rd 2pm & 7:30pm  Sunday, Oct. 24 th 2pm  $5/students & seniors; $10/adults  Reaction Paper worth up to 5 points added total grade  ure=related ure=related Fall