DOCSLIB.ORG

Perpetuating and Resisting White Supremacy in White, Middle-Class Parenting

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Perpetuating and Resisting White Supremacy in White, Middle-Class Parenting DePaul University Via Sapientiae College of Education Theses and Dissertations College of Education Fall 2011 FRAMED BY PRIVILEGE: PERPETUATING AND RESISTING WHITE SUPREMACY IN WHITE, MIDDLE-CLASS PARENTING Kelly Brianne Baldwin Follow this and additional works at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/soe_etd Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation Baldwin, Kelly Brianne, "FRAMED BY PRIVILEGE: PERPETUATING AND RESISTING WHITE SUPREMACY IN WHITE, MIDDLE-CLASS PARENTING" (2011). College of Education Theses and Dissertations. 18. https://via.library.depaul.edu/soe_etd/18 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the College of Education at Via Sapientiae. It has been accepted for inclusion in College of Education Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Via Sapientiae. For more information, please contact [email protected]. FRAMED BY PRIVILEGE: PERPETUATING AND RESISTING WHITE SUPREMACY IN WHITE, MIDDLE-CLASS PARENTING a thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Education DePaul University in partial completion of the requirements for a Master of Arts degree in the Social and Cultural Foundations in Education by Kelly Brianne Baldwin November 2011 DePaul University Chicago, IL Framed by privilege ABSTRACT Framed by privilege: Perpetuating and resisting White supremacy in White, middle-class parenting Kelly B. Baldwin Department of Educational Policy Studies and Research College of Education, DePaul University November 2011 Parenting is a primary site for the socialization of young children, including socialization around issues of race and racism. Giving careful attention to the implications of a socially privileged racial status, this study draws on the personal narratives of three White, middle-class, heterosexual mothers living in Chicago to improve understanding of White, middle-class parenting around issues of race and racism and to critically examine the ways parenting practices relate to larger social Discourses in the United States that perpetuate or disrupt White supremacy. When parenting around issues of race and racism, mothers adherent to White supremacy typically abandoned parenting strategies they found consistently successful for supporting their children’s adoption of specific values in more general parenting contexts. However, women with a broader understanding of racism and with an awareness of children as racially aware and engaged beings were more likely to rebuke racism and seek to enact anti-racist parenting strategies. Keywords: parenting, race, racial privilege, racism, socialization, White supremacy 2 Framed by privilege ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This work would not have been possible without the three women who so generously and openly allowed me a window into their lives as women and as mothers. They have been my greatest collaborators in this work. Day-in and day-out, they engage in the immensely challenging, trying, and rewarding work of parenting – the world’s most complicated and important job. And they had the grace and humility to share their successes and their struggles with me. I am truly humbled. And I am forever grateful. To my teachers – Enora Brown, Karen Monkman, Horace Hall, Beth Catlett, and Ann Russo – Thank you for teaching me what I was looking to learn and so much more. Thank you for letting me cry, for pushing me to keep going, and for having confidence that I could do this work. Special thanks, Dr. Brown, for being my companion every step of this long process. I am so grateful for your guidance, your encouragement, and your support. Thank you. Deepest gratitude as well to Nikki Nudo – there is no doubting that you are the glue that keeps everything (and everyone) running smoothly. To my readers and cheerleaders – Melissa Goodnight, James Blair, Carol Aymar, Kate Stone, Courtney Hrejsa, Rob Garrison, and Bianca Suarez – Through this journey, you have offered honest, critical advice; you have given me strength and courage when I was certain of encroaching failure; and you have been my steadfast friends. You are my inspiration, my motivation, and my comrades in struggle. You remind me to trust in the power of community and in the ways that being in relationship with others opens up possibilities that would be unachievable if undertaken alone. My gratitude to each of you for being exactly who you are is beyond words. I am deeply blessed. And to my family – Mom, Dad, Kristofer, Karen, Eric, and Elissa – What would I do without you? You are my rock. I love you. 3 Framed by privilege We're supposed to fight for freedom, not just the end of slavery. – excerpted from “Remind My Soul,” Akrobatik we can't afford to do anyone harm because we owe them our lives each breath is recycled from someone else's lungs our enemies are the very air in disguise you can talk a great philosophy but… it's the little things you do the little things you say it's the love you give along the way – excerpted from “looking for the holes,” Ani DiFranco we are each other's harvest: we are each other's business: we are each other's magnitude and bond. – excerpted from “Paul Robeson,” Gwendolyn Brooks 4 Framed by privilege TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction p. 10 I. Conceptual Frameworks and Literature Review p. 14 • Conceptual frameworks p. 15 o Race – A social construction and a tangible reality p. 15 o Racism – U.S. social structures, unearned privilege, and racial p. 20 inequality o Racial positionality – An adoption of feminist standpoint theory p. 25 o Whiteness – Personal and structural p. 28 o Ideology of White supremacy p. 31 − Discourse of color-blindness p. 37 − Discourse of meritocracy p. 40 − Discourse of accountability evasion p. 42 − Discourse of individualism p. 45 • Literature review p. 48 o Parenting as socialization p. 48 o White social positionality and racial socialization p. 51 o Young children and race p. 58 • Conclusion p. 65 II. Research Design and Methodology p. 66 • Overview of the methodological approach p. 66 • Purpose of study and research questions p. 68 • Participant selection p. 70 • Data collection, procedures, and analysis p. 72 • Quality concerns p. 76 • Ethical concerns p. 78 • Author’s positionality p. 82 • Study limitations p. 84 III. Findings p. 86 • Perspectives and beliefs on parenting p. 87 o Knowing what to do – Parenting instincts: Where do they come p. 88 5 Framed by privilege from, and do you trust them? o Building character – Who do you want your child to be? p. 92 − Katie p. 92 − Terra p. 94 − Corinne p. 95 o Desiring diversity – With whom or what do you want your child to p. 97 engage? − Diverse activities p. 97 − Diverse cultures p. 98 − Engaging diversity intentionally or by haphazard association p. 99 − The benefits of engaging diversity p. 102 o Acceptance of and comfort with human differences – Who is your p. 105 child in relation to others? o Children learn through experience and are active participants in p. 109 their own learning. • Actions and practices concerning parenting p. 113 − Actions reflect values – Parents are role models in word and p. 113 deed − The importance of aligning words and actions p. 116 − Framing children’s experiences to foster desired values p. 117 • Perspectives and beliefs on race and racism p. 120 o Defining race and its relevance in our modern world p. 121 o Being White – A benefit or a disadvantage? p. 125 o Understanding one's own racial identity – Who am I? And who am I p. 134 in relation to others? − The role of childhood roots in the framing of White women’s p. 134 understanding of their own racial identities − The impact of the proximity of people of color for framing p. 137 White perceptions of race − White perceptions of people of color and finding a “good” mix p. 139 of racial diversity − Claiming the identity of a “good” White person p. 141 6 Framed by privilege o Defining racism – The language we use and what we really mean p. 146 − Racism is both individual and institutional in nature p. 146 − Racism is both blatant and subtle in nature p. 149 − Racism as a continuum rather than a binary p. 152 − Is everyone a little racist? p. 153 − Locating racism in time and space p. 154 o The power of hard work to enable success p. 158 − Katie p. 158 − Terra p. 159 − Corinne p. 161 − Meritocracy and affirmative action p. 162 o Racial change – What is possible? p. 164 − Racial change is possible and has been happening slowly in p. 164 society − Racial change in one’s own life p. 167 − Racial change through parenting p. 170 − Questioning the possibility of supporting racial change in other p. 173 adults o Racial change – Whose job is it to do what? p. 179 • The intersection of perspectives and beliefs on parenting and on race p. 186 and racism o Child development and race – Do young children “see” race or p. 187 understand racism? − Katie p. 187 − Terra p. 192 − Corinne p. 196 − Correlations between learning about race and learning in p. 202 general o Children as racial beings (or not) in a racialized world p. 205 • Actions and practices concerning parenting and race and racism p. 208 o Engaging children in direct dialogue about race and racism – Does p. 209 it disrupt racism or enable it? 7 Framed by privilege − Katie p. 210 − Terra p. 211 − Corinne p. 213 − Intentionally engaging or avoiding dialogue about race with p. 215 children − White families do not have to talk about race or don’t know how p. 217 to talk about race − White families do not talk about race in order to “protect” their p. 218 children o Desiring racial diversity – Issues of inclusion, a desire for more p. 222 diversity, and authenticity − Desiring racially diverse and inclusive environments and material p.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Troubling the Waters for Healing of the Church
    Troub s ling ter the Wa for Healing of the Church A journey for White Christians from privilege to partnership Leaders Guide and Participants Handouts Troubling the Waters for Healing of the Church A journey for White Christians from privilege to partnership Credits The Commission for Multicultural Ministries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America would like to thank and acknowledge the following people for their involvement in this project: Development Team Joyce Caldwell, project coordinator and lead writer Paul Benz, co-facilitator and secondary writer Project Support Tamara Borland Consultation Team Valerian Ahles Marilyn Liden Bode Sharon Eaton Matthew Ernst Maria Hall Lucy Kolin Marc Miller Roberta (Bobby) Parish Larry Peterson Hank Suhr Frankie Sweetnam Project Director D. Christine May Graphic Designer Sharon Schuster Logo Art Marilyn Liden Bode Pilot events of this resource took place in Seattle, Washington; New Brunswick, New Jersey; and Ames, Iowa. We give special thanks to the many contributions of Lutheran Human Relations Association (LHRA) to this work. The study and application of the story of The Good Samaritan in Luke 10 and of Peter and Cornelius in Acts 10 and 11 were developed by LHRA . The worksheets on the Cultural Pyramid, Levels of Racism, Racial Identity Development, and Levels of Congregational Development are also used with thanks and appreciation for the research and program development of LHRA. The Commission for Multicultural Ministries recognizes and celebrates the Lutheran Human Relations Association for over 50 years of work against racism. The Commission for Multicultural Ministries acknowledges and thanks Thrivent Financial for Lutherans for providing the grant to make this project possible.
    [Show full text]
  • White by Law---Haney Lopez (Abridged Version)
    White by Law The Legal Construction of Race Revised and Updated 10th Anniversary Edition Ian Haney Lόpez NEW YORK UNIVERSITY PRESS New York and London (2006) 1│White Lines In its first words on the subject of citizenship, Congress in 1790 restricted naturalization to “white persons.” Though the requirements for naturalization changed frequently thereafter, this racial prerequisite to citizenship endured for over a century and a half, remaining in force until 1952. From the earliest years of this country until just a generation ago, being a “white person” was a condition for acquiring citizenship. Whether one was “white” however, was often no easy question. As immigration reached record highs at the turn of this century, countless people found themselves arguing their racial identity in order to naturalize. From 1907, when the federal government began collecting data on naturalization, until 1920, over one million people gained citizenship under the racially restrictive naturalization laws. Many more sought to naturalize and were rejected. Naturalization rarely involved formal court proceedings and therefore usually generated few if any written records beyond the simple decision. However, a number of cases construing the “white person” prerequisite reached the highest state and federal judicial circles, and two were argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in the early 1920s. These cases produced illuminating published decisions that document the efforts of would-be citizens from around the world to establish their Whiteness at law. Applicants from Hawaii, China, Japan, Burma, and the Philippines, as well as all mixed- race applicants, failed in their arguments. Conversely, courts ruled that applicants from Mexico and Armenia were “white,” but vacillated over the Whiteness of petitioners from Syria, India, and Arabia.
    [Show full text]
  • Volume X, Issue I
    . Building Organizational Belonging at a Time of Separation Inclusion Howard Ross Cook Ross, Inc. Abstract Howard Ross presented “Building Organizational Belonging at a Time of Separation” as a keynote address for the White Privilege Conference. Keywords: unconscious bias, organizational belonging, culture, workplace connection, tribalism atrix Center of the and Social Equity Advancement for atrix Center he M he and T Howard Ross is a lifelong social justice advocate and the founder of Cook Ross, Inc. He’s considered one of the world’s seminal thought leaders on identifying and addressing unconscious bias. Howard has delivered programs in 47 states and over 40 other countries to audiences including Fortune 500 companies and major institutions within healthcare, government, and nonprofit sectors. He wrote the Washington Post bestseller Everyday Bias: Identifying and Navigating Unconscious Judgments in Our Daily Lives (2014), and Reinventing Diversity: Transforming Organizational Community to Strengthen People, Purpose and Performance (2013). His book Our Search for Belonging: How the Need for Connection Is Tearing Our Culture Apart (2018) he White Privilege Conference Privilege White he describes how to bridge the divide in our increasingly polarized society. For more information including the sources referred to in the piece contact him at [email protected]. Understanding & Dismantling Privilege & Dismantling Understanding The Official JournalThe Official of T Understanding and Dismantling Privilege Ross: Organizational Belonging It is no secret to anyone that we are companies ignore how the tribalism that’s living in a time of almost unparalleled infected our society can spill over to the polarization. A look at the daily news or workplace, it can undermine the work social media posts confirms that our need to environment and jeopardize the company’s connect with people like ourselves is goals and objectives.
    [Show full text]
  • Intersectionality, Social Locations of Privilege and Conceptions of Women’S Oppression
    Intersectionality, social locations of privilege and conceptions of women’s oppression. By Lee MacLean Assistant Professor, Political Science Carleton University, Ottawa, On Prepared for the CPSA meeting, May 2009, Carleton University Email: [email protected] Please do not quote or cite. If we think of privilege simply as appearing in individuals rather than being in lodged in ways of thinking, we focus on what privilege feeds but not on what sustains it. - Elizabeth Spelman, Inessential Woman. (1988, 4) I am not making a culturalist argument about ethnocentrism, I am trying to uncover how ethnocentric universalism is produced in certain analyses. - Chandra Talpade Mohanty, “Under Western Eyes.”(1993, 55) Feminist theory is in a time of transition and of real promise. Over the past several decades, feminists have articulated a necessary critique of false universalization in feminist theorizing. Feminist generalizations about women misnamed or ignored the 2 experience of too many women, often eliding or crushing out vital information that stemmed from differences of class, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, age and ability. In the wake of this important critique, feminists have begun to forge new tools to help identify and avoid false universalization, tools which will allow for more accurate theorizations of women’s situations, their subordination and the possibilities of their liberation. One such tool is the concept of intersectionality, which holds that forms of oppression interact and modify one another. Another tool is the growing feminist literature on privileged social locations and their epistemological limitations. This paper analyzes the relationship between intersectionality and the sorts of the perceptions and misperceptions of women’s oppression that are facilitated by situations of social group privilege.
    [Show full text]
  • Covering the Redondo Beach Unified School District Volume 10, Issue 90 September 2016
    FREE Education + Communication = A Better Nation ® Covering the Redondo Beach Unified School District Volume 10, Issue 90 September 2016 www.SchoolNewsRollCall.com 2 Games in 1! Kids Teens Adults! SumDiceyFun.com [email protected] 2 Games in 1! Superintendent Board of Education Hello Parents/Guardians: Making a Difference The 2016-2017 school year is soon to Belmont, Massachusetts, just before begin, hence this topic. We hope you are 8 a.m. on a balmy, early September day in Kids smiling and counting the days. We are! 1990. My first day of seventh grade at a new Teens Summer construction continues with school. Coat and tie. various modifications and upgrades to As I walked into Latin class, the teacher Adults! Parras Middle School. Quite frankly, Parras was already standing erect facing the is looking pretty awesome. If your child blackboard, clouds of chalk dust wafting Dr. Steven Keller David attends school there, I’m confident you will Witkin down beneath the elbow patch on his own be impressed with the last two months of Vice President blazer, the tack-tack-tack of his chalk progress. Alta Vista and Tulita received new exterior scratching out words I’ll never forget: painting as well. In a few months, we will add a turf field ABHOR APATHY—HATE INDIFFERENCE. at Birney Elementary. Thank you to the Birney learning Later that morning, Eddie Gallagher introduced us to Latin community for your patience. declensions, but his first five-minute lesson was about We have some new administrator changes to share: one’s mentality toward life: caring about your friends, your • Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • The Mediator August 3 1923
    I " Omaha's Greatest r and Best Price c HE E I T Wesldy N,n"izpaper I ======::::-:=::===========:=,,===============;==================================--------'1 VOL. XIX OMAHA, NEBRASKA. August 3, 1923 NO. 38 1....---_-A-Fi-rie-nd_Fr_om_H_om_e_~ID HUS POLICE HE D ASKED ND _OF 0 E OR I FOR ATION A UE T OU LE Why Are Jefferson Hotel Prostitutes Not, I,,] lSo Much Sensational News Breaks, Hard Molested in Omaha? I '1 To Choose the Biggest Features. WHY ARE BOOrLEGGERS PROTECTED?I 'JI IHOSPE TRIAL TO" COME IN AUGU Why w.... the Girls Who nlliltled ~; South Sixteenth sm.,; Ord.red rI IJ. Paul X.pler Said to Be H'_g Plenty of Fun Wi;h Former Hoope to Return toO the Old Third Ward. J:)istrict If They 11, I Employee-Report Says Married Man Spends ~ortion of Time ~ l~~ I~ th.e city shatJ continue in the handsIdisehlu'ge (:;hipf Dempsey, l\'ho died . ;;i the p~inciple items of most interest. because he is not in good health now_ <-<_ p man' That m n ia Police IrecentlY'" BITTLlID CH" 'RftR'\ !,JDnUE BAU'GH HXHIBITS The unexpected turn in the prosecu- I have associated with him in a busi- C~~:;ission~r\Dan B~ Butler•.whpl WHA.~ DOF-S BL'TLER l\IEAN BY .. 'I.'AU,. I il m~ 1 FIRPO TO C'R.O"WD OF I tion of pel1ding government cases, ness and social way for many years. T~ ~ ~ospe has brought the police department I (iANG? Is it the oM Third WITH WR".EC'IIBtf'.".. I HERO 1i\'ORSHIPPERS Ithe affair.
    [Show full text]
  • Visual Metaphors on Album Covers: an Analysis Into Graphic Design's
    Visual Metaphors on Album Covers: An Analysis into Graphic Design’s Effectiveness at Conveying Music Genres by Vivian Le A THESIS submitted to Oregon State University Honors College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Honors Baccalaureate of Science in Accounting and Business Information Systems (Honors Scholar) Presented May 29, 2020 Commencement June 2020 AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Vivian Le for the degree of Honors Baccalaureate of Science in Accounting and Business Information Systems presented on May 29, 2020. Title: Visual Metaphors on Album Covers: An Analysis into Graphic Design’s Effectiveness at Conveying Music Genres. Abstract approved:_____________________________________________________ Ryann Reynolds-McIlnay The rise of digital streaming has largely impacted the way the average listener consumes music. Consequentially, while the role of album art has evolved to meet the changes in music technology, it is hard to measure the effect of digital streaming on modern album art. This research seeks to determine whether or not graphic design still plays a role in marketing information about the music, such as its genre, to the consumer. It does so through two studies: 1. A computer visual analysis that measures color dominance of an image, and 2. A mixed-design lab experiment with volunteer participants who attempt to assess the genre of a given album. Findings from the first study show that color scheme models created from album samples cannot be used to predict the genre of an album. Further findings from the second theory show that consumers pay a significant amount of attention to album covers, enough to be able to correctly assess the genre of an album most of the time.
    [Show full text]
  • White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack
    DOCUMENT RESUME ED 355 141 SO 022 802 AUTHOR Fil.r, Anna May, Comp. TITLE Multictlturalism, 1992. INSTITUTION New York State Council of Educational Associations. PUB DATE Oct 92 NOTE 246p. AVAILABLE FROMRobin Wheeler, 59 Cascade Terrace, Schenectady, NY 12309 ($10). PUB TYPE Collected Works General (020) Reports Descriptive (141) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC10 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Art Education; Elementary Secondary Education; *English (Second Language); History Instruction; *Mathematics Education; *Multicultural Education; *Science Education; Second Language Learning; *Social Studies; Units of Study IDENTIFIERS New York ABSTRACT This monograph, developed to enrich the literature on multiculturalism, includes 25 articles on the subject. The articles are:(1) "Multiculturalism and an Assessment of Its Critics: Key to an Understanding and Acceptance" (A.J. Williams-Myers);(2) "The New Demographics" (Charles G. Treadwell);(3) "'Multiple Perspectives' or Courting Ethnic Strife?" (Albert Shanker);(4) "Fieldwork and Folklife Studies: Them, Us, and If" (Beverly J. Robinson);(5) "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack" (Peggy McIntosh); (6) "Multiculturalism in Mathematics, Science, and Technology" (Gerry Madrazo, et al);(7) "Strategies for Implementing Multicultural Education" (Irene M. Lober; Kathryn Dunlop);(8) "Color Me" (James Hillestad);(9) "The Sociological, Psychological, and Pedagogical Implications of Multicultural Education" (Dolores M. Fernandez); (10) "Librarian-Teacher Partnerships: Serving the English asa Second Language Students"
    [Show full text]
  • Delhi-Oracle-19220300.Pdf (14.63Mb)
    a The State School Oracle Issued Monthly by Students of the Delhi School of Agriculture LELAND C. SHULTIS, Editor-in-Chief EDWARD MULLER, Assistant Editor PERCY SCHOONMAKER, Business Manager Vol. 2. DELHI, N. Y., MARCH, 1922. No. 6, Commencement Class Day Exercises Alumni Corner News We've come around to the close of PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS And now the winter . has almost another school year and soon we will Toastmaster, Members of the Fac- • gone. A few more stormy sessions be bidding our friends whom we have ulty, Fellow Students and Friends : and spring will again rule supreme. grown to think so much of a sad adieu. It is the pleasure and privilege of You know what that means? That It has been said and truly that the the class of 1922 to welcome you to the "Oracle" will be temporarily sus- friends one makes at school will al- our Class Day exercises. pended and the lash of necessity will ways remain more deeply set in your It is with gratitude that we note compel us to do something else. mind than any others. your interest in us at this time for Well and good, as long as we are we feel that we are passing through This year our school has been fa- alive, we'll have to work. No getting a very important crisis in our lives vored with a group of seniors who are away from it. The only way to help and are about to undergo a thrilling worthy of any honor D. A. S. can be- yourself out is to do your work cheer- experience, that of adjusting ourselves stow upon them.
    [Show full text]
  • Owning Music: from Publisher's Privilege to Composer's Copyright
    THE STRUGGLE FOR MUSIC COPYRIGHT Michael W. Carroll* I. INTRODUCTION ....................................908 II. METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK ......................913 III. THE STRUGGLE FOR COMPOSER’S COPYRIGHT IN ENGLAND ..920 A. Background to the Struggle ........................920 1. The Law ....................................921 a. Pre-Copyright .............................921 b. The Statute of Anne ........................922 2. Composers and Musicians ......................925 a. Artistic and Business Relations ................925 b. Publication and Copyright ....................929 3. Music Sellers and Publishing Music ..............930 B. The Struggle for Composer’s Copyright ..............935 1. Gay v. Read ..................................935 2. Geminiani v. Walsh ............................936 3. Arne v. Roberts and Johnson ....................937 4. Other Equity Actions ..........................940 5. Pyle v. Falkener ..............................941 C. Composer’s Copyright—Bach v. Longman ............942 1. Bach v. Longman .............................944 2. Publishers Embrace Copyright ...................946 D. Intellectual Themes from the Struggle ................948 1. Composers as Authors .........................949 2. Whether Musical Compositions Were Protected “Books” ....................................951 3. Public Domain ...............................954 IV. CONCLUSION ......................................956 A. The Progress Narrative in Copyright Law ............956 B. History and Contemporary Copyright ................957
    [Show full text]
  • Exploring White Privilege Among Adult Learners in the Historically White College and University Classroom
    EXPLORING WHITE PRIVILEGE AMONG ADULT LEARNERS IN THE HISTORICALLY WHITE COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY CLASSROOM by LINDA ELAINE LOGAN (Under the direction of RONALD M. CERVERO) ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to understand how adult learners experience white privilege in higher education classrooms. There were two research questions guiding this study: (1) how does the social position of adult learners affect their experience of white privilege in the classroom; and (2) what are the manifestations of white privilege in the classroom. This was a qualitative case study conducted during the spring 2002 semester at a historically White university. The cases consisted of two higher education classrooms. Twelve racially diverse adult learners and two instructors participated in the study. Data collection methods included semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. The study found that race, class, and gender affected how adult learners experienced white privilege in the classroom. First, White racialness privileged White adult learners and non-White racialness burdened adult learners of color in the classroom. Class was found to be empowering only to White adult learners who could claim higher social locations. When class intersected with race, White adult learners at the lower end of class claimed power from Whiteness. Adult learners of color from higher and lower social class locations drew on their class backgrounds to negotiate issues of race that operated in the classroom. A higher social class location was of no benefit in the classroom for non-White adult learners who could claim that status. The study found male gender and African American racialness of one of the instructors to be intimidating only among his White students in the study.
    [Show full text]
  • Social Privilege and International Volunteering
    Western Washington University Western CEDAR Scholars Week 2015 - Poster Presentations May 15th, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Social Privilege and International Volunteering Stephanie Sisson Western Washington University Follow this and additional works at: https://cedar.wwu.edu/scholwk Part of the Communication Commons, and the Higher Education Commons Sisson, Stephanie, "Social Privilege and International Volunteering" (2015). Scholars Week. 29. https://cedar.wwu.edu/scholwk/2015/Day_two/29 This Event is brought to you for free and open access by the Conferences and Events at Western CEDAR. It has been accepted for inclusion in Scholars Week by an authorized administrator of Western CEDAR. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Social Privilege and International Volunteerism By: Stephanie Sisson Advisor: Dr. Ee Lin Lee Intercultural Communication Definitions Theory, Method & Data Social Privilege: Conferred dominance and unearned advantage due to personal identities Analysis (McIntosh, 1988) Oppression: The actions of imposition and deprivation that allow social privilege to exist Ten semi-structured face-to-face Intersectionality: All identities reify each other and are non-hierarchal in significance interviews (Total running time: 11hrs. 15min.) - Institutionalized Social Privilege: Societal systems that create disparities in access to Participants: International service material, goods, and power learning students traveling to - Self-Mediated Social Privilege: The active oppression of others that is believed to be Cambodia
    [Show full text]