aop

709 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Oppression and discrimination

The purpose of this essay is to critically analyse the above statement. Firstly, the essay will clarify the distinction between anti-discriminatory practice and anti-oppressive practice and argue whether anti-oppressive is a key principle of youth work. Secondly, the essay will explore how oppression can exist through the use of language and media discourse. Using Thompson’s (1997), Personal, Cultural and Structural (PCS) model the essay critically analyses oppression and then discuss how this analysis is important to practice. Thirdly, the essay will then discuss power differences and inequality in conjunction with other forms of oppressions such as class, gender and race.
The terms ‘anti-discriminatory practice’ and ‘anti-oppressive practice’ are often used interchangeably but they have different meanings. Jary and Jary suggest that discrimination can be defined as a process by which an individual or group of people are treated differently or unfairly (2000, p 157). Discrimination can be positive or negative. An example of negative discrimination would be a person being refused to be served in a shop because of their race, gender or sexual orientation. The result of this experience, then becomes the basis of oppression, which can be defined as ‘Inhuman or degrading treatment of individuals or groups; hardship and injustice brought about by the dominance of one group over another’ (Thompson, 1993, p 31). Therefore, anti-oppressive practice allows practitioners to minimize oppression by understanding how their personal values and beliefs may affect their practice.

Chouhan (2009) claims that anti-oppressive practice is a key principle of youth work, however, it has often been criticized for being too narrow. Humphries argues that...

... middle of paper ...

...d try to understand the personal factors that might influence young people’s behaviour.

The power differences and inequality present at personal, cultural and structural levels will now be discussed. Discrimination, oppression and power are closely related because the least powerful and privileged groups of people such as Black, Asian and some ethnic minorities are treated differently. Weber (1963) defines power as ‘the chance of a man, or a number of men to realize their own will in communal action, even against the resistance of others’ (cited in Haralambos and Holborn, 1995, p 501). In other words, power is an opportunity for a person to do what they like despite of others wishes. One the other hand, Lukes (1974) suggests that power can also be defined as the ability of a person to exercise his/hers power over another person (cited in Cox et al., 1985 p 32).

Show More
Related

  • An Analysis Of Miguel Ruiz's Four Agreements

    1968 Words  | 4 Pages

    The youth work relationship is generally more informal than those that young people have with other adults. Unlike in many other relationships young people encounter, youth workers provide opportunities for them to exercise a high level of power and control. This accountability and openness enables young people to trust the workers to be honest and reliable. Just as Ruiz (2012) extolls authenticity, the success of youth work depends on the genuine openness and transparency of the youth worker (Henry et al.

    Read More

  • Forced Labor in "King Leopold’s Ghost"

    1342 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sociology 1010. York University. 11 January 2010 Landstreet, Peter. A. The “Power and Power Relations Lecture”.

    Read More

  • Paradoxes of Power in Sociological Insight by Randall Collins

    857 Words  | 2 Pages

    humanity in spite of social classifications, by elucidating the fact that power is something that can

    Read More

  • Essay On Race And Biopower

    1217 Words  | 3 Pages

    For at least three decades race, gender and biopower have all been linked together. The three terms used, are frameworks installed by governments to manage the population by categorizing, regulating and controlling its subjects. Race, gender and biopower are intertwined to illuminate the treatment of the minority for centuries. The mistreatment, discrimination and suffering experienced by the minorities throughout history is evident in the texts provided.

    Read More

  • Social Inequality in The Year of the Flood and The Cat’s Table

    1184 Words  | 3 Pages

    Socail inequality is a problem that not only happens in one setting, but also is prevalent everywhere around the world. The Year of the Flood and The Cat’s Table are an example of two very different settings but have the same concurring issue of social class inequality with abuse of power, corruption, abuse of privilege, and the motivation to keep social status. Power is a tool that we must use delicately because it can be used in evil and unjust ways to create problems in our society.

    Read More

  • Diversity and Inequality in the USA

    875 Words  | 2 Pages

    There are two groups of people, those that belong to the dominant group and those that belong to the subordinate group. Placement of this group can either be temporary or permanent depending on the social context. Temporary Inequality mainly takes into consideration status or power, defined as the relationship of dominance with age or profession. The superior in this case has the quality to impart on the lesser party. The lesser party however retains equal worth as the superior party and equality is developed between both parties. While Permanent Inequality is ALL about status and power. In this group there is firm difference between the worth of the dominant group and the subordinate groups. Dominants groups play their part by influencing and promoting negative associations with the subordinates. Dominant label subordinates as ineffective or incapable as a way to justify barring opportunities for all people. In some cases subordinates will respond to this with internalized oppression. In a system like this subordinates often develop skills and adapt to the ways of the dominant groups, often learning more about the dominant class than vice versa. Even though, many experts in the fields of “subordinate groups” derive from the dominant groups.

    Read More

  • The Intersections Of Race, Class And Gender In The Anti-Racist Discourse Analysis

    1379 Words  | 3 Pages

    With this understanding it can be acknowledged that one can be an oppressor at one point in time but be oppressed at another. These roles are constantly changing based on a variety of factors. Integrative anti-racism allows a better understanding these social oppressions. The author argues that in order for oppression to be vitally explored, the factors that create oppression must be realized. Oppression gives material advantage to the oppressor. "All social relations have material

    Read More

  • Race, Gender, Class And Oppression Throughout History

    2530 Words  | 6 Pages

    Discrimination based on race, gender, class, and culture has been reoccurring since the beginning stages of mankind. Discrimination can derive from several different factors, whether sexual identity, race, gender, social-class as this paper demonstrated. The purpose of the paper was to discuss how discrimination was locked to institutional power between 1600s and 1990s, but even today discrimination is very prevalent and will continue to be, as the criminal justice system and the war on drugs acts as a form of discrimination towards people of color. Discrimination based on race, sexual ideologies and practices, and social class seem to still be very prevalent, while discrimination based on gender seems to have left the publics view.

    Read More

  • Race And Race: The Preconceptions Of Race

    893 Words  | 2 Pages

    Especially here in the United States, but also in other countries around the world, certain races are placed in social hierarchies, creating inequality for accessible treatment and opportunities for one race over another. In the “Boat Game,” we learned first-hand that identities, ranking, and positions of power are not natural, although they appear to be; the social categories are socially constructed and are not permanent (Palaita,

    Read More

  • Neil Thompson Pcs Model Summary

    983 Words  | 2 Pages

    Many authors have examined the nature of discrimination and ties between oppression and discrimination, I plan to utilise Neil Thompson’s PCS model, this model is frequently used through social work and services. Thompson looks at discrimination as originating from the interplay of actions and values at the personal level of our feelings and thoughts of our own, which are largely inclined

    Read More

  • Effects Of Segregation And Social Mobility

    971 Words  | 2 Pages

    Have you ever wanted a nice house or ability to do something you can’t do or couldn’t do before? According to studies and actions, race, power, and privilege prove to be a big part of people’s relationships with each other and their institutions about others. These can explain the reason why segregation exists among people and how it affects us all. It also may affect institutions, or organizations for a purpose. Power and privilege does shape the relationships people have with each other as well as institutions because segregation is increasing, segregation hurts social mobility, and it creates stereotypes among people.

    Read More

  • What Is Civic Power?

    947 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the video Eric breaks it down for viewers for us to see how power is perceived and structured. At the beginning of the film Liu illustrates how power resides in the people. He goes on to say that those who really have power then turn evil because people may perceive it distinctively. Democracies and dictatorships show the contrast in how power is perceived and understood contrarily based on how it is defined in their civic life. His definition of power is essential in this video because it identifies the importance that it has on people and their abilities compared to others. I identified our class concept during this part of the video because people may have different perceptions of power and interpret it in a different manner. When organizing what we perceive we think about the stereotypes that are given to those with power, and those without it. We make generalizations upon these stereotypes. We also create personal constructs upon people we encounter who have more power because of the judgments that are constructed. Interacting distinctively with those of lesser, or higher power, is a norm for people who interpret the definition of

    Read More

  • Intersectionality Reflection Paper

    758 Words  | 2 Pages

    I was aware of these oppressions and have often times struggled with what I can do individually to work towards alleviating these oppressions. The Next Steps portion of the chapter on racism really outlined methods of actions that could be applied to all forms of oppression. One method entitled “FLEXing Cross- cultural Communications,” outlines productive communication, depersonalization, and open- mindedness when it comes to understanding and practicing competency. This model serves as a tool to motivate action to those form other cultures in ways that in the end everyone can

    Read More

  • Compare and Contrast of the Three Faces of Power

    1832 Words  | 4 Pages

    Some theorists believe that ‘power is everywhere: not because it embraces everything, but because it comes from everywhere… power is not an institution, nor a structure, nor possession. It is the name we give to a complex strategic situation in a particular society. (Foucault, 1990: 93) This is because power is present in each individual and in every relationship. It is defined as the ability of a group to get another group to take some form of desired action, usually by consensual power and sometimes by force. (Holmes, Hughes &Julian, 2007) There have been a number of differing views on ‘power over’ the many years in which it has been studied. Theorist such as Anthony Gidden in his works on structuration theory attempts to integrate basic structural analyses and agency-centred traditions. According to this, people are free to act, but they must also use and replicate fundamental structures of power by and through their own actions. Power is wielded and maintained by how one ‘makes a difference’ and based on their decisions and actions, if one fails to exercise power, that is to ‘make a difference’ then power is lost. (Giddens: 1984: 14) However, more recent theorists have revisited older conceptions including the power one has over another and within the decision-making processes, and power, as the ability to set specific, wanted agendas. To put it simply, power is the ability to get others to do something they wouldn’t otherwise do. In the political arena, therefore, power is the ability to make or influence decisions that other people are bound by.

    Read More

  • Islamaphobia Essay

    1246 Words  | 3 Pages

    Discrimination leads to a range of different mistreatments from feeling humiliated by another to depression, depending on the ways in which the individual responds. Having any sort of negative type behaviour towards the targeted individual, or even a group of people on either their race, or religion is seen as discrimination towards that specific group. The experience of such discrimination can be stressful, and also reduce a person’s sense of control. Having constant experience on discrimination can have major and negative impacts to the quality of an individual’s life. Racial and ethnic minorities are most likely to receive more discrimination against their groups than other groups, e.g. the Middle East (Todd 2012).

    Read More

More about aop

Open Document