Exploring cultural privilege

Assignment Help Business Law and Ethics

Reference no: EM133989821

Assignment:

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

Can you think of other "background privileges" that come to whites because of their skin color? (McIntosh's list contains forty-six items.)
Why are whites seldom aware that they carry an "invisible knapsack"?

Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack: Exploring Cultural Privilege

Overt racism in the United States has dropped sharply, but doors still open and close on the basis of the color of our skin. Whites have a difficult time grasping the idea that good things come their way because they are white. They usually fail to perceive how "whiteness" operates in their own lives.

Sociologist Peggy McIntosh, of Irish descent, began to wonder why she was so seldom aware of her race-ethnicity, while her African American friends were so conscious of theirs. She realized that people are not highly aware of things that they take for granted-and that "whiteness" is a "taken-for-granted" background assumption of U.S. society. (You might want to review Figure 9.1.) To explore this, she drew up a list of taken-for-granted privileges that come with her "whiteness," what she calls her "invisible knapsack." Because she is white, McIntosh (1988) says:

When I go shopping, store detectives don't follow me.
If I don't do well as a leader, I can be sure people won't say that it is because of my race.
When I watch television or look at the front page of the paper, I see people of my race presented positively.
When I study our national heritage, I see people of my color and am taught that they made our country great.
To protect my children, I do not have to teach them to be aware of racism.
I can talk with my mouth full and not have people put this down to my color.
I can speak at a public meeting without putting my race on trial.
I can achieve something and not be "a credit to my race."
If a traffic cop pulls me over, I can be sure that it isn't because I'm white.
I can be late to a meeting without people thinking I was late because "That's how they are."

Reference no: EM133989821

Questions Cloud

How was social class and prejudice demonstrated : How did you notice the power of money being displayed? How was social class and prejudice demonstrated?

What period of unpaid time off each year to provide care : The Family Medical Leave Act allows eligible employees to take up to what period of unpaid time off each year to provide care for a child, spouse, or parent?

Why do most people infrequently violate norms : "Why do most people conform to social norms, or, asked a different way, why do most people infrequently violate norms?"

How can a manager ensure that they are implementing : How can a manager ensure that they are implementing all of the requirements for an effective performance appraisal system?

Exploring cultural privilege : Can you think of other "background privileges" that come to whites because of their skin color? (McIntosh's list contains forty-six items.)

What supervisory style do you prefer : Identify the 2 steps of creating a Learning Contract that you feel are the most important steps. Why? What supervisory style do you prefer?

Concept of person-environment transactions : Explain the concept of person-environment transactions, making at least one link to the core course material when describing this concept.

What concrete strategies could organizations implement : What concrete strategies could organizations implement to audit and correct biases in digital recruitment processes, ensuring diversity and inclusion in hiring?

Why did the most painful and shocking event of his life : Why did the author call the incident he relates "the most painful and shocking event" of his life? Discuss why it was so painful.

User Account

All Pages