PREVIEW
What do you think of when you hear the word ‘oppression’?
Oppression is mistreatment that enforces and reinforces privilege and disadvantages based on group membership. Oppression is based on the belief that the majority group is better than minority groups. Oppression can be intentional or unintentional. It may exist on the individual, institutional or cultural level. Individual oppression often involves prejudiced behaviours and actions against members of a minority group. Individual oppression affects interpersonal and intergroup interactions and relationships.
Institutional oppression often involves laws and policies that institutions follow. The effects of institutional oppression are widespread and large-scale and shape how the society is structured.
Cultural oppression often involves art, media and education that reflect and promote prejudiced stories and images. The effects of cultural oppression are the justification and normalisation of individual and institutional oppression.
These levels of oppression are interrelated and they also strengthen each other. Oppression begins with a belief or ideology that the majority group is better than minority groups. The majority group then institutionalises this oppression and uses culture to justify it. People grow up in a society with institutional oppression and cultural oppression surrounding them. Their thinking and behaviour are then likely shaped by these two levels of oppression.
Members of the majority group may be privileged as a result of these two levels of oppression. This might lead them to consciously or unconsciously support the belief or ideology that underpins the oppression.
Members of minority groups are negatively affected by all three levels of oppression. Over time, this might lead them to internalise the belief or ideology that underpins the oppression. Internalisation means that they adopt or absorb this belief as their own. This can have negative effects on their self-esteem.
REFLECTION/DISCUSSION
Have you ever seen, heard about or experienced oppression? Was this a form of individual oppression, institutional oppression or cultural oppression? What were the effects of this oppression?
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