4-A-3+Group+B

=Home > Activity 4-A-3: White Privilege > Group B=

Instructions:

 * 1) Click the **Edit** tab in the upper-right corner.
 * 2) Use the Summary area below to collaborate with your group to create your summary of the connections between white privilege, the colorblind perspective, and social dominance theory.
 * 3) Press **Save** on the Editor bar.

You don't need to sign your work or indicate which sections you contributed; your facilitator can see your contributions in the history of the page. Your group summary should demonstrate your collaboration rather than being a collection of unconnected individual ideas. When your group decides that the summary is finished, have one group member remove "(Draft)" below so your facilitator will know that it is ready for review.
 * Note:**

Summary

 * Six white privileges identified with.**

//3. I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasant to me.//

I identify with this privilege because I never thought about it when my wife and I moved into our house several years ago. We were welcomed into our new suburban type neighborhood with open arms. Buying a house is supposed to be a joyous and exciting time. I can’t image it being tarnished by neighbors who would blatantly be negative towards my arrival.

//6. When I am told about our national heritage or about “civilization,” I am shown that people of my color made it what it is.//

I identify with this privilege because every history textbook I remember from my education was from the white, male perspective. Contributions by women and minorities were occasionally listed in a small paragraph in the corner of the text. They seemed to be placed there as an afterthought, devaluing their meaning to the formation of our country. When these contributions are brushed of by the textbook, it just perpetuates myths and stereotypes.

//4. I can so shopping without being followed or harassed.//

I have never felt like I was being watched or followed in a store in my life. Most stores probably have cameras now and are looking at everyone, but nobody has singled me out while I was shopping. I couldn't imagine trying to handle my business with something like that happening. Maybe that's why poor people tend to shop at local convenience stores without fresh foods instead of making the trip to a nice grocery store.

//7. I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to the existence of their race.//

I know that my white child has no problem with what she is learning in school and does really well on all of the standardized tests she is given. Textbooks and tests are developed with middle-class children in mind, not those from poor backgrounds or from another culture. They may not understand all of the vocabulary that is used and it can't be explained to them during testing, which puts them at a disadvantage.

//12. I can swear, or dress in second hand clothes, or not answer letters, without having people attribute these choices to the bad morals, the poverty, or the illiteracy of my race.//

Perhaps this is just based on where I live, but I disagree with McIntosh’s point. Given the times and the hardships everyone is facing, there are plenty of people struggling to get by day to day. People who have good morals can easily wear clothes from a yard sale or wait until their next pay day to get the bills paid. Times are tough for everyone, not just minority groups.

//20. I can easily buy posters, post-cards, picture books, greeting cards, dolls, toys, and childrens books featuring people of my race.//

I think that the market has come a long way since I was a child. While shopping with my son this morning, I took a look around. With the exception of post cards, we found all of the items in a variety of races. Mostly though, white, Hispanic, and African American. Toys and children’s books have especially seen an increase since I was young. So many of the pop culture icons of childhood are multicultural. In our house, Dora and Diego, Lil Bill, and Kai Lan are on the TV all the time. Thirty years ago, there were very few, if any, multi-cultural characters.


 * Individual explanations of the connection between white privilege, the colorblind perspective and social dominance theory.**

I see a connection between white privilege and the colorblind perspective for sure. I can see how a white person, who has always seen the world from a white perspective would think being colorblind was ideal. Nobody has to understand white culture because it is everywhere and people already understand it for the most part. We don't want anyone to judge us, so we think in doing this we aren't judging them. However, by not understanding about background of those with color, we aren't seeing what they are bringing to the table in regards to culture and experience. We are slighting ourselves and those minorities who are trying to be seen and heard. The social dominance theory goes along with that. If someone is seen as dominant, even if they don't feel like they are, are they really going to argue. I suppose white people have just gone along with it because, let's face it, everyone wants to be seen as the best and in a positive light by others. I feel that this will eventually come to an end because white people won't necessarily be the majority much longer and more and more families are becoming mixed race.

The concepts of colorblindness, white privilege and social dominance theory, easily blend together. Gary Howard states that the idea of social dominance emphasizes the social arrangements of positionality and dominance have favored white people. The social hierarchy has created a culture of white dominance so great that many of the white privileges Peggy McIntosh listed I have never thought of. In addition, the idea of colorblindness just perpetuates white dominance because when we think of everyone as the same we naturally think in terms of our own culture. The only way to change that is to embrace cultures different from ours in order to learn about the differences in ways a group thinks and acts. This understanding can create acknowledgement and respect for cultures different from our own.

There are definite connections between the three theories. Many of the concepts presented in White Privilege are not as apparent as they were even fifty years ago. As times have changed, so has the outlook that whites are always right. Be it a speeding ticket, showing an id card, or being questioned over the method of payment being used in a store, skin color is not as big a factor in the situation as it once had been. In some cases, given the influx of multiracial families moving into once only white communities, white is becoming the new minority.


 * Group summary of the connection between white privilege, the colorblind perspective and social dominance theory.**

There are several connections between white privilege, the colorblind perspective and social dominance theory. Social dominance theory states the basic assumptions that are present in our society which lead to it become and maintain a white dominance. The white privileges stated by Peggy McIntosh listed the benefits that have been enjoyed by the dominant group both knowingly and unknowingly over the years. The colorblind perspective has been the dominant group’s altruistic but misguided response to correct the problem.

Over the course of time, we as a society are making gradual progress at changing the current social dominance of the white society. Through shared experiences among different cultures and education, we have recognized the challenges our society faces and methods to bring them together.