A Breakthrough in the Field of Racial Issues - Research Paper Example

Running head: REFLECTION PAPER ON PEGGY MCINTOSH Reflection paper on Peggy McIntosh “White Privilege and Male Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” [Author’s Name] [University] Abstract The paper reflects a writer’s personal ideas about the article by Peggy McIntosh “White Privilege and Male Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack”. The article is positioned as a perfect basis for racial bias discussion. Moreover, with regards to external sources (e.g. per-reviewed journal articles), a personal ideas on racial bias is expressed further on. Reflection paper on Peggy McIntosh “White Privilege and Male Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” Introduction The article by Peggy McIntosh “White Privilege and Male Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” (1988) provides the readers with a fruitful background for further consideration about anti-racial issues in America. The author chooses an interesting form of White people basic privileges summing up. It is a list of 24 points of white people’s privileges in the society. Actually, in the initial form of the essay, there were 54 points found. In such a way, McIntosh underlines invisible and subconscious principles of white people, which make their live easier. These people put no efforts, but color of their skin is able to do everything for them. Moreover, the author claims that these privileges are invented in the society and are obtruded on other people by the society. There is no such kind of privileges in the reality. Thesis: “White privilege” should be reconceptualized in the modern global society. Currently, diversity issues are natural and it is better to focus on social interactions among people with various self-identities and not among people of different race-based identities. The reconceptualized “white privilege” There is no doubt that this article is a perfect source for further discussion of racism. It is interesting, that McIntosh positions white people as unaware of their privileges and thus she is not an antagonist of white people discrimination against black people. It is necessary to understand that there is no individual’s fault in his privileged positioning above other people of color. Thus, we can draw parallels between McIntosh suggestions and phenomenological field theory. In accordance with social group development theories, it is relevant to consider main characteristic of a group (Hays et al, 2004). A group of people is “a unified interactive whole”. Dynamics of a social group implies interaction in space and time and every member of a group is able to influence on other members and their ideas about different phenomena. It is more appropriate to correlate McIntosh definitions of white people privileges with the main characteristics of core group: members of a group fulfill are positioned as embodiment of power, drive and energy and members of other groups must fulfill their needs and desires; individual’s power is extended within a core group; members of core group define what things are right to do and what things are not good (Hays et al, 2008). In these terms, white people belong to a core group and very often their actions are predicted to be successful. Seorgivanni (1999) has mentioned a core group privilege in his book “Building Community in Schools” (as it was mentioned by Kollman, 2009). In accordance with Seorgivanni’s claim, a core group intends to separate from other social groups in the name of their privileges and easier way of living. The same characteristics may be applied for a male group. This group has been perceived as a leading social group for years. Consequently, the members of this group have the same underpinnings for further success, as representatives of white group. A group, in accordance with McIntosh and with regards to external sources, is an influential organism, able to create a system of privileges for members, who are perceived to be the strongest ones. The system of the society has been recently marked up by misinterpretation of human dominance/privilege of one social layers over others and in the result of it, a social system deviance occurred. Kollman (2009) has underlined modern accents in the field of racial dominance of white people in the following terms: “Yet as a social construct, race operates in all sorts of social contexts, so that race is "neither fiction nor fixed." Recognizing the problematic history behind the notion of race, as well as its socially constructed nature, in this article I join others in using terms like "racialism," "race-thinking," "race-making," "race construction," or "racialization" to foreground the social processes by which race-based identities operate despite races dubious nature” (Kollman, 2009). Consequently, it is time to overcome race-based identities. It is a way to harmonious society with no social or racial prejudices. In other words, once social system is changed, changes in racial prejudices filed would occur for sure. Race-based identities are not beneficial for social interaction of different groups, it is more important to put up with “the action of a person with the ignorance bliss of unconsciously (or deniably) unearned privilege is a kind of action that oppresses others” (McIntosh). Under conditions of group dynamics, it is relevant for a social group to realize the importance of each member of a group well-being in spite of his/her gender/race identity. In order to protect representatives of a core group of white people or male group, their privileges can be compared with an accumulated burden they are obliged to follow. Actually, their privileges are obtruded and involuntarily and the members of the society should remember of this fact and avoid accusing these groups of their social dominance. Let us conclude that the authors of the theory of white privilege were African Americans. As Kollman (2009) puts it, “…conscious of their own oft-perceived stigmatization as black, they recognize how being considered white in the United States has meant certain advantages, often through not having to be conscious of belonging to a race at all. Thus the phenomenon of white privilege does not depend on overt white supremacy or obvious racism encoded in laws” (Kollman, 2009). Moreover, we can see that currently white people are more tolerant to people of color. If to be more ethically correct, it is better not to use such terms as “tolerance” or “patience” in relation to people of color. There is no need of it. It is better to focus on self-identities of white and black people and not on their race. Racial prejudiced have gone with the wind. To my mind, we live in a new epoch and there are no need to halt prejudiced social interaction between different people, either if they have different color of skin, are representatives of different gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs and so on. It is not my personal belief, I think that globalized society is a diverse social interaction background, which has various colors and accents and there are no limits preventing favorable human interaction. Conclusion Nowadays, it is better to talk not about tolerance, pity or patience, but about multi-faceted individuals, whose morals and knowledge have gone far beyond centennial backward ideas and beliefs. Therefore, on the one hand, the article by McIntosh has been considered as a breakthrough in the field of racial issues. Currently, there is no need to focus on racial/sexual/religious/gender or any other similarities or differences among individuals. We live under conditions of globalization and our society has a perfect chance to reconeptualize the issues of race, “white/male privilege”. To put it simply, it is better to interact with other people referring to their professional or personal qualities and not on their racial or any other kind of identity. Works cited 1. Ashmore, S. Y. (2006). Throwing off the Cloak of Privilege: White Southern Women Activists in the Civil Rights Era. Journal of Southern History, 72(1), 233+. Retrieved September 22, 2011, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5014038003 2. Hays, D. G., Chang, C. Y., & Dean, J. K. (2004). White Counselors Conceptualization of Privilege and Oppression: Implications for Counselor Training. Counselor Education and Supervision, 43(4), 242+. Retrieved September 22, 2011, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5011502736 3. Hays, D. G., Chang, C. Y., & Havice, P. (2008). White Racial Identity Statuses as Predictors of White Privilege Awareness. Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education and Development, 47(2), 234+. Retrieved September 22, 2011, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5041954662 4. Kollman, P. V. (2009). Mission Ad Gentes and the Perils of Racial Privilege.Theological Studies, 70(4), 904+. Retrieved September 22, 2011, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5041966511 5. McIntosh, Peggy. (1988). “White Privilege and Male Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” Read More