Models of Discrimination, Power and Oppression - Coursework Example

MODELS OF DISCRIMINATION, POWER AND OPPRESSION by Introduction Quite often, we are made to believe that we live in a society where we are all equal. This is nevertheless a theoretical way of viewing things. In actual sense, there exists a big distinction within the society where the disparity is measured by things such as age, sexuality, race, earnings and most evidently, gender. The three most significant divisions in society are race, class and gender. However, other subdivisions such as an individuals sexual orientation, their age or health also play a part in defining society. In light of these disparities, society tends to marginalize and oppress certain individuals as it defines them with regard to their roles in society hence opportunities and power attributes are based on how society defines them. This tendency is extended to the cultural levels of society and is ultimately considered the "norm." Evidently, todays society is inclined to perceive healthy, heterosexual white males from the middle class as "superior" hence they are more likely to occupy positions of power in society and with it obtain the monetary affluence and rewards that come along with it. Top ranking positions in the military and financial institutions as well as in politics are likely to be held by individuals in this category mostly through bias and not objectively. In this regard, any other group of individuals outside this category will automatically command lesser influence and power in society (James 2013). Despite the fact that individuals are born with intrinsic differences, the societal structures that they have created are responsible for defining their lives and the division of power hence influencing the potential growth of individuals abilities. Individually, the general concepts and values set by societys cultural norms influence individual actions, thoughts, and feelings. Regrettably, discrimination is a vice that is widely accepted in society as the "norm". It is used to distinguish particular categories of people, which often leads to unequal and unjust treatment of people. It is done following an apparent social pattern of age, class, sexual orientation, gender among other considerations. Habitual discrimination often leads to oppression that is the cruel and demeaning treatment of other people or groups of people where one group is dominant over another (Pandit 2002). It involves the exercise of power over others with total disregard to their rights and denying them of their citizenship. The PCS Model The author Neil Thompson tries to shed a clearer picture in figuring out the various levels of oppression and discrimination and with it device an anti- discriminatory method by introducing the PCS model. He contends that there are three stages of the model experiencing close relation. In his explanation, Thompson refers to "P" in PCS as the psychological and personal attribute of this model. In it are contained an individuals personal feelings including their thoughts and actions. Also with reference to "P" are the unfair practices that create obstinacy leading to unfair and biased practices. "C" in PCS is viewed as the cultural level by which individuals think, see and do things. It refers to the common manner in which individuals base their values and what they deem to be the right and normal way of behaving (Hillock 2012). It instills compliance to social norms with humorist acts serving as the driving force in strengthening this culture. The "S" in PCS denotes the structural levels that define the distinctions in the social networks. It highlights the manner in which discrimination and oppression are woven into society and made to seem acceptable. More so, the “S” in PCS denotes the broader levels of the socio-political aspect of influence and power. On a personal level, the PCS relates to how an individuals emotions and thoughts are manifested and the resultant action that might be inclined to oppress unfairly another individual. Prejudice is the term used to describe discrimination when it occurs on a personal level. It is in prejudice that a person judges another individual and adamantly declines to change or consider his or her perception of the other person even when the evidence clearly challenges that perception or judgment. Prejudice is often of a stereotypical nature with regard to the social standing of a particular person that includes their ethnicity, class or gender. Nevertheless, in explaining gender oppression on a personal level, a clearer understanding should be taken on a wider basis considering the fact that other contributory factors like the surrounding environment and culture are totally ignored. What is mostly considered on a personal level kind of oppression is the role played by the individual in light of the gender oppression and can often be snubbed if it is deemed unintentional instead of trying to understand how their mindsets have enabled it becomes internalized. Additionally, the personal level does not distinguish the effects of oppression or discrimination of a person since the distinctions may vary while others may match up. Conversely, on the cultural level a persons actions, a particular group sees values as well as beliefs as a fixation of a particular pattern. A person may see themselves confined to a particular culture and unconditionally accept the values and social norms dictated by that culture without seeing the apparent cultural distinctions where an individual perceives a particular culture as more inferior than another sees. Thompsons PCS model is imperative in comprehending gender oppression that is internalized since culture is in a way a location of discrimination. For instance, where racism sees one particular culture as inferior to the other, similarly, sexism views one gender as more inferior than the other. The resultant oppression, therefore, is a societal construction of the unfair treatment of a gender. In this regard, the cultural levels acknowledge the importance of multiplicity and distinctions and is not constricted to an individualistic perspective alone. Such a multifaceted view would allow men to understand sexism in a broader manner and even contribute to anti-sexism because of viewing the world from a womans perspective. Therefore, internalized gender oppression stems from viewing life from a male perspective and disregarding the need to appreciate the other genders views. The same applies to politics and economic affairs where male dominance results in an uneven allocation of wealth and increased poverty on the part of women creating a discernible division in the social order. Power, Discrimination and Oppression Discrimination merely involves identifying variations that can be negative or positive; nonetheless, negative discrimination comprises identification of differences in addition to following it up with a negative attribute ultimately ascribing a detrimental or undesirable tag or inference to the person or the group in question. It, therefore, signifies that a group or persons are being subjected to discrimination after a clear social trend has been identified, a social trend involving class, age, gender, sexual orientation or race (Federici 2006). When there is an occurrence of such negative discrimination, the outcome is that it manifests into the oppression that can sometimes be defined as humiliating and debasing treatment or inhuman. Additionally, hardships can be experienced by the group subjected to discrimination, which can manifest into injustices exercised by the dominant group over the subjugated individuals. Many times, oppression comprises the disregard of basic human rights of persons or a group and is, therefore, a repudiation of ones citizenship. Discrimination is a primary causal element related to oppression. That is to say, an essential cause of oppression is the set of procedures through which particular societal groups are disadvantaged through being discriminated against. Every human being was born equal and free in rights and in dignity. These are the initial few words that are found in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that was instituted about six decades ago. However today, the war against discrimination continues to be an everyday struggle for many individuals around the world. Beginning on the Human Rights Day and progressing all through the year 2010, the United Nations human rights office has put a lot of emphasis on discrimination. The UN has since its inception appropriated as one of its primary objective the reaffirmation of faith in basic human rights, in the human person dignity and self-worth, devoid of any distinction of gender, sexual orientation, religion or colour (Hillock 2012). For many individuals around the world, the fight to extract themselves from circumstances involving discrimination at virtually every turn in their day-to-day living is an unattainable desire. Unfortunately, as has been witnessed in the past two decades, ethnic cleansing policies in Africa and other parts of the world in addition to genocide and other policies geared towards discriminating other people have resulted in much destruction, loss of life, property and development of refugee camps as a result of people fleeing from such atrocities. Discrimination and Oppression against Women Equality of all gender is vital for the attainment of basic human rights for everyone. However, discriminatory policies and law enactments that oppress and discriminate against women persist in all corners of the world. In numerous legal customs, many laws that legalize lower social status for the girl child and women continue to be enacted. These laws touch on marital rights and freedoms within the institution of marriage, property ownership, education, nationality, freedoms of expression and rights for the employed, inheritance and many other areas. These types of discriminatory tendencies against women continue to contradict women empowerment drives. Around the world, women make up the most of the globes poorest individuals and the total number of women residing in rural areas living below the poverty line has gone up by approximately 50% since the year 1980. Statistical figures reveal that women occupy two-thirds of the global working hours and generate more than a half of the global food production, nonetheless, they only get approximately 15% of the global earnings and they possess less than 2% of the global assets. Wide-scale violence prevails around the world, and most is directed towards women, in all cultures of the world. In that regard, discrimination also extends to the judiciary as womens access to justice is many times matched with prejudiced hindrances, both in law and in practice. Several forms of discrimination built on gender and other dynamics such as HIV infection, color, disability, ethnicity, sexual orientation or caste further complicates the possibilities of hardships related to finances, violence and exclusion perpetuated against women. In Saudi Arabia, women unlike men, have to dress up in a certain way, they are not allowed to dress, as they like. They are additionally not allowed to drive vehicles or work at night (Foundation 2015). Some laws in that country additionally prohibit women from inheriting property or substantiating allegations in court. In other Arabic countries such as Iran, women are not allowed to divorce their husbands and remarry. They are also not permitted to marry again in cases of early forced marriages, therefore giving consent for sexual discrimination. These laws are explicitly requiring the women to "obey" their husbands continue to rule marital relationships in many countries. Faiza Rehema Hadassah is a refugee from Syria, having escaped the nation because of the societal discrimination witnessed in the recent past. Having crossed over the border to Iraq where she sought refuge from ISIS, Hadassah gives an account of the living conditions that women are subjected to in Syria. Giving her account to Reuters, Faiza explains about the discrimination and oppression women undergo in the hands of the Islamic State fighters, who intend on making the whole world an Islamic State. "Women are treated unfairly, never allowed to go outside the house unless going for Salaah (prayer)," she says. "My sister and I were forced to sleep in the same bed with the same man, and we were never allowed to complain or question the men in any way." Women in Saudi Arabia are additionally not allowed to participate in sports. The magnitude of discriminatory actions directed towards the women in these parts of the world is enormous. Discrimination and Oppression against Gay Men Deeply rooted trans phobic and homophobic practices, frequently mixed with the absence of sufficient protection from the law against discrimination on the basis of sexual alignment and the gender profiling uncover many gay individuals in the society to egregious abuses of their civil liberties. These individuals are discriminated against in all aspects of the society; in schools, social places such as bars and nightclubs, in hospitals, churches, even in their own families. Gay individuals are additionally distinguished for physical aggression – roughed up, beaten, assaulted and sometimes beaten to death by members of the public. In many nations, rulings against cross-dressing are applied to castigate transgender individuals basing their actions on the gender identity and mien. In many Middle East and African countries, discriminating laws and regulations outlaw secretive, consented same-sex marriages and relationships, unmasking these people to possible incarceration, and mistreatment. Some nations that practice Islam as the national religion stone gay individuals to death while others are handed extended jail terms and death sentences. Relating to the PCS model, members of the gay community may be discriminated against on the tree levels of the model. On the psychological level, gay members may suffer from discrimination where people working in the social places may make bellicose and disparaging remarks in regard to gay individuals attending the social place. Comments such as gay individuals are abnormal may fit well into this context. On the cultural level, the community such as the church may have strong negative views about gay people, holding firm non-compromising views in regard to sexual morals (Sanchez 2015). The structural level may feature the local media brandishing gay individuals as outcasts. Other structures in the society include the enactment of laws that discriminate against gay people by the legislature, and the reluctance of the judicial system to protect them adequately and efficiently. Bibliography Federici, S. (2006). Women, Gender Oppression, and Science. Science & Society, 70(4), pp.550-555. Foundation, T. (2015). cb1f21c7-7d98-4ea3-903f-c5de10e41700. [online] Trust.org. Available at: http://www.trust.org/item/?map=saudi-arabia-takes-tiny-steps-on-womens-rights [Accessed 11 Jun. 2015]. Hillock, S. (2012). Conceptualizations and Experiences of Oppression: Gender Differences. Affilia, 27(1), pp.38-50. James, R. (2013). Oppression, Privilege, & Aesthetics: The Use of the Aesthetic in Theories of Race, Gender, and Sexuality, and the Role of Race, Gender, and Sexuality in Philosophical Aesthetics. Philosophy Compass, 8(2), pp.101-116. Pandit, S. (2002). Women and Oppression in South Africa. Journal of Gender Studies, 11(1), pp.67-78. Sanchez, A. (2015). The Brussels Times - Homophobic discrimination, punishable by law, remains frequent in Belgium. [online] Brusselstimes.com. Available at: http://brusselstimes.com/belgium/3024/homophobic-discrimination-punishable-by-law-remains-frequent-in-belgium [Accessed 11 Jun. 2015]. Read More