Abstract In this article, the writer defines the interlocking oppressive forms of racism, sexism, classism and nationalism and notes that in this way one can better understand why they bring about such human suffering. The writer also points out that in doing so, one can better realize how forms of oppression, discrimination and prejudice exist and function. The writer explains racism and looks at how it overlaps with classism. The writer then maintains that sexism is an analogy with racism in that both sexism and racism are clearly biased and discriminatory. Further, the writer discusses that the roots of nationalism go back to primitive tribalism and notes that the nationalism of Nazi Germany was based on racism.
From the Paper "Consequently, racism must be perceived as a negative value to spatial relationship, especially when it is used as a euphemism for violence. Violent behavior does not take into account the constant transgressions that occur in social and cultural interactions. The shift of emphasis from aggression to violence results in a blurred sense that aggression and violence are one and the same.
"The attributions of aggression to some individuals and communities may indeed result in an assault on human dignity. The loss of human dignity and the resulting humiliation of the human spirit, itself, may itself lead to physical violence."
Abstract In this article, the writer maintains that many stories are wrought with messages that are progressive and even revolutionary for their time but are considered archaic in the legacy of the work. The writer notes that two good examples are Charles Dickens in 'Hard Times' and Mark Twain in 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn', which portray both classism and racism. Further, the writer points out that the perceptions of the works detail both a step back into a time when people were openly dehumanized by virtue of the status of their birth and also represent a marginal look toward progress away from dehumanizing and exploiting people. The writer points out that Dickens and Twain both express the need for social change, yet only in the guise of what will be accepted by the masses and the villains. The writer concludes that the demands of the writer often leaves him or her with an uncomfortable feeling of not being able to go far enough in mind and with the pen, but each work reflects the acknowledged need for change.
From the Paper "Dickens' early life reflects a view of the rapidly industrializing England in which he lived, where nature is pushed back, reserved only for those who could afford to live in it or at least visit it, while the urban centers became choked with pollution and poverty as a reflection of the birth of the man woman or child, relegated to it. Though Dickens was a member of the middle class, afforded the luxury of propriety, he was also a writer of words for many and Hard Times itself was written as a serial for his magazine, meant to be received by the masses, with a new sense of empathy and a new sense of hatred toward those who profited from the poor, utilizing self serving ethics like those taught in the early part of the novel by Gradgrind, that were later capitulated at least by him but not by some of his followers."
Abstract Albert Camus' "The Fall" and Joseph Conrad's "The Heart of Darkness" both deal with the theme of colonialism, especially as it interconnects racism and classism. Conrad, for instance, focuses on racism, but classism clearly rests in the background. Camus, meanwhile, focuses on classism, while racism rests subtly between the realities he discusses.
Abstract This paper discusses how classism refers to the distribution of national wealth in such a manner that it benefits the highest social class, the elites and leads to the creation of social hierarchy. Through a literature review it analyzes how classism or the social class system in the United States is inextricably connected with wealth distribution under capitalist economy. It also shows how the class system is grounded in inequalities and in the United States these inequalities exist because of differences in race, gender and religion since America being a multicultural society is more divided into classes than other western democracies.
From the Paper "Even with all the hype about America being a land of opportunities, disadvantaged groups know that rising to higher social status in the US is not as easy a task as it is made out to be because several social and political impediments exist such as racial prejudice, gender discrimination, and cultural and educational differences. Various political and social theorists had detected these impediments and resulting social division in early 20th century. Social class system has remained much the same since it was first discussed by Karl Marx and Engels at the turn of the century. However it is slightly different in America because of it being a multicultural society. Minorities and immigrants group encounter social inequality more harshly in the United States than anywhere else in the world."
Abstract This essay discusses how one of the categories of "identity" through which people are discriminated against in society is sexism. This form of discrimination involves judging people according to their gender. This is similar to racism and classism since it is a form of discrimination.
Abstract This paper examines the competing views of liberalism and the inegalitarian tradition and explains the differences between these two views. The paper looks at how these competing views are evident in the activities of citizens with respect to higher education, and also the activities of the government. The paper then explores the reasons for America's rich-poor gap and suggests that if we eliminate the rich-poor gap in America, classism would diminish, which would eliminate the lingering traces of inegalitarian traditions. The paper shows that even though America is said to be based on liberal ideas such as freedom, equality, and individualism, multiple traditions and inegalitarian ideologies still compete with liberalism.
From the Paper "In order to get a well paying job to make a living in America, a citizen is required to get a degree from a four year college or university. Without this degree it is very hard to make enough money to support yourself, much less a family. Although in America we take pride in freedom and equality, obtaining a higher education is very expensive and is exclusive to people that are able to afford it. This promotes classism in America. In education, the competing views of liberalism and inegalitarian ideologies are evident in the high price of a higher education, early admissions into universities, and college student's lagging performance. In citizenship, the competing views of liberalism and inegalitarian ideologies are evident in the gap between the rich and poor and the growth of the super rich class of citizens."
Tags:classism, government, citizens, education, health, care, democracy
Abstract This paper discussed the different types of prejudice and discrimination found in Arthur Miller's "The Crucible": . Race, gender, age, religion and class are some of the characteristics that the author finds as targets of discrimination.
From the Paper "An example of prejudice used in The Crucible is ageism. The assembly of girls, Betty Parris, Abigail Williams, Marry Warren, and Ruth Putnam, who initiated the chain of events resulting in the trial, were victims of this prejudice. Because of their youth, their first alibi of innocent dancing was accepted, showing that this case of prejudice worked to their advantage. After caught dancing by her uncle Reverend Parris, Abigail stated, ?Uncle, we did dance; let you tell them I confessed it "and I"ll be whipped if I must be. But they"re speakin" of witchcraft.?(p. 9) Rebecca Nurse was also a sufferer of ageism. Many believed the accusation that she was a witch partly because she is older and seemed less credible. Rebecca served as a midwife for families in the town and was convicted of murder of the Putnam babies."
This paper is a criticism of the ideas brought forward in Jennifer L. Hochschild's "Facing up to the American Dream: Race, Class, and the Soul of the Nation".
Abstract The writer argues that Hochschild attempts to show that adherence to the shared ideology of the American Dream will somehow avoid the social breakdown that is inevitable so long as so many Americans, black and white, accept the plausible rather than the preferable course. The paper looks at the piece by Hochschild and gives a strong argument as to why some of the ideas mentioned in the piece can be seen as flawed.
From the Paper "Hochschild's principal discoveries are the difference in degree of faith in the American Dream between poor and middle-class African Americans and between black and white citizens of both classes and the manner in which racial prejudice and discrimination contribute to and perpetuate the declining faith in the Dream. She first notes that white and black perceptions of the position of African Americans in the society are strongly divergent. Although there have been enormous improvements in the status of a large number of African Americans since the advent of the Civil Rights movement in the early 1960s these differences and the expansion of opportunities for black people in general has been much smaller than white Americans tend to assume. Black Americans, however, see the advances, and their very limited nature, far more realistically. Hochschild found that white Americans are profoundly misinformed about the nature of black Americans' position in society and many are not even aware how many black Americans there are, as the average white American was shown to believe that African Americans made up 33 percent, rather than the correct 13 percent, of the population."
Abstract This paper uses some of Bell Hook's thoughts and readings to explain the media's role. The author believes that it is through education that we can eliminate the blunt edge of this issue.
Abstract This paper examines Toni Morrison's "The Bluest Eye" in the context of how race, class and gender intersect as systems of domination and subjugation. Morrison emphasizes the theme of racial discrimination, which intertwines with the issues of gender and class in the oppression of women under capitalist patriarchy. In many respects, therefore, "The Bluest Eye" complements Marxist feminism, since it adds the dimension of racism to the realities of how classism and sexism marginalize women in society at large.
Abstract The paper attempts to study the different forms of oppression, such as sexism, racism, classism, and nationalism, and presents a comparative analysis of these discriminatory and oppressive systems. It also attempts to study the interlocking and operation of the oppressive forces in societies and discusses the steps involved in the elimination of oppression.
From the Paper "Before defining and differencing the different forms of oppression it would be worthwhile to understand clearly the concepts of discrimination and oppression. Discrimination relates to ?a way of organizing relations between groups of humans which serves to keep one group economically and politically disadvantaged as compared with another,? where as oppression implies ?any way in which humans as individuals or as groups, are treated with less than complete respect.? [McCullough, 1993:6] Discrimination is also understood as the process by which the members of a socially defined group are treated differently or rather unfairly because of their membership in the particular group."
Tags: gender, jewish, anti, semitism, ism, black, white
This paper discusses Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", an African-American autobiography, which chronicles the experiences of a young, black girl in the America of the 1930s.
Abstract This paper explains that, by choosing to render an honest account of her own painful insecurities as a child, along with her frequent encounters with racism, sexism, and classism, Angelou takes her readers through the process by which she learned to value herself and develop a sense of self-worth. The author points out that by using a simple plot structure of tracing her development from a insecure, awkward child to a mature, young woman who is confident of her self-worth, this book narrates a personal story of survival against all odds. The paper concludes the most important message of this autobiographical work is that it is possible for an individual to go through a great deal of pain and yet emerge as a strong person.
From the Paper "In fact, Angelou's work provides horrific insight into the terrorization of black folk by the racist South of the 1930s. Angelou achieves this by recounting several incidents, which reveal the degree to which racism aroused both fear and hatred. For instance, when Bailey comes home late one evening, it is apparent that Momma's anger at him stems more from fear that a lynch mob has victimized him. Both Bailey and Maya learn the meaning of fear, hatred, and alienation all too soon as young children. In fact, they witness more than any young child in his or her formative years should ever have to see, as evidenced by Bailey's watching the delight of a white man over the corpse of a black man, with his genitals cut off."
Abstract Gender inequality is a worldwide epidemic that has plagued our society and others since the beginning of time. This paper attempts to look at how society and its members address the myriad of other issues (i.e., racism, classism, ageism, etc.) that are intricately interwoven into this deeply seeded and complex issue. An examination of these issues takes place through the summary of three journal articles in addition to other readings regarding the aforementioned theme of gender inequality.
Outline
Introduction
Personal Reflection
From the Paper "In the first reading, Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference, the article's author, Lorde (1997), attributes the continued oppression and dehumanization of women not as the sole existence of differences, rather as the inability to recognize and appreciate those differences. The article's author also points out that the inability to deal effectively with differences causes distortions in which individuals tend to ignore or even misname the definition of others. Lorde (1997) utilizes many of Freire's (1970:93) concepts regarding relationships as defined by oppression and stresses the importance of collaboration, self-reflection, and exposure to and appreciation of differences. "
Abstract This paper examines the theoretical underpinnings of Annette Lareau's "Unequal Childhoods". The paper explains that Lareau's believes that children in America are invariably -- and unequally -- affected by their culture, race and socioeconomic background. Lareau suggests that this duality creates a state of inequality in childhood education and opportunity, beginning in the home and being perpetuated in the schools. The paper further explains that Lareua believes this divide occurs more along cultural lines than racial ones. The paper critiques and explores the accuracy of Lareau's underlying assumption that the middle-class cultivates their children as natural 'resources' while the lower and working classes do not have the resources to do so. The paper concludes by examining the implications of Lareau's work for educators and school administrators.
From the Paper "Thus the divisions of the American nation that exist from childhood onward, despite civil rights and more recent efforts to introduce multiculturalism to the classroom, begin in the home, not in racial divisions. In one of the earliest examples chronicled by Lareau, in an emerging Black middle class neighborhood studied by the author, a Lexus containing a boy named Alexander Williams, only ten minutes away from an affluent White suburb, ferries the Black fourth grader home from a school open house. Alexander's mother thinks about her business meeting the next day, and Alexander chatters about his piano lessons."
Abstract This paper provides an evaluation of "Good Will Hunting" as a film that deals with the class cleavages in American society and the problems that persons in the underclass have in breaking out of the class's limitations.
From the Paper "Good Will Hunting can be viewed as a critique of the widespread internalization of the values of classism in the United States by the very persons who are most likely to be victimized by class warfare. The film tracks the transformation in consciousness of ..."
