Introduction
Despite the development of social movements protecting and promoting the rights of individuals and spreading awareness about the value of equality and diversity, such an issue as opposition still has a significant place in society. The main forces of this phenomenon are the manifestation of harm, oppression, inequality, disenfranchisement, and the imposition of cultural hegemony. The main issue is the fact that they extend to all spheres of activity of individuals and have a severe contribution to them. Therefore, the ability to determine the existence of oppression and apply approaches that will limit it in a particular environment is valuable.
Definition of Oppression
First of all, it is necessary to have an understanding of what the phenomenon under investigation is. Oppression is defined as “systemic constraints on groups that are not necessarily the result of the intentions of a tyrant” (Adams, 2013, p. 36). It is a complex and multilayered problem, as it has a structural character, which implies the embedding of this worldview into all norms, rules, and institutions of society. Acts of violence, exploitation, social exclusion, lack of empowerment, and the dominance of one culture over others are the primary forms of oppression implementation. Considering each of these aspects separately will provide an opportunity to understand how they can be limited.
It is worth emphasizing that in the case of depression, the central fact is that one group benefits at the expense of other groups. This characteristic is especially clearly visible in relation to such a force as powerlessness. Power is seen as “structural or systemic criteria that ‘exclude people from participating in determining their actions or the conditions of their action” (Mathieu, 2020, p. 12). In other words, people in a dominant position have more freedoms and opportunities than those who are oppressed and have certain limitations and limits. An example would be the pressure of a dominant political party on minorities in elections.
Forces of Oppression
Cultural Imperialism
Cultural imperialism is one of the most widespread forms of oppression, which has roots in the history of many peoples. This aspect consists of imposing the culture of the dominant group on the nondominant community. Thus, characteristics of a person, such as language, traditions, and faith, are imposed. The most striking example in the history of the United States is the opposition of the indigenous population, which occurred through the dissemination of American culture and worldviews among these peoples. At the moment, it can be said that cultural imperialism is most evident in the process of globalization, in which the unification of culture in the world takes place.
Violence
Violence is the following force of oppression, which is worth paying particular attention to. This manifestation is unique in the sense that it can be realized both physically and verbally, which significantly expands the scope of its influence on society, especially on marginalized groups. The main problem of violence is not only the various forms of its manifestation but the fact that anyone can become a victim of it.
In other words, if a person belongs to a group that is conventionally not accepted by the dominant part of society or is considered unsuitable, they may be exposed to this danger. Young (1988) stated that “in U.S. society, women, blacks, Asians, Arabs, gay men, and lesbians live under such threat of violence” (p. 287). Examples of violence as an oppression tool are especially evident in the attitude of police forces towards the black population, in the form of an assumption of their propensity to crime.
Exploitation
Exploitation is closely related to the concept of the distribution of forces within the framework of oppression. This aspect implies that “domination occurs through a steady process of the transfer of the results of the labor of some people to benefit others” (Young, 1988, p. 278). Moreover, it also has to do with the phenomenon of inequality, which goes beyond the amount of wealth that individuals have.
In other words, exploitation consists of a constant systematic process in which those who are in a dominant position are maintained and augmented by those who are in a given plane below them. The primary example of this type of opposition is slavery, which has flourished in the history of humanity for an extended period of history. At the moment, this is manifested in the exploitation of cheap labor by large corporations producing various kinds of goods.
Marginalization
The last force of oppression worth considering and focusing on is marginalization. This phenomenon lies in circumstances where “a whole category of people is expelled from useful participation in social life, potentially then subject to severe material deprivation and even extermination” (Young, 1988, p. 281). The main reason for the marginalization of a large number of individuals is their low economic status, which prevents them from maintaining a socially acceptable lifestyle. Homeless people or people from low-income families most often fall under this kind of oppression. This aspect in the professional sphere includes individuals who earn little money, for example, cleaners.
Strategies to Address Oppression
The most valuable aspect when considering the five forces of oppression is finding ways that will contribute to disrupting them. In particular, these steps are essential in the learning environment since it is in educational institutions that the process of forming a person’s personality takes place. In other words, at this stage of development, the fundamental values and norms of society are being assimilated on the basis of which individuals will function. At the same time, it is important to give individuals awareness of the existence of forces of oppression for a better understanding of the problem (Shlasko, 2015).
Therefore, the most significant integration of concepts such as equality and diversity into the educational curriculum becomes a critically important measure. Their importance lies in the fact that they must teach children justice and respect for others, regardless of any characteristics. In the learning environment, these phenomena will be realized through encouraging collaboration between individuals and strengthening relationships.
In addition, self-reflection and paying attention to their personal values become an important tool for education providers. The need for this process is due to the existence of a consciousness gap in education (TEDx Talks, 2017). Thus, in order to achieve the most positive results in promoting equality and respect for culture in an educational environment, teachers must become positive models of behavior for children. This step involves constantly broadcasting target worldviews and values in such a way that students clearly understand their importance and adopt this behavior.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is worth emphasizing that oppression is a problem of modern society that requires an integrated approach to limit its negative impact. This is due to the fact that it has many manifestations and has often been embedded in social norms and institutions over the years. Forces of oppression such as violence, exploitation, marginalization, powerlessness, and cultural imperialism require attention and awareness to mitigate unwanted contributions. To get rid of them in the learning environment, it is necessary to promote such phenomena as equality, diversity, and justice.
References
Adams, M. (2013). Readings for diversity and social justice (3rd ed.). New York: Taylor & Francis.
Mathieu, D. (2020). Species-being for whom? The five faces of interspecies oppression. Contemporary Political Theory, 19(4), 596-620. Web.
Shlasko, D. (2015). Using the five faces of oppression to teach about interlocking systems of oppression. Equity & Excellence in Education, 48(3), 349-360. Web.
TEDx Talks. (2017). The consciousness gap in education – an equity imperative | Dorinda Carter Andrews | TEDxLansingED [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Young, I. M. (1988). Five faces of oppression. The Philosophical Forum, 19(4), 270-290.