This week’s readings have centered around the connection between identity and education. Leaning requires students and educators to ideate on the meaning and application of connect in relation to their own experiences. Meaning that, as a white woman who was born and raised in the Southern United States, I will likely make meaning in connect of my identity. This is in part because of systems of power and privilege. Things that may seem obviously to persons of color my go unnoticed by me as I do don’t have the same experiences to draw from. For example, I am less able to recognize the effects of racial discrimination as have not experienced them it firsthand.
Arao & Clemens (2013) work help me to contextual how well intended actives can cause harm to underrepresented groups. As a student affairs practitioner, I have seen various power and privilege actives which educate the privileged population as the experience of the marginalized. One such example is the privilege walk, which required those to who have experiences certain privileges to step forward while those who do not remain still. Eventually the more privileged individuals are on onside of the room and the less privileged are on the other. This actively is problematic and while it may help some see their privilege it does so by putting others on display.
The privilege walk may be completed in the name of creating a challenge by choice representation of inequality but the marginalized have no choice in the matter (Arao & Clemens, 2013). For a marginalized person participating in a privilege walk means confronting oppression in front of those who have never experiences it. If a marginalized person participates, they will be singled out at for the benefit of the privileged individuals in the room. If this still does not make since then consider this, if there were no marginalized persons participating in a privilege walk then the experiences doesn’t work. There must be distance between the privileged and this marginalized for the exercise to work. That is because the sole purpose is using one groups pain to teach those who cannot share in that pain. Using one group for the benefit of another is an unethical practice which has not place in higher education.
References
Arao, B. & Clemens, K (2013). The Art of Effective Facilitation, Chapter 8. In From Safe
Spaces to Brave Places: A New Way to Frame Dialogue Around Diversity and Social
Justice. (135-150).