PART 2 of the workshop on Constructivism presented at The Berne.

1. Oppression & Privilege

2. Privilege and
Oppression

3. Engaging with the yin and
yang of Privilege and
Oppression
They exist as mutually
supportive processes and
must be considered together.

4. Oppression
The systematic devaluing,
undermining, marginalising,
and disadvantaging of certain
SOCIAL IDENTITY GROUPS
In contrast to the privileged
norm.

5. OPPRESSION AS A
BIRDCAGE
• Oppression – an interlocking network of institutional
barriers that prevent escape.
• Mutually reinforcing system of barriers.
• Present in all institutions – education, employment,
government, healthcare, family, justice, sport………

6. OPPRESSION AS A
BIRDCAGE
• All Institutions…..so presumably…..
• Psychotherapy Training Courses
• Psychotherapy Practices
• Third Party organisations with whom we engage and
contract with.

7. New Racism and
Oppression
Blindness
• Subtle
• Institutional
• Thrives on the back of “colour
blindness”
• “I treat everyone the same”
• “We’ve created a level playing
field – thus inequality must be
down to individuals’ failures”

8. The Matrix
of
Oppression
& Privilege
• We all have multiple SOCIAL
GROUP IDENTITES
• They are constructs
• They define who we are and
how others view us.
• We may be oppressed in
some contexts, and
privileged in others.
• Race, gender, sexuality,
disability, class etc are
socially constructed
classification systems.
• Oppression impacts the
non-dominant groups
through
• Limitations
• Disadvantages
• Disapproval

9. Social
Identities
These are internally constructed and then
externally applied to other.
Exists or is consistently used to bestow power,
benefits and disadvantage.
Is used to explain differences in outcomes, efforts,
abilities (eg the process of oppression-blindness).
Is immutable, difficult, costly, dangerous to change.

11. Social
Identities
Exercise
Time for an exercise.

12. Systems of Oppression
Individual
Level
Institutional
Level
Societal
Level

13. Systems of Oppression
Historical and/or
Organised patterns of
mistreatment
Woven into culture,
society and law
Reinforce the
oppression of
marginalised groups
Elevate dominant
social groups
Sexism, Heterosexism,
Ableism, Classism,
Ageism, Anti-Semitism,
Racism, Transphobia,
Homophobia,

14. Oppression =
Prejudice +
Institutional
Power
Discriminates
against some
Benefits others

15. Call to Action…Become an Ally
• Learn about Oppression &
Privilege and teach others.
• Seek community and work on
social justice
• Assume that inequality &
oppression are everywhere, all
the time, even when not visible
to you.
• I need to be aware of my own
privilege. Who is the centre of
attention? Who has access to
power? Whose voice is missing?
• Notice the ways in which
oppression and privilege are
denied, ignored, minimised or
justified.

16. Call to Action…Become an Ally
• Learn from history. From forms
of history and social movements.
• Speak Out! Take Risks! Act!
• Learning to see oppression and
privilege is a lifelong project.
• Mistakes are learning
opportunities, and always
painful!
• Listen to and respect the leaders
of oppressed groups
• Be active, ready to be mobilised
and to be active around
inequality.