This document discusses social constructionism and how social differences between people such as gender, race, class, ability, and sexuality are socially constructed rather than biologically immutable. It explains how the social construction of differences can lead to oppression when these differences are used for political, social, or economic gain. The document also outlines four types of oppression, five faces of oppression, examples of oppressed populations, and combinations of oppression and prejudice/discrimination.

1. PART I:
The Social Construction
Of Difference:
Race, Class, Gender &
Sexuality

2. SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONISM
 Is a theory of knowledge that holds that characteristics typically
thought to be immutable and solely biological—such as gender, race,
class, ability, and sexuality—are products of human definition and
interpretation shaped by cultural and historical contexts
 (Subramaniam, 2010)

3. SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONISM
 Categorization is made based on body features, they are given
meaning and then used to divide people into these groups
 Categories are not “natural” or fixed and the boundaries around them
are always shifting—they are contested and redefined in different
historical periods and across different societies

4. SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONISM
 Examples
 One-drop Rule: regardless of their appearance, individuals with
any African ancestor are considered black
 Gender: what may be believed as masculine features or feminine
behavior in one society may be the exact opposite of what is
considered natural for men and women in another
 Social status. College professor versus plumber.

5. SOCIAL CONSTRUCT & OPPRESSION
• Social construction of differences between people are created
(constructed) for political, social, or economic gain, such as:
• "women are too emotionally unstable to vote" (because men want to stay
in power)
• "blacks are inferior; therefore slavery is acceptable" (because whites felt
they were superior and wanted to stay in power)
• "poor people are poor due to their own laziness and inferiority" (instead of
due to market influences, economic exploitation, or unlivable wages)

6. SOCIAL JUSTICE & OPPRESSION
• Social Justice: The view that everyone deserves equal
economic, political and social rights and opportunities
(NASW)
• Oppression: The unjust or cruel exercise of authority or
power (Merriam-Webster)

7. OPPRESSED POPULATIONS INCLUDE:
• Poor
• People of color
• LGBTQIAA
• Women
• Children
• Disabled

8. SOCIAL JUSTICE & OPPRESSION
• Social differences create “isms”
• Racism
• Ethnocentrism
• Classism
• Ableism
• Ageism
• Heterosexism
• (Anti-pluralism)
• Sexism
• Lookism
• Religious
Oppression/Belief in One
True God (monotheism?)

9. FOUR TYPES OF OPPRESSION
• Primary: blatant, through force or deprivation
• Secondary: one benefits from the oppression of others
• economic exploitation of poor, non-unionized, workers who can only obtain
part-time or temporary work offered by employers
• Tertiary: when one a member seeks acceptance by the dominant group
by abandoning his/her own
• Mixed: involves a combination of the above
• (Hanna et al., 2000)

10. FIVE FACES OF OPPRESSION
 Exploitation - is the act of using people’s labors to produce profit while
not compensating them fairly
 Marginalization - the act of relegating or confining a group of people to a
lower social standing or outer limit or edge of society. Overall, it is a
process of exclusion
 Powerlessness - the powerless are dominated by the ruling class and
are situated to take orders and rarely have the right to give them
• (Iris Marion Young)

11. FIVE FACES OF OPPRESSION
 Cultural imperialism - The groups that have power in society control how
the people in that society interpret and communicate
 Violence - Members of some groups live with the knowledge that they
must fear random, unprovoked attacks on their persons or property.
These attacks do not necessarily need a motive but are intended to
damage, humiliate, or destroy the person
• (Iris Marion Young)
• https://youtu.be/5yj-AYGOdXY

12. COMBINATIONS OF OPPRESSION
 Non-prejudiced, non-discriminator
 “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being gay; and I would hire
someone who is gay”
 Non-prejudiced, discriminator
 “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being gay; but I wouldn’t hire
someone who is gay because it could cause problems at work”

13. COMBINATIONS OF OPPRESSION
 Prejudiced, non-discriminator
 “I think being gay is wrong; but I would still hire someone who is gay if they
are the best person for the job”
 Prejudiced, discriminator
 “I think being gay is wrong and I would refuse to hire anyone who is gay”