Anti-Oppressive SW

Question 1

Within oppression, there are groups that belong in _________ citizenship and _______ citizenship

Answer 1

SECOND-CLASS
(the oppressed)

FIRST CLASS
(the oppressor/dominator)

Aka, oppression harms one group and benefits another

Question 2

What are the 3 forms of Oppression?

Answer 2

1. Personal Oppression
2. Systemic Oppression
3. Cultural Oppression

Question 3

What is Personal Oppression?

Answer 3

operates at a personal level though DISCRIMINATION & PREJUDICE

Essentially discrimination based on ones biases

Ex. employer rejects application based on race, gender, etc.

Question 4

Is everyone in the world implicated in oppression?

Answer 4

In some way, yes.

Question 5

What are forms of Intentional prejudice?

Answer 5

• Hate groups
• Microaggressions

Question 6

What is Systemic Oppression?

Answer 6

Exists at the institutional level (harmful policies) and across structures (education, health, etc) that are interconnected

Systemic Oppression is historical; intentional disadvantaging of groups o people while the dominant group benefits

Question 7

______ prejudices can become embedded into social institutions through _______________

Answer 7

PERSONAL

POWER & CONTROL over that institution

Question 8

Provide some examples of Systemic Oppression

Answer 8

• Racial profiling of Indigenous & Black people
• Indigenous people overrepresented in prisons
• Reserves under boil water advisories
• Internment of Japanese Canadians during WW2

Question 9

What is cultural oppression?

Answer 9

Where the dominant group uses social influence to gain cultural power

Cultural power = privileged status based only on one’s cultural identity

Question 10

What’s an example of cultural oppression?

Answer 10

The banning of religious symbols in the public sector
(Quebec Laicity Act)

Question 11

________ is the “basis for oppression”

Answer 11

DIFFERENCE

*according to author in reading

Question 12

What is the oppression formula proposed by the author of the oppression reading?

Answer 12

PREJUDICE & BIAS + POWER = OPPRESSION

Question 13

Define Power

Answer 13

the ability of someone/some group to get their way, even when opposed by others

*Power is not a bad thing! Power is always at play, social workers must question who is using power and for what purpose

Question 14

List the 3 types of power

Answer 14

1. Power Over
2. Power To
3. Power With

Question 15

Explain “power over”

Answer 15

A NEGATIVE form of domination over those who are subordinate

Motivated largely though fear!

Question 16

Explain “power to”

Answer 16

Involves someone who has power enabling another person to do something that they would not be able to do otherwise

Ex. teacher-student relationship

Question 17

Explain “power with”

Answer 17

Non-hierarchal, no winner or compromises

Collaborative and relational

Question 18

Why is “power with” important in social work?

Answer 18

Because those who are oppressed an unable to speak up, power WITH can be used where social workers work along clients to take action together

Question 19

From the perspective of postmodernism, “power is exercised through a _________________”
(the meanings that predominate within society and the things we accept as truth)

Answer 19

dominant discourse!!

When we do not conform to the dominant discourse, we are able to interveen and help others

Question 20

What is the topography of domination/oppression?

Answer 20

A figure where the dominant social space is in the centre of the circle (traits of first-class citizens), and the oppressed groups are outside the circle (traits of second-class citizens)

The centre of this figure = drives oppression!!

Explains a wider context of how oppression intersects

Question 21

What do AOP Social Workers pay attention to?

Answer 21

pay attention to how some groups have first class citizenship/domination and how these groups push others towards the margins

Question 22

Domination is maintained through _____________

Answer 22

POWER

The group in the centre of the topography of oppression establishes the line between themselves and those on the outside (those they oppress)

Question 23

What is the key to maintaining long-term oppression?

Answer 23

To make the mechanisms of domination INVISIBLE

THIS ALLOWS FOR THOSE IN POWER TO CLAIM INNOCENCE

Question 24

What does white supremacy do?

Answer 24

Holds whiteness in place!!

White supremacy = racial contract
(contract used to be more overt, now it’s more subtle)

Question 25

What is the main system at the centre of the circle of the topography of domination?

Answer 25

WHITENESS

Arguably the most oppressive identity compared to the others (gender, religion, etc.)

Question 26

The text mentions how participation in Whiteness does not require having white skin. What does participation in Whiteness look like then?

Answer 26

Participation in Whiteness includes ANYONE who benefits from the privileges of the systemic oppression that developed from European colonialism

Question 27

List the ways whiteness is maintained

Answer 27

• Naturalization & Universalization
• Invisibility & Exnomination
  (white ppl invisibly set social standards + values)
• Surveillance & Discipline
• White Innocence

Question 28

Define naturalization

Answer 28

making one’s personal way of being and understanding THE way of being and understanding

(aka doing things the way you want because you have power to do so)

Question 29

Define Universalization

Answer 29

the idea that the white experience is everyone’s experience

Think about how white European experiences are regarded as the objective history of the entire world!!

Question 30

How does surveillance/disciple hold whiteness in place?

Answer 30

By sending messages to others about “keeping their place” and not questioning the existing social order

Question 31

What does white innocence mean?

Answer 31

The denial that processes of inclusion and exclusion are occurring

Causes the oppressed to get blamed for their own oppression

Question 32

Define white privilege

Answer 32

Unearned benefits and privilege a person with white skin gets from being white

Question 33

How do Dumbrill & Yee define Anti-Oppressive Practice (AOP)?

Answer 33

Define AOP as opposing oppression through social workers work

Question 34

How does Bains add on to the definition of AOP

Answer 34

Describes it as a:

• hereodox & umbrella theory
• social justice social work theory & practice

Question 35

What is the purpose of Anti-Oppression?

Answer 35

To disrupt the power systems that give people privilege to begin with

Question 36

Picture the table that differs between AOP SW and Mainstream SW. What are some of the main differences you remember?

Answer 36

1. AOP = political

Mainstream = politically neutral

2. AOP = SW is a series of ongoing political struggles

Mainstream = takes struggle out of practice and sees SW as a apolitical practice led by kind people

3. AOP = recognizes the power of language to define one’s identity

Mainstream = uses medical/criminal labels & psychiatric diagnoses

4. AOP = problems are not just individual but also from systemic oppressions

Mainstream = accepts the status quo

Question 37

According to RADICAL SW, “social work operates at the nexus of ____________ and _________________”

Answer 37

social structures

human pain

Question 38

Does radical social work view the profession as political or non-political?

Answer 38

VERY POLITICAL

Claims that it is not enough to be kind & caring, but we must challenge the systems as a SW

Question 39

Similarly to how capitalism exploits workers for the purpose of mass consumption, what does social work exploit?

Answer 39

Exploits the oppressions that people experience by producing theories and intervention models for consumption!!