Nov 11 Flashcards
whose idea does critical consciousness come from?
Paulo Freire (Brazilian philosopher)
inspired by ideas of Marxism and Frantz Fanon
critical consciousness
how oppressed or marginalized people learn to CRITICALLY ANALYZE their social conditions and ACT to change them
tool for liberation
2 aspects of critical consciousness
- REFLECTION
^becoming aware of social and political conditions in which we live
- ACTION
^actively seeking to change these social and political conditions
breaking down critical consciousness even further
- critical reflection
- critical motivation
- critical action
critical reflection
process of LEARNING to QUESTION social arrangements and structures
critical motivation
perceived CAPACITY and COMMITMENT to address perceived injustices
critical action
action taken to reduce social inequities
relations between CC dimensions
multiple ways to think about this, no set order
typical:
1. reflection
2. motivation
3. action
OR:
1. motivation
2. action
3. reflection
OR:
1. reflection
STUDY SETUP and QUESTION: examples of different patterns of CC among Black youth
N = 604 Black teens (m = age 15)
what are the patterns of CC among Black youth?
PATTERNS OF CC: examples of different patterns of CC among Black youth
- pre-critical bystander (62.7%)
- liberated actor (19.9%)
- pre-critical actor (10.8%)
- a-critical bystander (6.6%)
patterns of cc: pre-critical bystander
low critical reflection
low critical agency
lowest critical action
patterns of cc: liberated actor
high on all three
high reflection, agency and action
patterns of cc: pre-critical actor
low reflection
low agency
high action
patterns of cc: a-critical bystander
super low critical reflection
low critical agency
low critical action
why zoom in on CC action in particular?
- most research on CC focuses on reflection
^ NOT ENOUGH focus on WHAT people are ACTUALLY DOING to combat and dismantle structural barriers
- actions are what will lead to a more JUST SOCIETY
- action as a COPING strategy for marginalized youth
^ way of processing what one has been through, while simultaneously promoting change
quote on how action is a coping strategy for marginalized youth
“a revolutionary act of self preservation in direct response to broadly under-acknowledged conditions of sociopolitical inequality”
3 main factors that may lead to MORE ACTION among youth
- instances of discrimination
- ERS socialization
- youth’s ERI
3 patterns of CC expression in Black youth - do these people differ in their…
- experiences of discrimination
- identity
- parental ERS
liberated actors (high reflection, motivation and action) are set apart because…
had:
- higher CENTRALITY and private regard (PRIDE) than pre-critical groups
- also reported HIGHEST STRESS from exposure to CULTURAL RACISM compared to all other groups
pre-critical action (low reflection, motivation and high action) also received the least…
cultural socialization from parents
these youth engage in action
BUT never had messages growing up around their group’s history, values, traditions
therefore, are low in reflection and motivation
may not be connecting their action to history of their group engaging in activism and fighting for civil rights
other precursors to action
- PARENTAL CIVIC MODELING
^ parents being active themselves - voting, community organizing, doing charitable work, protesting etc
- CRITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS/POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION
^ explicit messages around importance of being civically & politically engaged
- INTERGROUP DIALOGUE
^ may promote more reflection and greater solidarity & ally-ship
predictors of critical action in white populations
WHITE GUILT can exacerbate OR diminish the impact of SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY and CIVIC EFFICACY on action
- for people with HIGH and MEDIUM civic efficacy, as their GUILT increases SO DOES their ACTION
- for people with LOW civic efficacy, then no matter how guilty they feel, WON’T engage in action
experiences of personal ethnic-racial disc not as relevant for white people
civic efficacy
belief that you have the ability to make change
facilitators of youth action
- compared to adults, have LARGER SOCIAL NETWORKS - conduits for idea transmission
- more TECHNOLOGICALLY SAAVY and innovative - social media literacy helpful in activism/another channel for it
- more TIME and BANDWIDTH - less responsibilities, more changes to take risks
potential barriers to youth’s engagement in critical action
- limited autonomy
- limited resources
- differential access to systems (ie. can’t vote til 19)
- ageism
CC > wellbeing systematic review SETUP
systematic review
29 studies on links between CC and WELLBEING (mental, socio-emotional, physical health)
only included studies on adolescents and young adults aged 12-29
21 studies were cross sectional - more longitudinal work is needed
mostly quantitative studies (n = 21), less qualitative (6) or mixed methods (6)
CC > wellbeing systematic review FINDINGS
- very few studies with YA - TOO LITTLE evidence to examine most kinds of associations - left with question marks
- among YA - MIXED FINDINGS regarding action’s impact on MENTAL HEALTH
- reflection & motivation tend to be good for MENTAL and SOCIOEMOTIONAL HEALTH
- need more work on impacts of action
CC > wellbeing systematic review - what tend to be good for mental and socioemotional health?
reflection and motivation
STUDY SETUP - zooming in on activism costs/benefits & implications for adjustment
mixed methods study - qualitative data and interview follow ups
636 Ps
youth 15-23
most women
good diversity in sexual orientation
42% POC, 58% white
N = 28 for follow up interviews
STUDY QUESTION - zooming in on activism costs/benefits & implications for adjustment
- how do the PERCEIVED COSTS & BENEFITS of activism relate to youth activists’:
a) PHYSICAL HEALTH
b) MENTAL HEALTH
c) FLOURISHING? - how do youth activists DESCRIBE the MAIN COST of their activism and the factors that help SUSTAIN their engagement when experiencing these tolls?
STUDY FINDINGS COSTS versus BENEFITS - zooming in on activism costs/benefits & implications for adjustment
generally, benefits of activism OUTWEIGHED costs
most highly endorsed BENEFITS:
1. “my political and social views are an important part of WHO I AM”
- “my activism has contributed to my PERSONAL GROWTH”
most highly endorsed COSTS:
1. “I’ve felt GUILTY for not doing enough for my activism”
- “I’ve felt TIRED as result of my activism”
STUDY DEMOGRAPHIC DIFFS - zooming in on activism costs/benefits & implications for adjustment
- HIGH SCHOOL youth reported FEWER COSTS of activism than uni students
- NON-STUDENTS had FEWER BENEFITS than students
- STRAIGHT youth: FEWER COSTS and BENEFITS compared to queer youth
(same for cis v transgender & nonbinary)
activism costs/benefits study: greater costs of activism predicted…
- worse physical health
- worse mental health
- less flourishing
activism costs/benefits study: benefits of activism only associated with more…
flourishing
unrelated to physical and mental health
activism costs/benefits study: qualitative findings contributors to BURNOUT
- BACKLASH to activism - ‘taking heat and hate’
- pressure to be the SAVIOUR generation
- SLOW/LITTLE progress & change
backlash to activism - ‘taking heat and hate’
contributor to burnout
“part of activism engagement is seeing what the other side, the oppressor, is doing and saying. that can get really, really, really hard. I think you can fall into a deep hole of reading people’s hateful words towards you and your community, and that can get very toxic really quick”
how youth activists protect themselves against burnout
MOST COMMON - leaning on activist community for support, sense of belonging & energy
“conversing with people who are involved in the fight too. that kind of re-motivates me and lets me know that I’m not alone in what I’m doing”
“just seeing people who care so deeply about the same issues you also care about is just so heartening”
“managing burnout…is really important in the long term because we’re trying to be lifetime activists, and it’s not going to get any easier”
activism study takeaways
- benefits of activism outweigh the costs
- some people experience MORE or FEWER costs and benefits depending on level of SCHOOLing/school status, GENDER & SEXUAL ORIENTATION
- burnout is real concern among youth activists, but SUPPORT within activist community (& self care) can be helpful
CC overall summary
- CC development is CRUCIAL to have a populace who is aware of structural issues and works to improve them
- CC tends to increase across adolescence (may differ depending on individual and demographic factors)
- REFLECTION and MOTIVATION have POSITIVE MH effects
- ACTION has PROS and CONS in terms of wellbeing, but BENEFITS outweigh COSTS
- action is needed for the betterment of society
