Assignment Journal Entry: From Margin to Center
It can be uncomfortable to realize that you have come either from a place of oppression or privilege, Individuals seldom use these terms to describe themselves or others. However, oppression and privilege impact every aspect of people's lives. As you consider your own place in society; consider your emotional attachment to where you see yourself within these social constructs, Consider the assumptions made about you based on how you look, the clothes you wear, or the car you drive. Consider how the social construction of gender and race can impact your work as a social worker.
Submit by Day 7 a 2- to 4-page journal entry in which you analyze your reactions to the social construction of power, racial, and gender characteristics. Explain how race and gender interact with privilege and oppression. Identify and analyze which characteristics of oppressed or privileged individuals with which you identify.
Note: In this course you will be asked to provide journal entries on various topics. The intent of the journals is for you to reflect on some of the more difficult topics we address in this course. It should be a safe and confidential outlet for you to explore a little more deeply your thoughts and emotions surrounding that week's topic. For this week, explore your thoughts arid feelings around social construction of power, race, and gender. Quite often prior to beginning a social work program, students do not consider how privilege and power on the one side and oppression on the other side impact people every day. Discuss how this may be a new topic for you and give your personal responses to sometimes very difficult discussion.