Open Collections

Conversations of privilege : exploring with diversity educators’ "white culture", dominance and oppression

University of British Columbia

This research explores clusters of meanings, understandings, and shared reference points that people with white skinned privilege may share. The literature often refers to these as "White culture". Interviews with nine English-speaking diversity educators of European ancestry provide the primary data. W e discussed their perceptions of the social constructions of whiteness and privilege, the consequences of selective privileging, how is this maintained and the problems involved in addressing systemic inequality. I bring the salient points from these discussions together with the literature to offer a comprehensive, grounded portrayal of situated conceptions of "White culture", privilege and dominant culture. I employed qualitative methods of open-ended, in-depth interviewing, which incorporate feminist research methodology (research a s praxis, research as empowerment) and critical perspectives (critical ethnography, grounded theory, interpretative analysis). This approach is consistent with my values of being inclusive, gaining insight into the perspectives of others and creating a mutually enriching, collaborative process of inquiry. The significance of this investigation lies in raising awareness about interactions among factors within whiteness, privilege, dominance and oppression; enhancing educators' abilities to recognise other contributing factors; identifying why/ how the system is maintained, recognising its consequences and considering how to alter this condition in society. Multicultural education in Canada has generally focused on Others, and can be enhanced through fostering a dialogue among the relatively privileged as well as between dominant and oppressed peoples living within a society of cultural/ racial privilege. The product of this research includes concrete representations summarising various aspects of privilege and dominant culture. Through charts, tables and figures I make privilege more visible and dominant culture more tangible. To portray the complex dynamic among aspects of the dominant culture, which shapes these into a multitude of different configurations, I employ the metaphor, constellations of privilege. Essentially, I offer a possible model for understanding the elements and interrelationships that comprise and maintain a system of selective privileging, which underlies dominance and oppression within society. I conclude this study with a discussion of transformative learning theory and how we may use it to incorporate the insights uncovered through this research into educational practice.

Thesis/Dissertation

application/pdf

2009-06-26

For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/9750

Educational Studies

University of British Columbia

UBCV

DSpace