Blog Post 3

     I am a 19-year-old college student who is continuously navigating and learning about all aspects of society, particularly in regards to understanding oppressive and power structures. The "4 I's of Oppression" is an important idea that helped me in peeling back the layers of oppression's functions.  The construction, support, and reinforcement of oppression in society can be better understood by looking at these four categories: internalized, interpersonal, institutionalized, and ideological. This is my opinion on how each functions and influences our lives, particularly in a college environment. 

    Ideological oppression is the term used to describe the ideas and points of view that create inequality. It's the familiar "-isms"—racism, sexism, classism, ableism, and so on. These are the ideas that some groups are better than others, creating a hierarchy that is throughout  society. Think about the gendered nature of some majors or professions. While teaching or nursing may be considered as female-oriented professions, engineering and computer science may be seen as male-dominated ones. 

    The way these ideas are ingrained in organizations like governments, businesses, educational institutions, and healthcare systems is known as institutional oppression. This is the process by which laws, regulations, and policies that consistently favor some people while oppressing others are produced. The price of a university degree is an obvious example of structural oppression in higher education. Lack of financial help and growing tuition costs make it more difficult for many individuals from underprivileged families to pursue higher education. 

    Understanding these four forms of oppression is crucial for college students because they affect everyone, whether or not they are aware of it. They have an impact on the rules that guide our institutions, the way we relate to one another, and even how we see ourselves.

    Educating and thinking about these structures is one of the best ways to fight them. This means challenging the ideas that influence our thoughts, pushing for institutional changes to improve equity, calling out examples of discrimination in relationships with others, and helping one another overcome these views.

    Growing and learning are cornerstones of college, and developing a more critical perspective of the world is one part of that growth. The Four I's of Oppression give a platform for us to begin challenging oppression.

        

Comments

  1. Tiaja G.October 3, 2024 at 11:18 AM

    I love that you brought up the distinction between fields of work. Female orientated jobs often have lower wages than that of a male oriented job. Just last year I was speaking at the State House for higher pay for early educators. It gets that deep!

    ReplyDelete

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