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What’s wrong with privilege theory?
http://isj.org.uk/whats-wrong-with-privilege-theory/Date Written: 2014-04-02 Publisher: International Socialism Year Published: 2014 Resource Type: Article Cx Number: CX24439 This article takes a critical look at some of the theories of privilege and concepts of intersectionality (the interaction of multiple oppressions) that increasingly dominate battles for liberation. These ideas are not new, but have grown in influence in recent years. Abstract: - Excerpt: Our starting point is that socialists should engage positively with those fighting oppression but that such an engagement is not helped by hiding our theoretical differences. As such we analyse privilege theory and intersectionality, and their strategic implications, from a Marxist point of view to show how and why we differ. We argue that privilege theory, by concentrating its focus primarily upon individual relationships rather than the oppressive system of capitalism, tends to direct people away from the kind of social solidarity necessary to beat oppression. We believe that Marxism, with both its long track record in many different movements for liberation and its rigorous analysis of how and why people are oppressed, remains the most valuable tool for all those who want to live in a society without discrimination. At the heart of privilege theory is the idea that oppression works through a series of unearned advantages enjoyed by those who do not suffer a particular oppression. So all men, white people or straight people, for example, will gain privileges that come from not facing sexism, racism or homophobia. The beneficiary of these privileges may be completely unaware of them—in fact much emphasis among privilege theorists is on what they would describe as “making privilege visible”1—alerting people to the unearned advantages they may take for granted. Similarly individuals do not choose whether or not to have these “privileges”—they are automatically bestowed by virtue of someone’s race, gender, sexuality and so on. Through this framework, class becomes just one of a myriad of oppressive divisions in society. Privileges are often seen to operate at a psychological level, as unconscious (and therefore inescapable) bias. This is why much of the practice of privilege theorists consists of exhorting others to “check your privilege”—in other words suggesting that the actions or ideas that are being challenged come from the unconscious prejudices that flow directly from someone’s “privileged position”. Subject Headings |