Key terms in understanding the race “lens” and other ideology critiques
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ideology—a system of beliefs, a world view, a lens which helps explain the world. Because ideology
is a lens through which we perceive reality, ideologies also constrain, shape and even create reality for
individuals and entire societies.
ideology critique—a specific and purposeful demonstration of the power of ideology in an attempt to
make such ideology visible, more transparent and more recognizable and therefore less powerful. (The
Marxist, feminist and post-colonial/race lenses all fall under this rubric.)
oppression—unjust or cruel or excessive exercise of power. The oppressor has economic and
institutional power and uses physical, economic, and/or psychological violence to assert the rightness
of their position.
The norm—white, male, heterosexual, Christian, temporarily able-bodied, youthful with access to
wealth and resources
The Other—anyone not the norm
marginalization—the process of exclusion from resources, jobs, loans, decision-making, equal codes
of justice, etc. Essentially, being forced to live at the edges of mainstream society.
horizontal hostility—when members of a group have internalized the beliefs of the power group and
have come to believe the negative views of that group, i.e., self-hatred.
blaming the victim—the technique of holding the Other responsible for their oppression; over time,
this can result in the victim’s thinking that their role is deserved and should not be resisted. Domestic
violence is a clear example of this.
internalized oppression—when the Other has internalized the negative messages of the dominant
culture; when the minority believes in the rightness of the dominant culture’s definition of “normal.”
assimilation—the giving up of one’s culture to fit into the norm. This is impossible, by definition, for
the Other and so that even as they play by the rules of the culture, they are not allowed full
membership.
tokenism—allowing a model minority person into the institution as a symbol of the group’s good
faith. Tokenism serves to further confuse and polarize the Other because, even as other members of
the Other play by the rules, other Others are not allowed to join.
co-opt—a devious use by group A of group B’s language, symbols or slogans in an attempt to lure
members of group B to do group A’s bidding. The use of feminist symbols and language in
advertising is perhaps the best example.
stereotyping—literally as if from a mold, a stamp; the process of assuming all members of a group
share the same qualities
imperialism—empire building: the process of military domination of nation over nation for the
purpose of asserting power and claiming resources.
colonial—imperial; especially the period from about 1500 to 1900 when Europe established colonies
in the Americas, Africa, the Mid-East and Asia. U.S. intervention in central America and the Mid-East
is sometimes called neo-colonialism because of the informal nature of our intervention rather than
formally established colonies.
prejudice—literally pre-judging; the attribution of negative characteristics to an entire group
racism—prejudice based on race, ethnicity
Diaspora—literally “dispersion:” the spreading of a group beyond their native borders, usually forced.
For example, the African diaspora during the slave trade, the Jewish diaspora beginning with the
Babylonian conquest and continuing into the 20th century.
inter-ethnic racism—internalizing the ideology of the norm to the extent that those defined as the
Other use the value system of the norm on each other.
dehumanization—literally to make less than human. This is done as MLK Jr. tells us, by applying
laws selectively to one group but not another, or as Hitler did, through propaganda, scape-goating,
name-calling, ghettoizing, threat of violence and actual violence.
status quo—literally, “the state in which,” the existing state of affairs, the norm
civil rights activist—of note is that anyone who is working for justice or seeking to change the status
quo to a more equitable environment is typically labeled an “agitator,” “Anti-American,” and therefore
a trouble-maker.
From Suzanne Pharr, “The Common Elements of Oppression” and other sources.