The terms “power” and “privilege” are frequently heard in today’s social and political discourse, but what do these terms actually mean in the context of one’s social identity? Having power and privilege means that you have benefited from unearned advantages as a result of being a member of a particular dominant group in society. Each person has many social identities, some that may be part of dominant groups and others that may be part of non-dominant groups. Non-dominant groups are more likely to experience discrimination, disenfranchisement, and oppression.
One of the most important goals of developing cultural humility is to address power imbalances. In order to do so, you must first be aware of the power and privilege in your own life. Gaining this awareness is no easy task. When you acknowledge that you have power and privilege, you might feel defensive or experience anxiety, guilt, or disorientation about your sense of self. On the other hand, when you are reminded that you are a member of a non-dominant group, you may experience anger, sadness, or grief. Keep in mind that it is normal to experience these feelings and that acknowledging your own power and privilege (or lack thereof) is an important step in addressing social justice issues.
For this Journal, you will complete the Power Flower exercise, which will help you determine the degree to which your social identities afford you power and privilege. You will also consider how your level of power and privilege affects your perceptions, experiences, and decision-making processes.
RESOURCES
Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity. Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.
TO PREPARE
· Review the Learning Resources on power and privilege.
· Review the “Power Flower” article and complete the Power Flower exercise. Reflect on how your social identities affect your level of power and privilege. Then, think about how your level of power and privilege affects how you perceive and experience the world and influences how you make decisions.
BY DAY 7
Submit a 2- to 3-page journal entry, along with your completed Power Flower diagram, that addresses the following:
· Identify your social identities. Explain how your social identities affect your level of power and privilege.
· Explain how your level of power and privilege affects how you perceive and experience the world. Use at least three specific examples to support your explanation.
· Explain how your level of power and privilege may have influenced your ethical decision-making in this week’s Discussion. Be specific.
The terms “power” and “privilege” are frequently heard in today’s social and political discourse
- **Identify Your Social Identities**: Consider aspects such as your race, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, ability, religion, nationality, etc. Reflect on how these identities intersect and shape your experiences and opportunities in society.
- **Reflect on Power and Privilege**: Explore how your social identities grant you certain privileges and power in society. Consider how these privileges might be invisible or taken for granted in your daily life.
- **Complete the Power Flower Exercise**: Use the “Power Flower” article or template provided to map out your various social identities and their associated power and privilege. This visual representation can help you better understand the dynamics at play.
- **Perception and Experience of the World**: Think about how your level of power and privilege influences your perception of the world and your experiences within it. Consider instances where your privileges have afforded you advantages or shielded you from certain challenges.
- **Ethical Decision-Making**: Reflect on how your level of power and privilege may influence your ethical decision-making processes. Consider whether your privileges have ever led you to overlook or disregard the experiences and perspectives of others, and how this might manifest in group discussions or decision-making scenarios.
- **Provide Examples**: Support your reflections with specific examples from your own life or observations. These examples can help illustrate the concepts you’re discussing and provide context for your reflections.
Once you’ve completed these steps, you can organize your thoughts into a 2- to 3-page journal entry, addressing each of the prompts provided in the assignment instructions. Be sure to include your completed Power Flower diagram alongside your written reflections.
"Place your order now for a similar assignment and have exceptional work written by our team of experts, guaranteeing you "A" results."
