Peggy MCintosh’s analysis of unearned privileges
In chapter 2 of PPD, Johnson discusses Peggy MCintosh’s analysis of unearned privileges /advantages/entitlements, and conferred dominance in discussing race, gender, sexuality, disability processes in society. He then goes on to providing lists of examples of these privileges and conferred dominance in American society. However, even though he discusses capital, class, and domination in chapter 3, he steers away from analyzing the unearned privileges and conferred dominance on the level of class. Your task is to create a list of variables that constitute unearned privilege on the non-poor and the associated conferred dominance of the non-poor. In creating this list of no less than 20 factors/examples, review your readings by Johnson, and Narayan, as well as the documentary “Ä class divided.” For each factor/example listed, explain why you have chosen to include it in your invisible knapsack of poverty and the poor. Cite your sources as well. Also, refer to McIntosh’s seminal work on the “Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” here: http://www.slcan.org/whiteness_handouts.pdf . Another site that may help you formulate your thoughts is http://old.economichumanrights.org/index.shtml. The more you cite your readings and these sources, the better your grade. (40 points).
1. Short question: Evaluate the diversity wheel in chapter 2 of PPD: should income really be a part of the outer circle rather than the inner circle? And if income ought to be in the inner circle, ought not the other variables in the outer circle, which are a function of income and more generally class, be a part of the inner circle? Please substantiate your answer. Reconfigure the diversity wheel to the class wheel or the poverty wheel. (30 points).
2. I would like you to undertake an exercise as part of your exam: Tell your friends and/or family that you have decided you are going to become poor. Record your actual plan/exercise and their responses in a 1-3 page essay explaining the effects of this plan/exercise/experiment. The best way to successfully implement this exercise is to think of asking them for advice on practical and concrete questions, which from your readings and our documentary, are many. Please understand that you are free to create your own exercise, and assumptions behind your experiment, but be socially and emotionally discerning of the way you approach your audience. (30 points).