Chapter 4: Core Concepts for Teaching Social Justice Education
Maurianne Adams, Rani Varghese, Ximena Zúñiga


Using Resources

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A. Quadrant Grid

B. Text embedded below quadrant grid:

Quadrant 1

Welcome

Name of Activity: Core Concepts: Welcome, Meet and Greet – Option A for Quadrant 1, Chapter 4:

Instructional Purpose Category:

  1. Icebreakers
  1. Tone Setting/ developing group guidelines

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to ease the way for participants to meet each other.

Learning Outcomes: After this activity participants will have had a chance to meet and connect with several members of the class or workshop.

Time Needed: 20-25 minutes

Materials Needed: Provide“Meet & Greet” handout (update as needed) as a digital link for the document or printed as needed

Degree of Risk: Low-risk

Procedure: 1Explain to participants that this activity is meant to help them begin to get to know each other by having one-minute conversations on specific topics. Participants introduce themselves to someone, have a discussion about an item on the sheet, and then they have their speaking partner pencil their initials on the sheet. The activity is meant to encourage participants to introduce themselves and chat with as many people as possible. Note that some items require talking to people who have had specific experiences, while others can be explored with anyone. The items do not have to be discussed in order. Tell participants that they have about 20 minutes (adjust accordingly). Ask if anyone has questions. Pass out the handouts and instruct participants to begin by finding someone they do not know well.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: It is important to highlight that the activity is not a contest; there is no prize for collecting all of the signatures as quickly as possible. Facilitators are welcome to adapt the “Meet & Greet” handout depending on the participants and context, keeping in mind that this is meant to be a low-risk introductory activity with participants who are unfamiliar with each other. Also note that twenty minutes may be a long time for some participants to stand; invite them to sit as necessary. Ensure that there is an open space for people with mobility impairments to move around the room.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students: None

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator: None

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

  • Updated by Ximena Zúñiga & Itza Martínez (2021) from
  • Adaptation by McDonald, J., and Zúñiga, X., (2015). Meet and Greet. Teaching for diversity and social justice. (2nd ed.). Routledge.
  • Molly Keehn, Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst (2010) and
  • Kathy Obear, The Human Advantage (1991)

1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Name of Handout: Core Concepts: Ice Breaker: Meet and Greet  Handout – Option A for Quadrant 1, Chapter 4

Meet and Greet

Introduce yourself:  Name, gender pronouns (if you choose), and where you grew up.
Get 1 signature from each person you meet for 1 of the following items and have a conversation with each person for about one minute.

  • Chat about two exciting activities you have done recently  ____________  
  • Find someone who prefers cold weather to warm weather
  • Find someone who is fluent in a language other than English ____________
  • Talk to someone who is a vegetarian ____________  
  • Talk about where you see yourself in five years ____________
  • Chat with someone who can raise one eyebrow ____________  
  • Talk to someone who is a first-generation student ____________
  • Find someone who is a parent ____________
  • Chat with to someone about what brings you both joy    
  • Chat with someone who sings in the shower ____________
  • Talk about a favorite book related to your studies or interests ____________
  • Find someone who has more than three siblings ____________
  • Talk to someone who loves working in small groups ____________
  • Find someone who plays a musical instrument ____________
  • Talk about how you feel about being here today ____________  

Credits:  

  • Adapted by Itza Martinez and Ximena Zúñiga (2021) from:
  • Ximena Zúñiga and Jess McDonald (2015),Teaching for diversity and social justice companion website. (3rd.,  ed.). Routledge.
  •  Molly Keehn, Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst (2010) and Kathy Obear, The Human Advantage (1991).

Instructional Purpose Category:

  1. Icebreakers
  1. Tone setting / developing group guidelines

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to provide participants with a speak and listen structure in the large group to share perspectives, feelings and experiences on issues that are relevant for building a learning community using a speak-and-listen structure.

Learning Outcomes: After this activity participants will practice speaking and listening and get to know members of the class or workshop

Time Needed: 30 minutes

Materials Needed: Determine questions and sequencing

Degree of Risk: Depends on questions posed; best to use low-risk questions if used early in a course or workshop; if used midway, increase risk level as appropriate or desired.

Procedure1: Situate the participants into two concentric circles facing one another—one inner circle facing outward and another circle around the inner circle facing toward the inner circle. The participants can be sitting or standing. Explain that you will be asking questions to the group using a speak-and-listen structure where one person gets three minutes to answer the question while the other person practices silent active listening, and then the roles switch. Pose a question or topic to the group.

  • For example: Share your name and what brings you here today. Instruct the people in the inner circle to answer the question for three minutes; once three minutes pass, tell the participants to switch roles. After both partners have shared, instruct the people in the inner circle to move one or two people (or seats) to the right.

After moving, everyone should be facing a new partner. Ask a second question.

  • For example: What is one hope you have about this course or workshop? Give each person three minutes to answer, and then have the inner (or outer) circle move one or two space(s) again so that the participants face a new partner for the next question. Other possible questions or topics to discuss include: “For me, I learn best when . . .”; “For me, I do not learn well when . . .”; “My major challenges this month are . . .”; “My support systems right now include . . .”; etc.

Repeat this process until all questions are answered.

Debrief the activity in small groups or as a large group. This can be a general discussion on thoughts, observations, and feelings that came up during the exercise. Possible questions to ask include which questions were particularly easy or difficult to answer, which questions were most interesting, what the participants learned about themselves and others, and how these conversations connect to the larger topic being examined.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: Ideally this activity works well with 14 – 16 participants, although it can be done with larger and smaller numbers. The questions used in the exercise depend largely on the focus or goals of the session and can be modified accordingly. You may want to process the activity, by asking participants which questions were particularly easy or difficult to answer, which questions were more engaging and why, and what things they learned about themselves from conversations with other participants. The facilitator can choose whether or not to participate depending on whether there is an odd or even number of participants. Ensure that there is enough space for people with mobility needs to move as necessary or consider making one of the concentric circles stationary if this is not possible.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students: None

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator: None

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

  • Adapted by Maurianne Adams and Ximena Zúñiga (2021) from
  • Myers, P.  &  Zúñiga,  X. (1993). Classroom and workshop exercises: Concentric circles exercise. In D. Schoem, L. Frankel, X. Zúñiga, & E. Lewis (Eds.), Multicultural teaching in the university (pp. 318–319). Praeger.

1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials)

Introductions

Name of Activity: Core Concepts Introductions in Dyads – Option A for Quadrant 1, Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:

  1. Icebreakers
  1. Tone setting / developing group guidelines

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to introduce participants to each other.

Learning Outcomes: After this activity participants will be more acquainted with each other.

Time Needed: 30 minutes

Materials Needed: None

Degree of Risk: Low-Risk

Procedure1: Explain to participants that this activity involves two steps, pairing and sharing. Use this opportunity to also introduce yourself and any other facilitators. You might also consider sharing a story about your first experience taking a social justice workshop or course. This helps ease the participants’ anxieties and models personal disclosure and authenticity which is valuable in helping set the tone in a workshop or course.

First, they will get in pairs and each take turns answering prompts and then folks will switch partners and repeat the process of answering the prompts. Second, instruct the participants to find a partner and introduce themselves by responding to the following prompts (written on newsprint or slide) in three minutes:

  1. Name,
  2. Pronouns2
  3. Their area of study or work,
  4. What led them to join workshop or course,
  5. One hope they have about the workshop or course

A speak-and-listen activity asks partners to take turns speaking and listening without interruption. The facilitators will keep the timing and inform participants.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: It is important to give participants the opportunity to share one-on-one. In order to build interpersonal connections, support different personality types, and serve diverse learning styles. If conducting this in person, consider mobility adaptations. If conducting this activity via a digital meeting platform such as Google Meet or Zoom, consider creating breakout rooms beforehand.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Participants: None

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator: None

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

  • Adapted by Ximena Zúñiga & Itza D. Martínez (2021) from:
  • McDonald, J & Zúñiga, X., Teaching for diversity and social justice companion website. (3rd.,  ed.). Routledge, and
  • Hardiman, R., Jackson, B., & Griffin, P. (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge.
  • Zúñiga, X. (2021; 2015), EDUC 202: Exploring social/cultural difference and commonalities intergroup dialogue curriculum. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials)

2For more information about pronouns, see Shlasko, D., (2017), Trans Allyship Workbook: Building Skills to Support Trans People In Our Lives. Think Again Training, Revised edition

Name of Activity: Introductions, Sharing Our Names (Core Concepts), Option B for Quadrant 1, Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:

  1. Icebreakers
  1. Tone setting / developing group guidelines

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is for participants to introduce themselves to each other in ways that are memorable in connection to the social justice issue that is the focus of the course or workshop.

Learning Outcomes: After this activity participants will have had a chance to share a personal story related to their name and listen to their peers’ stories.

Time Needed: Varies depending on the size of the group and length of the session. Plan for approximately 1-3 minutes per participant.

Materials Needed: None

Degree of Risk: Varies depending on the facilitator’s modeling and disclosure level

Procedure1: This activity is meant to happen early in a session when the participants are first getting to know one another. Situate the participants in a circle facing inward; they may be standing or sitting. Explain that this activity is meant to help them get to know each other better as well as start thinking critically about the topic at hand. Explain why familiarity with each other’s names is important in the workshop or course and acknowledge the social significance of names and naming. For instance, our first, middle, and last names—and the processes by which we attain them—can tell us much about our background and life experiences, but we often do not think critically about them. Our names may be deeply connected to religious traditions, gender identity, ethnicity, nationality, family history, or have other cultural significance.

The facilitator role models the activity by introducing their name(s) and their significance. Here are several examples of what one of the co-editors of this book, Maurianne Adams, might share to model this activity:

  • My first name, Maurianne, is a Christian name (Mary and Anna), although my family is Jewish. For me, it illustrates the ways in which my maternal German ancestors were assimilated Germans, since I am named after my mother’s grandmother, Marianna. It is also interesting that the Jewish version of my name, Miriam, is my father’s mother’s name.
  • If I was facilitating a class in Sexism, I might say something like this: My last name, Adams, is interesting because it is such a common, Anglo name. I took it from my first marriage. I find it curious now, looking back, that I gave up my own family name for his. At the time I married, in 1971, it never occurred to me to keep my family name.
  • If I was facilitating a class in Religious Oppression, I might say something like this: It is entirely possible that I took my husband’s name because of my own internalized antisemitism, in that I was willing to give up an unusual name such as Schifreen, since so many people asked me “What kind of name is that?” or “How do you pronounce it?” Adams was much easier to manage.
  • In a Religious Oppression class, I might tell this somewhat more “high risk” story about my name: I was 7 years old in 1945 when World War II was over; the allied soldiers had opened and liberated the concentration and death camps, and my family had learned of the deaths of our family members in Germany. One of them, a girl slightly older than I, was named Marianne and I knew that in German it was pronounced the way my name is spelled, Maurianne. Even at age 7, I felt a special connection with her, between my life and her death. It gave me a special sense of purpose, even as a young child, to make sure my life was worthwhile. There is a clear through-line from this commitment as a child and the work I do as a social justice educator today.

After sharing, the facilitator or facilitators then ask for a volunteer to share next and continue with group introductions from there. If there is time, the facilitator(s) may debrief the activity by asking participants to name themes they heard across the group and how these themes relate to the workshop or course topic(s).

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: The way the facilitator or facilitators model this activity will influence what and how much participants are moved to say. These are important decisions of relevance: the connection of what we say about our names and the course topics—and disclosure—how personal or deep it seems appropriate to go, so early in the class. How one models this activity also involves tone (balance between seriousness and humor), comfort level with the material, and the size of the group. If the group has more than 25 participants, including the facilitator(s), it will be necessary to keep each introduction brief. For this, the co-author mentioned above might merely say that she was named after maternal and paternal grandparents and that her name has Christian (Mary Anna) as well as Jewish (Miriam) family associations, or that she took the surname of her husband and now realizes that it never occurred to her to keep her family name.

The participants are sometimes embarrassed to acknowledge that it never occurred to them to think about their names—or that they were named after a popular film star or athlete. The facilitator can comment that this will be an interesting topic the next time the participants talk with their family members—or that being named after a famous person is an interesting historical or cultural fact to be aware of. Why one film star or athlete and not another?

Recommended Materials/Readings for Participants: None

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator: None

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

  • Adams, M., & Hahn d’Errico, K. (2007). Antisemitism and anti-Jewish oppression curriculum design (Chapter 12, Handout 12H). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 285–308). Routledge.

1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Name of Activity: Introductions, Common Ground (Core Concepts), Option C for Quadrant 1, Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:

  1. Icebreakers
  1. Tone setting / developing group guidelines

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to provide participants with the opportunity to explore commonalities and differences around a particular topic and to begin to establish a more personal framework for participants to understand the topic being discussed.

Learning Outcomes:After this activity participants will have gotten to know their group mates.

Time Needed: 30 minutes

Materials Needed: List of statements, copies for participants (optional) either printed or digital link for the document

Degree of Risk: Low-risk; varies depending on statements

Procedure1: In advance, prepare statements to emphasize various social identities and their related experiences held by participants in the class. Also provide statements that identify experiences that you believe are not represented in the group.

Ask the participants to form a circle. Explain that as statements are called out, the participants for whom the statement is true will enter the circle, and then stand there for a moment. In that moment, the participants will look at who has joined the inner circle and who remains in the outer circle. The participants who joined the inner circle will return to the full group for the next statement. Begin the activity. Depending on the topic, risk level, and group, the facilitator may invite the participants to make up other categories as you go or invite the participants to call other categories that apply to them. For example, in a new group you could ask the participants to move to the center and do common ground with everyone who . . .

  1. Eats breakfast every morning
  2. Got five or less hours of sleep last night
  3. Grew up in the US (or is a citizen of another country.)
  4. Is the youngest child in your family (or oldest, middle, only, twin)
  5. Grew up in a city (rural, small town, suburbs)
  6. Speaks more than one language
  7. Works full-time (or part-time, when available)
  8. Is raising children
  9. Likes small-group discussions (or large groups, pair share)
  10. Identifies as an introvert (or extrovert)
  11.  Is a first-generation student
  12. Enjoys online learning (or in person or hybrid learning)

Thank the participants for participating and ask them to return to their seats (if conducting the activity this way). Depending on the size of the group, utilize a pair-share or large-group discussion to debrief the activity. Prompts for discussion might include: How did this activity feel? What stood out for you? Did you notice any patterns personally or in the group? What did you learn about yourself or about the group from this activity?

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: This activity can be used as a low-risk icebreaker, a medium-risk bonding activity, or a high-risk conversation starter. Gauge your use of this activity depending on how well the group knows each other and the goals of the session. Depending on the issues addressed in the activity, the participants may be asked if they have a statement to add. In some cases, the facilitator may direct the participants to offer only statements that apply to themselves (i.e., ones that they will “step in” for). With high-risk topics of discussion such as gender-based violence, it is not recommended to ask the participants for additional statements.

For medium- or high-risk activities, more debriefing will be necessary. The facilitator may instruct the participants to do a pair-share or small-group debrief following the activity. Additional questions might include: What did you notice as you and others were going in and out of the circle? What surprised you? What was uncomfortable for you? What was comfortable? If the activity is used as a discussion starter, it may be helpful to provide copies of the statements after the activity is completed in order for participants to reference back to them.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Participants: None

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator: None

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

  • Adapted by Ximena Zúñiga and Jess McDonald (2015). Teaching for diversity and social justice companion website (3rd.,  ed.). Routledge from:
  • Yeskel, F., & Leondar-Wright, B. (1997). Classism curriculum design. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 232–251). Routledge.

1If conducting this activity via a digital platform such as Google Meet or Zoom, instead of forming a circle and having participants step in/out, have participants turn on/off their cameras or have all cameras on and use a reaction to “step in” to the circle. If facilitating in person, an adaptation may be to allow participants to be seated in a circle and raise their hand if the statement applies to them.

Learning Community

Name of Activity: Learning Community – Option A: Group Guidelines (Core Concepts) (Abbreviated Version) in Quadrant 1, Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:

  1. Icebreakers
  1. Tone setting /developing group guidelines

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to begin to explore participants’ hopes and concerns about participating in the group and identify guidelines that can help build trust and a sense of safety as part of the group process before diving into potentially challenging content.

Learning Outcomes: Students will have experienced the opportunity to generate hopes and concerns as well as guidelines in order to begin to clarify what is needed to build trust and a sense of safety in the group.

Time Needed: 20-30 minutes

Materials Needed: Newsprint and markers; or use digital interactive platforms such as a digital whiteboard, accessible slide deck, Padlet, Jamboard, or Miro board

Degree of Risk: Low to medium risk

Procedure1: Because students find themselves challenged by the course content and the class process is experiential and interactive, it is helpful to generate some baseline guidelines to facilitate the group process and develop trust. Ask the participants to identify guidelines that would help them participate fully in class activities. This can be accomplished in groups of three to five and then shared with the whole group or brainstormed as a whole-group activity. Some of the baseline guidelines we find helpful include the following:

  • Set own boundaries for sharing
  • Speak from your own experience and avoid generalizations
  • Respect confidentiality (do not share personal information shared in class outside the class)
  • Share airtime
  • Listen respectfully to different perspectives
  • No blaming 
  • Focus on own learning
  • Explore your emotional reactions, perceptions, & assumptions
  • Ask clarifying questions as needed
  • Participate honestly/openly pass 

As each guideline is proposed, ask the participants to identify benchmarks or indicators of each guideline so that the meaning of the guideline becomes understood and shared. For example, how will they “know” if respect or listening is happening, or what safety means? Allow discussion about each item before proceeding to the next one, and make sure that each participant understands the meaning and allow for different indicators or forms of expression.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: Note that a longer version of this activity is available in Quadrant 1, Learning Community, and Option B: Hopes/Concerns & Group Guidelines (Longer Version). Should you decide to address comfort zones, learning edges, and activations or emotional reactions refer to the Activity titled “Comfort Zones, Learning Edges, and ‘Activations’, Chapter 4, Quadrant 1”.  As various guidelines are offered, the facilitators may identify cultural, linguistic, generational, or gendered differences that are embedded in the conversation about guidelines. The indicators of listening, for example, may vary within and between cultures. It is important to begin to note how our various “identity lenses” impact what we see and how we make sense of what we see. The facilitator may also need to pose questions in relation to some guidelines to clarify meaning. For example, if safety is mentioned, note that there is a difference between being safe and being comfortable so that the group does easily equate experiencing tension or confusion with not being safe. Depending on the length of the course, use these guidelines as a reference point for processing group interaction. Periodically through the course, ask how successful the group has been in adhering to the guidelines; ask if there are other guidelines to add, delete, modify, or clarify. Additionally, be careful not to have too many guidelines that limit or restrict communication, honesty, and difference of experience (based on culture, language, age, gender, etc.).

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students:
Adams, M., Zúñiga, X., (2018). Core Concepts for Social Justice Education. Readings for Diversity in Social Justice. In Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W.J., Catalano, D. C. J., DeJong, K., Hackman, H.W., Hopkins, L.e., Love, B.J., Peters, M. L., Shlasko, D., Zúñiga, X., (4th ed., pp. 41 – 49). Routledge.

brown, a.m. (2021). Holding Change The way of emergent strategy facilitation and mediation. A.K. Press.

Lakey, G. (2020). Facilitating Group Learning: Strategies for success with adult learners. (2nd edition). PM Press.

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Adams, M., Zúñiga, X., (2018). Core Concepts for Social Justice Education. Readings for Diversity in Social Justice. In Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W.J., Catalano, D. C. J., DeJong, K., Hackman, H.W., Hopkins, L.e., Love, B.J., Peters, M. L., Shlasko, D., Zúñiga, X., (4th ed., pp. 41 – 49). Routledge.

brown, a.m. (2021). Holding Change The way of emergent strategy facilitation and mediation. A.K. Press.

Lakey, G. (2020). Facilitating Group Learning: Strategies for success with adult learners. (2nd edition). PM Press.

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

  • Adapted by Ximena Zúñiga & Itza D. Martínez (2021) from:
  • Hardiman, R., Jackson, B., & Griffin, P. (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge.
  • Zúñiga, X. (2021; 2015). EDUC 202: Exploring social/cultural difference and commonalities intergroup dialogue curriculum. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Name of Activity: Learning Community – Option A: Group Guidelines (Core Concepts) (Abbreviated Version) in Quadrant 1, Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:

  1. Icebreakers
  1. Tone setting /developing group guidelines

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to begin to explore participants’ hopes and concerns about participating in the group and identify guidelines that can help build trust and a sense of safety as part of the group process before diving into potentially challenging content.

Learning Outcomes: Students will have experienced the opportunity to generate hopes and concerns as well as guidelines in order to begin to clarify what is needed to build trust and a sense of safety in the group.

Time Needed: 20-30 minutes

Materials Needed: Newsprint and markers; or use digital interactive platforms such as a digital whiteboard, accessible slide deck, Padlet, Jamboard, or Miro board

Degree of Risk: Low to medium risk

Procedure1: Because students find themselves challenged by the course content and the class process is experiential and interactive, it is helpful to generate some baseline guidelines to facilitate the group process and develop trust. Ask the participants to identify guidelines that would help them participate fully in class activities. This can be accomplished in groups of three to five and then shared with the whole group or brainstormed as a whole-group activity. Some of the baseline guidelines we find helpful include the following:

  • Set own boundaries for sharing
  • Speak from your own experience and avoid generalizations
  • Respect confidentiality (do not share personal information shared in class outside the class)
  • Share airtime
  • Listen respectfully to different perspectives
  • No blaming 
  • Focus on own learning
  • Explore your emotional reactions, perceptions, & assumptions
  • Ask clarifying questions as needed
  • Participate honestly/openly pass 

As each guideline is proposed, ask the participants to identify benchmarks or indicators of each guideline so that the meaning of the guideline becomes understood and shared. For example, how will they “know” if respect or listening is happening, or what safety means? Allow discussion about each item before proceeding to the next one, and make sure that each participant understands the meaning and allow for different indicators or forms of expression.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: Note that a longer version of this activity is available in Quadrant 1, Learning Community, and Option B: Hopes/Concerns & Group Guidelines (Longer Version). Should you decide to address comfort zones, learning edges, and activations or emotional reactions refer to the Activity titled “Comfort Zones, Learning Edges, and ‘Activations’, Chapter 4, Quadrant 1”.  As various guidelines are offered, the facilitators may identify cultural, linguistic, generational, or gendered differences that are embedded in the conversation about guidelines. The indicators of listening, for example, may vary within and between cultures. It is important to begin to note how our various “identity lenses” impact what we see and how we make sense of what we see. The facilitator may also need to pose questions in relation to some guidelines to clarify meaning. For example, if safety is mentioned, note that there is a difference between being safe and being comfortable so that the group does easily equate experiencing tension or confusion with not being safe. Depending on the length of the course, use these guidelines as a reference point for processing group interaction. Periodically through the course, ask how successful the group has been in adhering to the guidelines; ask if there are other guidelines to add, delete, modify, or clarify. Additionally, be careful not to have too many guidelines that limit or restrict communication, honesty, and difference of experience (based on culture, language, age, gender, etc.).

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students:
Adams, M., Zúñiga, X., (2018). Core Concepts for Social Justice Education. Readings for Diversity in Social Justice. In Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W.J., Catalano, D. C. J., DeJong, K., Hackman, H.W., Hopkins, L.e., Love, B.J., Peters, M. L., Shlasko, D., Zúñiga, X., (4th ed., pp. 41 – 49). Routledge.

brown, a.m. (2021). Holding Change The way of emergent strategy facilitation and mediation. A.K. Press.

Lakey, G. (2020). Facilitating Group Learning: Strategies for success with adult learners. (2nd edition). PM Press.

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Adams, M., Zúñiga, X., (2018). Core Concepts for Social Justice Education. Readings for Diversity in Social Justice. In Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W.J., Catalano, D. C. J., DeJong, K., Hackman, H.W., Hopkins, L.e., Love, B.J., Peters, M. L., Shlasko, D., Zúñiga, X., (4th ed., pp. 41 – 49). Routledge.

brown, a.m. (2021). Holding Change The way of emergent strategy facilitation and mediation. A.K. Press.

Lakey, G. (2020). Facilitating Group Learning: Strategies for success with adult learners. (2nd edition). PM Press.

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

  • Adapted by Ximena Zúñiga & Itza D. Martínez (2021) from:
  • Hardiman, R., Jackson, B., & Griffin, P. (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge.
  • Zúñiga, X. (2021; 2015). EDUC 202: Exploring social/cultural difference and commonalities intergroup dialogue curriculum. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Comfort Zones

Name of Activity: Comfort Zones, Learning Edges, and “Activations” Interactive Lecture (Core Concepts) , Chapter 4, Quadrant 1     

Instructional Purpose Category:

  1. Processing / debriefing the process 
  1. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose:The concepts of comfort zones, learning edges, and activations can serve as guides to help participants understand and explore their emotional reactions to activities and other participants’ perspectives. Typically, this information is presented prior to creating group norms and participation guidelines.

Learning Outcomes:After this activity participants will understand their own and others’ sense of comfort zones, learning edges, and activations.

Time Needed:15-30 minutes

Materials Needed: Post definitions on the board or flip chart paper or digital interactive platforms such as a digital whiteboard, accessible slide deck, Padlet, Jamboard, or Miro board; print handout or provide digital link to “Responding to Hot Buttons or Emotional Intensity” Handout (optional).

Degree of Risk: Mostly low-risk, some medium-risk
 
Procedure1: Explain to the participants that social justice education courses are different from other courses in several ways. These conversations, often seen as taboo and in diverse groups, can bring up emotions and reactions that are not typically a part of standard classroom experiences or workshops, but they are an important part of the learning process in social justice education. Encourage the participants to embrace this process and explain that the following concepts will assist them in thinking about how to do this. Introduce the following concepts so the participants are cognizant of the following personal spaces/edges:
Comfort Zone: We all have zones of comfort about different topics or activities. Topics or activities we are familiar with or have lots of information about are solidly inside our comfort zone. When we are inside our comfort zone, we are not challenged, and we are not learning anything new. When we are participating in a discussion or activity focused on new information or awareness, or the information and awareness we have or are familiar with is being challenged, we are often out of our comfort zone or on its edge. If we are too far outside our comfort zone, we tend to withdraw or resist new information. The goal in this course is to learn to recognize when we are on the edge of our comfort zone.

Learning Edge: When we are on the edge of our comfort zone, we are in the best place to expand our understanding, take in a new perspective, and stretch our awareness. We can learn to recognize when we are on a learning edge in this course by paying attention to our internal reactions to class activities and other people in the class. Being on a learning edge can be signaled by feelings of annoyance, anger, anxiety, surprise, confusion, or defensiveness. These reactions are signs that our way of seeing things is being challenged. If we retreat to our comfort zone by dismissing whatever we encounter that does not agree with our way of seeing the world, we lose an opportunity to expand our understanding. The challenge is to recognize when we are on a learning edge and then to stay there with the discomfort we are experiencing to see what we can learn (Griffin, Hardiman, & Jackson, 2007).

Explain that the group is now going to take some time to think about their own experiences with comfort zones and learning edges. The facilitator or facilitators should share some examples from their own lives to model self-disclosure and to help participants to understand what you are asking them to identify. For example, talk about learning a new sport, skill, or dance; taking a difficult academic course; or being in another country where you were not familiar with the culture or language. Ask the participants to take two minutes each to share with a partner a time they can remember being on a learning edge with new information or a new skill. Ask the participants to respond to this question: What internal cues will alert you that you are on a learning edge in this course? Encourage the participants to recognize that pounding hearts, sweaty palms, butterflies in the stomach, excited focused attention, confusion, fear, and anger are all cues to recognize personal learning edges. Bring the group together again and explain that it is important for the participants (and the facilitators) to recognize when and how their emotional reactions might be impacting their participation in the course or workshop. When aware of these reactions, we can name them and work through them in order to keep learning rather than shut down. Introduce the concept as presented by Griffin, Hardiman, & Jackson (2007):

Activations: These are words or phrases that stimulate a strong emotional response because they tap into anger or pain about oppression issues.. Activations do not necessarily threaten one’s physical safety but rather make us feel psychologically threatened. We can also be activated based on our own social identity group or on behalf of another social identity group. Though we may not feel personally threatened, our sense of social justice is challenged or even violated.

Examples of activations include:

  • “I don’t see differences; people are people to me.”
  • “What do you people really want anyway?”
  • “I think men are just biologically more adapted to leadership roles than women.”
  • “I feel so sorry for people with disabilities. It’s such a tragedy.”
  • “If everyone just worked hard, they could achieve.”
  • “Homeless people prefer their life.”
  • “I think people of color are blowing things way out of proportion.”
  • “If women wear tight clothes, they are asking for it.”

Ask the participants how they might respond to feeling activated. Acknowledge that there are a variety of responses, from leaving the space to sitting in silence to attacking the person who activated us. We might also name our emotional reactions, invite discussion about it, and strategize about how to move forward. Obviously, some of these responses are more helpful than others, and one of the group’s goals is to be able to name activations and work through them. Invite the group to identify a process for naming activations and learning edges in ways that encourage open and respectful dialogue. This could be as simple as inviting participants who feel activated or on a learning edge to say so. Explain that this can be a significant learning opportunity for everyone in the course and often is a “breakthrough” experience because the learning is in “real time,” as the moment is unfolding. Encourage the person who activated someone else to listen and try to understand what was upsetting about their comment. Ask them to listen rather than defend their comment.

Encourage the participants to view these discussions as “food for thought” rather than attempts to change an individual participant’s views on the spot. Remind them that no one can focus effective attention on personal learning when they feel defensive or chastised. If time allows or if the facilitator(s) feel(s) it is necessary, they can also pass out the “Responding to Hot Buttons or Emotional Intensity” handout. It is recommended that the facilitator then transitions to the “Hopes/Concerns and Group Guidelines (longer or abbreviated versions” activity.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: Many participants come into social justice education courses with some fear that they will “make a mistake” by activating someone else. Encourage the participants to look at activations as learning opportunities for everyone. It is important to note that anyone can say something that can activate anyone else, regardless of social group membership. Sometimes members of privileged groups may activate members of targeted groups and vice versa and members of privileged groups are activated by what other members of their group say and targeted group members can be activated by someone from their own group as well.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Participants: None

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Hardiman, R., Jackson, B., & Griffin, P. (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge.

Name(s) to credit for this activity

  • Adapted by Ximena Zúñiga & Itza D. Martínez (2021) from:
  • Hardiman, R., Jackson, B., & Griffin, P. (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge.

1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Name of Handout: Responding to “Hot Buttons” or Emotional Intensity (Core Concepts), Chapter 4, Quadrant 1 

What an individual says or does, or an organizational policy or practice may generate a strong emotional response in a way that “hooks” us. It may make us feel diminished, offended, threatened, stereotyped, discounted, or attacked. These emotional responses are what we are naming as activations (Obear, 2013).  Activations do not necessarily threaten our physical safety but instead may make us feel psychologically threatened. We can also be activated based on our own social identity group or on behalf of another social identity group. Though we may not feel personally threatened, our sense of social justice is challenged or even violated.

Certain content, behaviors or words can cause an emotional response. These emotions range from hurt, confusion, anger, and fear to surprise or embarrassment. We may respond to these activations in a variety of ways, some helpful and others not. What responses we choose depends on our own inner resources and the dynamics of the situation. What is especially important is that we take care of ourselves and then decide how to most effectively respond. This list is not intended to be all-inclusive and is in no order of preference. Read the list of responses and think about the discussion questions at the end of the list.

Leave: We physically remove ourselves from the situation that activates us.

Avoidance: We avoid future encounters with and withdraw emotionally from people or situations that activate us.

Silence: We do not respond to the situation that activates us even though we feel upset by it. We endure the situation without saying or doing anything.

Release: We notice what activates us, but we do not take it in. We choose to let it go. We do not feel the need to respond.

Attack: We respond with an intention to hurt or offend whoever has activated us.

Internalization: We internalize what activates us. We believe it to be true.

Rationalization: We convince ourselves that we misinterpreted the trigger, that the intention was not to hurt us, or that we tell ourselves we are overreacting so that we can avoid saying anything about the trigger.
Confusion: We feel upset but are not clear about why we feel that way. We know we feel angry, hurt, or offended. We just don’t know what to say or do about it.

Shock: We are caught off guard, unprepared to be activated by this person or situation, and we have a difficult time responding.

Name: We identify what is upsetting us to the person or organization.

Discuss: We can invite discussion about it with the person or organization that activates us.

Confront: We name what activates us and demand that the offending behavior or policy be changed.

Surprise: We respond to the activation in an unexpected way. For example, we react with constructive humor that names what activated us but makes people laugh.

Strategize: We work with others to develop a programmatic or political intervention to address the activations in a larger context.

Misinterpretation: We are feeling on guard and expect to be triggered so that we misinterpret something someone says and are triggered by our misinterpretation rather than by what they actually said.

Discretion: Because of dynamics in the situation (power differences, risk of physical violence or retribution, for example), we decide that it is not in our best interests to respond at that time, but choose to address the activation in some other way at another time.

Discussion Questions

  • Think of a time when you were activated or had a strong emotional response to someone or something someone said or didn’t say.
  • How did you respond? Which responses are most typical for you when you are activated? As a targeted group member? As an advantaged group member?
  • Are there differences in how you respond to activations depending on the ism?
  • Which responses would you like to add to your repertoire?
  • Which responses do you use now and would like to stop using or use more selectively?
  • What blocks you from responding to activations in ways that feel more effective?
  • What can you do to expand your response repertoire?

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students: What you might share with participants before and/or after activity to augment it (optional)

Hunter, D. (2009). Facilitating yourself.  The art of facilitation (pp. 46-53).  Jossey-Bass.

Obear, K. (2013). Navigating triggering events: Critical competencies for social justice educators. In L. M.Landreman (Ed.), The art of effective facilitation: Reflections from social justice educators (pp. 151-172).Stylus Publishing.

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator: What facilitators should read, in addition to your chapter, before facilitating this activity (optional)

Bell, L.A., Goodman, D., & Varghese, R. (2016). Critical self-knowledge for social justice educators. In  M. Adams, & L. A. Bell, (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (3rd ed., pp. 397- 418). Routledge.

Hunter, D. (2009). Facilitating yourself.  The art of facilitation (pp. 46-53).  Jossey-Bass.

Obear, K. (2013). Navigating triggering events: Critical competencies for social justice educators. In L. M. Landreman (Ed.), The art of effective facilitation: Reflections from social justice educators (pp. 151-172). Stylus Publishing.

Name(s) to credit for this activity

  • Rani Varghese (2021) adapted from
  • Obear, K. (2013). Navigating triggering events: Critical competencies for social justice educators. In L. M. Landreman (Ed.), The art of effective facilitation: Reflections from social justice educators (pp. 151-172). Stylus Publishing, and
  • Hardiman, R., Jackson, B., & Griffin, P. (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge.

SJE Approach

Name of Activity: SJE Approach, Option A: Interactive Lecture Slide Show, Quadrant 1 in Chapter 4 

Instructional Purpose Category:

  1. Exploring institutional-level oppression
  2. Exploring individual/interpersonal-level oppression
  3. Exploring cultural- or societal-level oppression
  4. Exploring internalized oppression, internalized messages, or implicit bias
  5. Exploring history
  6. Exploring liberation and social action

14. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is for the instructors/facilitators to deliver an interactive lecture about the social justice education (SJE) approach to oppression and its manifestations at personal, institutional, societal, and cultural levels. They draw from the core concepts presented in Chapter 4 and from the slide show available on the website. The slide show provides illustrative materials (visuals) that will help the instructor prepare for lecture presentations. However, we advise instructors to not rely on the slide show to organize the lecture but instead to select specific slides and materials that they need. Please note that this slide show does not correspond precisely with the content, or the sequence of core concepts presented in Chapter 4.

Learning Outcomes: Participants will be able to understand a SJE approach to oppression and its manifestations at the persona, institutional, societal, and cultural levels.

Time Needed: 30-40 minutes

Materials Needed: Digital link to slide show

Degree of Risk: Low-risk

Procedure1: Create/adapt the content of the slides using the content in Chapter 4 and the slide show available on the website; identify places where pair-shares could be infused into your lecture presentation.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: There are activities to apply some of the core concepts in the Quadrant 2 and Quadrant 3 activities. The facilitators will need to briefly recap key talking points before or after interactive activities. Depending on participants’ needs, it may be helpful to make the slides and notes available.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Participants:
Adams, M., Zúñiga, X., (2018). Core Concepts for Social Justice Education. Readings for Diversity in Social Justice. In Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W.J., Catalano, D. C. J., DeJong, K., Hackman, H.W., Hopkins, L.e., Love, B.J., Peters, M. L., Shlasko, D., Zúñiga, X., (4th ed., pp. 41 – 49). Routledge.

Hardiman, R., Jackson, B. W., & Griffin, P. (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), In Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge.

Young, I. M. (1990). The Five Faces of Oppression. Justice and the politics of difference (pp. 39–65). Princeton University Press.

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Hardiman, R., Jackson, B. W., & Griffin, P. (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge.

Harro, B. (2018). The cycle of socialization. In Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W.J., Catalano, D. C. J., DeJong, K., Hackman, H.W., Hopkins, L.E., Love, B.J., Peters, M. L., Shlasko, D., Zúñiga, X., Readings for Diversity in Social Justice. (4th ed., pp. 41 – 49). Routledge.

Kirk, G., & Okazawa-Rey, M. (2013). Identities and social locations: Who am I? Who are my people? In Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W.J., Catalano, D. C. J., DeJong, K., Hackman, H.W., Hopkins, L.E., Love, B.J., Peters, M. L., Shlasko, D., Zúñiga, X., Readings for Diversity in Social Justice. (4th ed., pp. 10 - 15). Routledge.

Young, I. M. (1990). The Five Faces of Oppression.  Justice and the politics of difference (pp. 39–65). Princeton University Press.

Name(s) to credit for this activity

  • Adapted by Maurianne Adams, Ximena Zúñiga, Rani Varghese, Nina Tissi-Gassoway, David Neely and Itza D. Martínez from:
  •  Pat Griffin (2007). Appendix 3I Oppression lecture slide show, Chapter 3, Conceptual foundations for social justice education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice (2nd ed., pp. 35-88). Routledge.

Core Concepts Slideshow

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1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

PDF is password protected. Is this meant to embedded text or a download?

Name of Activity: Levels and Types of Oppression Interactive Lecture (Core Concepts) Supplement, Quadrant 1, Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:
4. Exploring institutional-level oppression
5. Exploring individual/interpersonal-level oppression
6. Exploring cultural- or societal-level oppression
7. Exploring internalized oppression, internalized messages, or implicit bias
14. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is for the instructors/facilitators to deliver an interactive lecture about the social justice education (SJE) approach to oppression and its manifestations at personal, institutional, societal, and cultural levels. They draw from the core concepts presented in Chapter 4 and from the slide show available on the website. The slide show provides illustrative materials (visuals) that will help the instructor prepare for lecture presentations. However, we advise instructors to not rely on the slide show to organize the lecture but instead to select specific slides and materials that they need. Please note that this slideshow does not correspond precisely with the content, or the sequence of core concepts presented in Chapter 4.

Learning Outcomes: Participants will be able to understand some of the intersections of the levels and types of oppression.
Time Needed: 30–40 minutes 
Materials Needed: Review the seven core concepts and add any additional examples that are relevant to the audience or topic.
Degree of Risk: Low-risk 
Procedure1: Create/adapt the content of the slides using the content in Chapter 4 and the slide show available on the website; identify places where pair-shares could be infused into your lecture presentation.
Facilitation Notes & Considerations: There are activities to apply some of the core concepts in the Quadrant 2 and Quadrant 3 activities. The facilitators will need to briefly recap key talking points before or after interactive activities. Depending on participants’ needs, it may be helpful to make the PowerPoint slides and notes available. 
Recommended Reading for Students:  
Bell, L.A., (2018). Theoretical Foundations for Social Justice Education. In Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W.J., Catalano, D. C. J., DeJong, K., Hackman, H.W., Hopkins, L.E., Love, B.J., Peters, M. L., Shlasko, D., Zúñiga, X., Readings for Diversity in Social Justice. (4th ed., pp. 34 – 41). Routledge.

Hardiman, R., Jackson, B. W., & Griffin, P. (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge. 

Young, I. M. (1990). The Five Faces of Oppression. Justice and the politics of difference (pp.  39–65). Princeton University Press.

Recommended Reading for Facilitators:  
Hardiman, R., Jackson, B. W., & Griffin, P. (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge. 

Harro, B. (2018). The cycle of socialization. In Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W.J., Catalano, D. C. J., DeJong, K., Hackman, H.W., Hopkins, L.E., Love, B.J., Peters, M. L., Shlasko, D., Zúñiga, X., Readings for Diversity in Social Justice. (4th ed., pp. 41 – 49). Routledge.

Kirk, G., & Okazawa-Rey, M. (2013). Identities and social locations: Who am I? Who are my people? In Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W.J., Catalano, D. C. J., DeJong, K., Hackman, H.W., Hopkins, L.E., Love, B.J., Peters, M. L., Shlasko, D., Zúñiga, X., Readings for Diversity in Social Justice. (4th ed., pp. 10 - 15). Routledge.

Young, I. M. (1990). The Five Faces of Oppression.  Justice and the politics of difference (pp. 39–65). Princeton University Press.
Credits:

  • Adapted by Maurianne Adams and Ximena Zúñiga (2021) from
  • Pat Griffin (2007). Appendix 3I Oppression lecture slide show, Chapter 3, Conceptual foundations for social justice education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–88). Routledge.

Core Concepts Slideshow

Download Now (PDF 1.8MB)

1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Name of Activity: SJE Approach – Option C: Five Faces of Oppression Interactive Lecture Supplement (Core Concepts) , Quadrant 1, Chapter 4.

Instructional Purpose Category:

  1. Exploring institutional-level oppression
  1. Exploring cultural- or societal-level oppression
  1. Exploring history
  1. 14. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: Facilitators can choose to use “Levels and Types” or “Five Faces” as a framework for analysis of oppression. The “Five Faces” framework offers an interesting analysis of different types and characteristics of oppression, mainly at the societal/cultural level. The “Levels” offers a simple framework that focuses on distinctions between societal/cultural, institutional, and personal/interpersonal levels at which oppression and disadvantage take place. As an introduction to the social justice education (SJE) approach, we believe that the “Levels” is a useful beginning analytic framework but can be used in conjunction with the “Five Faces” to deepen participants’ understanding of oppression.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to better understand how the Five Faces of Oppression can help us analyze the complexities of oppression.

Time Needed: 10-15 minutes

Materials Needed: Slide deck or digital link to slide deck

Degree of Risk: Low-Risk

Procedure1: What follows is text and slides that can be used by the facilitator in presenting the Five Faces of Oppression. Provide a definition of oppression, referring to the slide and ask the participants to then generate their own examples of the five faces of oppression. You can provide the following examples below.

  • Examples: The exploitation of black slave labor rationalized in part by “heathen” African religious practices; of women for lower wages in the workforce; of undocumented workers for substandard wages and conditions of work.
  • Examples: The marginalization of denominations outside the Protestant mainstream (Amish, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Seventh-day Adventists); of women within upper-level corporate and political structures; of domestic and agricultural (black, Latinx/e, Asian) workers in their efforts to gain union support; of disabled workers.
  • Examples: The powerlessness of Japanese American people to resist or avoid forced internment during World War II; of women to avoid harassment and rape; of uneducated, immigrant workers; of disabled peoples to negotiate public buildings that do not have accommodations.
  • Examples: The cultural imperialism experienced by Native Americans relocated onto reservations and forcibly “assimilated” by Christian denominational mission boarding schools; of patriarchal culture in politics and the workplace; of white middle-class approaches to learning in public schools; of norms of cognitive or physical ability.
  • Examples: The violence visited upon individual Arab and South Asian Americans in the rapid acceleration of harassment and hate crimes from the mid-1970s up to and following 9/11; upon gays, lesbians, and transgender peoples in schools, on public streets or transit, in prisons; upon women in private social or domestic settings.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: There is an activity to apply these concepts in the Quadrant 3 activities. Facilitators will need to briefly recap the lecture before the activity. Depending on the participants’ needs, it may be helpful to make the PowerPoint slides and notes available.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students:
Young, I. M. (1990). The Five Faces of Oppression. Justice and the politics of difference (pp. 39–65). Princeton University Press.

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Young, I. M. (1990). The Five Faces of Oppression. Justice and the politics of difference (pp. 39–65). Princeton University Press.

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

  • Adapted by M. Adams (2015) from Adams, M., & Joshi, K.Y. (2007). Religious oppression curriculum design (Chapter 11, Appendix 11B: Participant worksheet: Five faces of oppression). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 255–284). Routledge.
  • Young, I. M. (1990). The Five Faces of Oppression. Justice and the politics of difference (pp. 39–65). Princeton University Press.

1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

5 Faces of Oppression

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Closing Activity

Name of Activity: Closing Activity (Core Concepts), Quadrant 1, Chapter 4 

Instructional Purpose Category:

  1. Icebreakers
  1. Tone setting / developing group guidelines

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to bring a component of the session to a close before transitioning to a different component or topic, taking a break, or ending a session.

Learning Outcomes:Participants will be able to understand how to transition between and in a session.

Time Needed: 5-10 minutes

Materials Needed: None

Degree of Risk: Varies depending on session and group

Procedure1: Thank the participants for their engagement, participation, risk-taking, and sharing during the session or activity. Explain that the group will be doing a brief closing round where everyone is invited to share before closing the space. Use one of the following prompts or create your own:

  • Share one feeling or thought about today’s session/activity.
  • Pose one question you will continue to think about.
  • Name one thing you learned that really touched you or made you think.
  • Say one thing you appreciate about the group or workshop.

Advise the participants to speak openly, since this encourages active listening and reflection. Prompt the participants to share in round-robin style or by going around the circle in order, depending on preference and time. The participants may “pass” until the rest of the group has shared if they need more time to think. The facilitator is advised to participate in the closing round and may role model by sharing first if there are no volunteers.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: While these share-outs are meant to serve as a closing round, the participants may share meaningful and profound information. Due to time limitations, the group may not have time to process or debrief what is shared. In this situation, the facilitator may want to thank the participants for their openness and acknowledge the value of what was shared. If necessary, the facilitator may check in one-on-one with the participants who bring up anything of immediate concern. The facilitator may also use any information from the closing round to frame the next activity or session.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students: None

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
brown, a.m. (2021). Holding Change The way of emergent strategy facilitation and mediation. A.K. Press.

Lakey, G. (2020). Facilitating Group Learning: Strategies for success with adult learners. (2nd edition). PM Press.

Name(s) to credit for this activity

  • Adapted by Itza D. Martínez & Ximena Zúñiga (2021) from:
  • McDonald, J., and Zúñiga, X. (2015). Closing Activity. Teaching for diversity and social justice companion website. (3rd.,  ed.). Routledge.
  • Zúñiga, X. (2021) EDUC 202: Exploring social/cultural difference and commonalities intergroup dialogue curriculum. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Quadrant 2

Check-In and Revisiting Guidelines

Name of Activity:Check-In and Revisiting Guidelines (Core Concepts), Quadrant 2 in Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:

  1. Icebreakers
  1. Tone setting / developing group guidelines

Instructional Purpose:The purpose of this activity is to bring participants back into the space and assess the group process thus far.

Learning Outcomes:After this activity participants will be reoriented to the space they are co-creating for learning and review guidelines, practice discussing guidelines – what they look and sound like for the learning space.

Time Needed:10-20 minutes

Materials Needed: Newsprint, Slide, or other digital platform with pre-existing guidelines

Degree of Risk: Low-risk

Procedure: Welcome the participants back into the space as they enter the room. Once everyone is seated, greet the group and review the agenda and goals for the session. Next, explain to the participants that the session will begin by doing a brief process check to reflect on how they are feeling about the group dynamics and their participation. Direct the participants’ attention to the group guidelines created previously. If time allows, ask the participants to read the guidelines aloud one at a time, either as a read-around or popcorn style. Invite them to partner up and do a speak-and-listen activity using the guidelines to reflect on:

  1. Something related to the guidelines that is going well for them personally,
  2. Something they could improve on related to the guidelines.

Give each partner three minutes to share without interruption.1

After six minutes, invite the group back together. Debrief the speak-and-listen activity:

  • Would anyone like to share what they discussed?
  • What is going well?
  • What could be improved on?
  • What adjustments, if any, should the group make moving forward?

Note any changes in the guidelines newsprint and thank the group for their participation.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: Remind the participants to speak from their own experience when sharing with the larger group and to ask permission before sharing someone else’s story. Depending on the group and their dynamics, this could be a brief check-in or a longer discussion. Depending on if the activity is being done on a digital platform such as Google Meet or Zoom, facilitators will need to set up break-out meeting rooms for dyads for the pair-share once everyone has joined.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students: None

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator: None

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

  • Updated by Itza D. Martínez & Ximena Zúñiga (2021) from:
  • Adapted by McDonald, J., and Zúñiga, X., (2015). Check-In and Revisiting Guidelines. Teaching for diversity and social justice companion website. (3rd.,  ed.). Routledge.
  • Zúñiga, X. (2015; 2021). EDUC 202: Exploring social/cultural difference and commonalities intergroup dialogue curriculum. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

1If conducting this process online, small groups can be via breakout rooms and prompts made available via chat.

Cycle of Socialization

Name of Activity: Cycle of Socialization, Option A: Lecture Presentation for Quadrant 2, Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:

  1. Early learning / socializations
  1. Exploring internalized oppression, internalized messages, or implicit bias

14. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to introduce participants to the concept of socialization as a framework for understanding privilege and oppression in our lives.

Learning Outcomes: After this activity participants will have language and an understanding of Bobbie Harro’s Cycle of Socialization.

Time Needed: 25-30 minutes

Materials Needed: Handouts/Links of Harro’s Cycle of Socialization figure and slides from the SJE Approach presentation available on the website.

Degree of Risk: Low risk

Procedure: The participants should read, as an assigned homework reading assignment, Bobbie Harro’s “The Cycle of Socialization” (see recommended readings below). Acknowledge that this was a part of their assigned readings and explain that the group will be reviewing it together because it is a core concept for the session. Explain that the facilitators will be using personal stories from targeted and privileged perspectives to help illustrate how we are impacted by and respond to different events in our lives. The facilitators pass out the Cycle of Socialization handout and guide participants through it using personal examples. Facilitators are encouraged to share examples that not only relate directly to their session topic (racism, transgender oppression, etc.) but that also reference interactions or events that may help illustrate intersections with other dynamics of privilege and oppression (e.g., ableism, adultism, etc.) from both targeted and a privileged social group perspective. Having a range of examples normalizes that we all may have experienced oppression and privilege in our lives, regardless of our current status in systems of advantage and disadvantage.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: In selecting their examples, facilitators should try to balance conscious as well as unconscious aspects of the cycle. Use concrete examples from everyday life, relevant to both privileged and targeted groups. The presentation of the Cycle of Socialization becomes tangible and real for the participants when the facilitators work together by co-presenting the main points and sharing personal stories from their own lives. If there is enough time, invite participants to share stories and give examples from their own lives.
As the facilitators model their stories, they should review the terminology that is relevant to their identities as a way to integrate the terminology without “teaching” the terms. Revisiting terms such as “advantaged/privileged,” “disadvantaged/subordinated,” and “salient” might be useful.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Participants:
Harro, B. (2018). The cycle of socialization. In M. Adams, W. Blumenfeld, D. C. J. Catalano, K. “S”. DeJong, H.W. Hackman, L.E. Hopkins, B.J. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 27 - 34). Routledge.

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Harro, B. (2018). The cycle of socialization. In M. Adams, W. Blumenfeld, D. C. J. Catalano, K. “S”. DeJong, H.W. Hackman, L.E. Hopkins, B.J. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 27 - 34). Routledge.
.

Name(s) to credit for this activity

  • Hardiman, R., Jackson, B., & Griffin, P. (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education (Chapter 3, Handout 3E). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge.
  • Harro, B. (2000). The cycle of socialization. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, R. Castañeda, H. W. Hackman, M. L. Peters, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (pp. 15–21). Routledge.
  • Zúñiga, X. (2021; 2015). EDUC 202: Exploring social/cultural difference and commonalities intergroup dialogue curriculum. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Slideshow not supplied.

Name of Activity: Cycle of Socialization, Option B: Activity for Quadrant 2, Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:

  1. Early learning / socializations
  1. Exploring internalized oppression, internalized messages, or implicit bias

14. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to introduce participants to the concept of socialization as a framework for understanding privilege and oppression in our lives.

Learning Outcomes: After this activity participants will have language and an understanding of Bobbie Harro’s Cycle of Socialization.

Time Needed: 25-30 minutes

Materials Needed: handouts and/or a digital link to document of Harro’s Cycle of Socialization figure; newsprint and markers or link to a digital platform for participants to write on, such as a set of slides, digital whiteboard, Jamboard or Padlet.

Degree of Risk: Low-risk

Procedure: Have the participants get into four equal-sized groups (predetermined mixed identity if possible). Assign each group a portion of the cycle: First socialization, institutional and cultural socialization, enforcements, and results. Instruct the participants to take 10 minutes in small groups to review their stage of the cycle and brainstorm some examples of how they were trained to “fit in” their assigned roles during a particular stage of the cycle. Have the group choose a recorder and reporter. Write examples on newsprint (or another digital platform such as a slide/digital whiteboard/Jamboard/Padlet). One member from each group takes one or two minutes to report out to the large group some of their experiences and insights from their discussions. A large-group debriefing should allow the participants to think about their socialization process within the context of the cycle. The facilitators should focus on similarities and differences of how people were socialized. Discuss as a group the last stage of the socialization process and how change is created. The facilitators might want to indicate that the group will dedicate more time to talking about planning and taking action later in the course or workshop.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: If possible, determine groups beforehand so that they have a variety of social identities in each group.Be sure to include or highlight examples that highlight collusion or ways that we resist oppression. Also be mindful to highlight intersectionality in examples. Remind the participants that most of us have experienced both oppression and privilege depending on our social identities, and that some of these statuses [identities] (class, age, ability) can change over time.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Participants:
Harro, B. (2018). The cycle of socialization. In M. Adams, W. Blumenfeld, D. C. J. Catalano, K. “S”. DeJong, H.W. Hackman, L.E. Hopkins, B.J. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 27–34). Routledge.

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Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Harro, B. (2018). The cycle of socialization. In M. Adams, W. Blumenfeld, D. C. J. Catalano, K. “S”. DeJong, H.W. Hackman, L.E. Hopkins, B.J. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (pp. 27 - 34). Routledge.

Name(s) to credit for this activity

  • Ximena Zúñiga  & Itza D. Martínez (2021) from:
  • Zúñiga, X. (2021; 2015). EDUC 202: Exploring social/cultural difference and commonalities intergroup dialogue curriculum. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
  • Harro, B. (2018). The cycle of socialization. In M. Adams, W. Blumenfeld, D. C. J. Catalano, K. “S”. DeJong, H.W. Hackman, L.E. Hopkins, B.J. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 27 - 34). Routledge.

Name of Handout:Cycle of Socialization

Name(s) to credit for this activityHarro, B. (2018). The cycle of socialization. In Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W. J., Catalano, D.C.J., DeJong, K. S., Hackman, H. W., Hopkins, L. E., Love, B.J., Peters, M. L., Shlasko, D., & Zúñiga, X. (2018). Readings for diversity and social justice (pp. 27 - 34). Routledge.

Cycle of Socialization: Advocacy Taking Action or Resistance

Name of Activity: Cycle of Socialization: Advocacy Taking Action or Resistance (Core Concepts), Quadrant 2 for Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:

  1. Exploring liberation and social action

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to encourage the participants to share personal examples of advocacy and resistance drawing on their own experiences.

Learning Outcomes: After this activity participants will have experienced sharing personal examples of advocacy, taking action, and resistance.

Time Needed: 25–35 minutes

Materials Needed: Determine how to divide groups (randomly, based on identity, etc.); handout created by facilitator as necessary, depending on topic; extra paper and pencils, handout created by facilitator as necessary in printed or digital format.

Degree of Risk: Low- to medium-risk

Procedure: In the preceding activities of Quadrant 2, the participants have had opportunities to hear about how socialization takes place within social systems at various levels—the individual, the institutional, and the societal or cultural levels. Perhaps they have had some small-group or personal note-taking opportunities to think about how that occurred for them, the messages and pressures they experienced to behave in accordance with their social identities, and the related advantaged or disadvantaged social positions. Now is the opportunity for them also to think about and then talk about times in their lives in which they have “pushed back” against those messages or pressures. You may connect this to the “Enforcements” and “Results” stages of the Cycle of Socialization. What times did they feel themselves disagreeing and perhaps resisting—or even just thinking about resistance? How did they feel? What did they do—or wish they could do? Introduce this concept and provide a few relatable examples of your own.
Give participants 5–7 minutes to do a free write in response to the first set of questions on the handout. Explain that they will not be turning in these free writes but will be using them to share in a group (or pair).  After this time is up, split the participants into groups. Depending on the participants and the workshop, it may make sense to divide them randomly into small groups, create affinity groups based on identity, or just partner them. If conducting this activity digitally, small groups may be curated by placing participants in breakout rooms that are at random or chosen by the facilitator. The participants should share what they wrote, making sure that everyone has time to speak. After the participants have written their notes and had their pair shares or small-group discussions, it is useful to have a general discussion. This discussion could involve issues such as the following:

  1. What were the issues that generated resistance?
  2. What was the relationship of those issues to one’s specific social identity?
  3. What empowered participants to resist and/or advocate for others?
  4. What prevented participants from doing so?
  5. What can we learn from our own examples of advocacy, taking action and resistance about our ability to act in the future?

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: It may take some participants a few minutes to brainstorm personal examples. If the group is struggling, you might consider asking the group to generate ideas through a brainstorm.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Participants: None

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator: None

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

  • Updated by Ximena Zúñiga & Itza D. Martínez (2021) from:
  • Maurianne Adams, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Personal Identity and Social Identity

Name of Activity: Personal & Social Identity, Option A: Lecture Presentation for Quadrant 2, Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:
2. Early learning/socializations
5. Exploring individual/interpersonal-level oppression
12. Exploring privilege
13. Identifying stereotypes
14. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to introduce participants to the concepts of personal and social identity.

Learning Outcomes: Participants will be able to recognize the concepts of personal and social identity.

Time Needed: 25-30 minutes

Materials Needed: Chapters 1 and 4 from this volume and a lecture presentation such as a slide deck.

Degree of Risk: Low-Risk

Procedure1: Facilitators create a lecture presentation about these two concepts. In preparation, they read Chapters 1 and 4 from this volume and use text from Chapter 4 to support their lecture activity. They can also use slides from the SJE Approach slide show available on the website to support this segment.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations2: When presenting, consider ways in which participants can engage with the presentation and share their understandings from the readings as well. Additionally, it may help some participants to receive the presentation ahead of time which can be done by providing a digital or printed copy.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Participants: What you might share with participants before and/or after activity to augment it (optional).

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Johnson, A. (2017). Chapter 2: Privilege, oppression, and difference. In Privilege, power, and difference (3rd ed., pp. 12–34). McGraw-Hill.

Kirk, G., & Okazawa-Rey, M. (2018). Identities and social locations: Who am I? Who are my people? In M. Adams, W. Blumenfeld, D. C. J. Catalano, K. “S”. DeJong, H.W. Hackman, L.E. Hopkins, B.J. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 10–15). Routledge.

Name(s) to credit for this activity

  • Updated by Ximena Zúñiga & Itza D. Martínez (2021) from:
  • Adapted by Maurianne Adams and Ximena Zúñiga from Pat Griffin (2007). Appendix 3I: Oppression lecture slide show, Chapter 3, Conceptual foundations for social justice education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–88). Routledge.

1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

2When preparing slides, consider incorporating an agenda/overview and a Land Acknowledgement. The following is some suggested wording: I want acknowledge the land on which I sit and occupy today as the traditional and ancestral home of the ___________. I would also like to acknowledge our neighboring Indigenous nations to the east, west, south and north. Without them, we would not have access to this gathering and to this dialogue. We take this opportunity to thank and honor the original caretakers of this land and the need to continue to address the lasting inequities of colonization. To learn more about the native land on which you live, learn, and work please visit: https://native-land.ca/

Name of Activity: Personal and Social Identity, Option B: Interactive activity for Quadrant 2, Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:
2. Early learning/socializations
5. Exploring individual/interpersonal-level oppression
12. Exploring privilege
13. Identifying stereotypes
14. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to introduce participants to the concepts of personal and social identity.

Learning Outcomes: Participants will be able to recognize the concepts of personal and social identity.

Time Needed: 60 minutes

Materials Needed: “Personal Identity Wheel” and “Social Identity Wheel” handouts or digital link to the document, markers or a version on a digital platform. The facilitators may consider having blank paper available for the students to construct their two identity wheels. The facilitators may also consider having a handout with the three discussion questions or these may be posted on a slide or newsprint.

Degree of Risk: Low-risk (personal identity) to moderate-risk (social identity)

Procedure1: Remind the students about the difference between personal identity and social identity, as discussed in the PowerPoint slide show in Quadrant 1. Share the Personal Identity Wheel via handout, digital platform, or newsprint. Explain that personal identity includes aspects such as names, personal experiences, personality traits, skills, characteristics, self-view, self-esteem, academic and social interests, etc. Validate the importance of our personal identity to who we are as individuals but remind participants that the workshop/course will largely focus on social identity.
The purpose of this activity is to provide a vehicle for the participants to explore their own social group memberships and to identify how they experience privilege and disadvantage. Provide each participant with the Personal Identity Wheel handout and explain that they will be creating their own identity wheel. Ask them to create a Personal Identity Wheel that includes the elements of their personal identity that are most important to them.
Then, on a separate sheet of paper, ask them to create a Social Identity Wheel that includes all of their social identities. This Social Identity Wheel will represent each of their social group memberships: Race, ethnicity, assigned sex, gender, sexuality, age, class, religion, (dis)ability, etc. Ask the participants to indicate their awareness of and the saliency of their different social group memberships by the size of the segment they allot to it. Group memberships that they think about more will be a larger slice of the circle, and memberships that they think about less will be smaller slices. For instance, a participant might indicate that she is much more aware of being black, a woman, and working class than she is being able-bodied, gender-conforming, or a young adult.

Next, have the participants color code or in some way differentiate their advantaged identities and their disadvantaged identities based on their current understandings of whether they are “socially advantaged” or “socially disadvantaged” in their social identity group memberships.
Ask the participants to find one or two others in the class that they would like to spend some time with discussing the following questions:

  1. What are the relationships between my personal identity and my social identity? For example: How does my identity as a young person reflect my social identity? Do the clubs or team sports I engage in reflect my social identity?
  2. Are there social situations in which I feel that a particular social identity is most visible or important for me? When and where do I feel most aware of any specific social identities?
  3. When I am most aware of a social identity, am I aware of it as an advantaged social identity or as a disadvantaged social identity? What are some specific ways in which I feel especially aware of advantages or disadvantages based on that identity?

Following the small-group discussions, ask for volunteers to describe any new insights they had from discussing these three questions. At the end of this whole-group discussion, the facilitator will summarize people’s observations about the relationship of personal to social identities, the social situations in which they are most aware of social identities, and the situations in which that awareness relates to their feeling of advantage or disadvantage relative to others. The facilitators should think of the closure to this discussion as a preparation for the next segment of the design, which has to do with positionality and intersectionality.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations2: It is important that the facilitators prepare for this activity by creating their own Personal and Social Identity Wheels beforehand to model the activity for participants. The facilitators also should be prepared to model how the participants can talk about situations in which their advantaged or disadvantaged identities feel more visible or salient for them, and perhaps say something about why they think they are more or less aware of advantaged or disadvantaged identities in different contexts. When presenting, consider ways in which participants can engage with the presentation and share their understandings from the readings as well. Additionally, it may help some participants to receive the presentation ahead of time which can be done by providing a digital or printed copy.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students:
Johnson, A. (2017). Chapter 2: Privilege, oppression, and difference.  Privilege, power, and difference (3rd ed., pp. 12–34). McGraw-Hill.

Kirk, G., & Okazawa-Rey, M. (2018). Identities and social locations: Who am I? Who are my people? In M. Adams, W. Blumenfeld, D. C. J. Catalano, K. “S”. DeJong, H.W. Hackman, L.E. Hopkins, B.J. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 10–15). Routledge.

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Johnson, A. (2017). Chapter 2: Privilege, oppression, and difference.  Privilege, power, and difference (3rd ed., pp. 12–34). McGraw-Hill.

Kirk, G., & Okazawa-Rey, M. (2018). Identities and social locations: Who am I? Who are my people? In M. Adams, W. Blumenfeld, D. C. J. Catalano, K. “S”. DeJong, H.W. Hackman, L.E. Hopkins, B.J. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 10–15). Routledge.

Name(s) to credit for this activity

  • Updated by Ximena Zúñiga & Itza D. Martínez (2021) from
  • Adapted by Maurianne Adams & Ximena Zúñiga from Pat Griffin (2007). Appendix 3I: Oppression lecture slide show, Chapter 3, Conceptual foundations for social justice education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–88). Routledge.

1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

2When preparing slides, consider incorporating an agenda/overview and a Land Acknowledgement. The following is some suggested wording: I want acknowledge the land on which I sit and occupy today as the traditional and ancestral home of the ___________. I would also like to acknowledge our neighboring Indigenous nations to the east, west, south and north. Without them, we would not have access to this gathering and to this dialogue. We take this opportunity to thank and honor the original caretakers of this land and the need to continue to address the lasting inequities of colonization. To learn more about the native land on which you live, learn, and work please visit: https://native-land.ca/

Name of Handout: Personal Identity Wheel, Quadrant 2, Chapter 4

Name(s) to credit for this activity

  • Zúñiga, X. & Kachwaha, T. (2009). Adapted from “Voices of Discovery”.  Intergroup Relations Center. Arizona State University
  • Zúñiga, X. (2021; 2015) EDUC 202: Exploring social/cultural difference and commonalities intergroup dialogue curriculum. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

Name of Activity:Social Identity Wheel, Quadrant 2, Chapter 4

Name(s) to credit for this activity

  • Zúñiga, X. (2021; 2015). EDUC 202: Exploring social/cultural difference and commonalities intergroup dialogue curriculum. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
  • Zúñiga, X. & Kachwaha, T. (2009). Adapted from “Voices of Discovery” at the Intergroup Relations Center, Arizona State University.

Social Group Memberships, Positionality, and Intersectionality

Name of Activity: Social Categories and Social Group Memberships: Social Status, Positionality, and Intersectionality, Option A: Lecture and Profiles for Quadrant 2, Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:
14. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to introduce participants to the relationship between social group categories, memberships, and social status or social position.

Learning Outcomes:After this activity, participants will be able to have a better understanding of the relationship between social group categories, memberships, and social status or social position.

Time Needed: 35 minutes

Materials Needed: Text from Chapters 1 and 4 of this volume, slides or other digital presentation platform or newsprint.

Degree of Risk: Moderate-risk

Procedure: Revisit how oppression is an overarching phenomenon with individual manifestations based on different social identity categories, using text presented in Chapter 1 and in descriptions of core concepts in Chapter 4. Following the lecture, use the visual aids as activities to prompt participant discussion. The instructors and facilitators should refer back to the discussion of appropriate core concepts for each part of this activity.

  • List (or ask participants to name) the different categories of social identity they referred to during the Personal and Social Identity Wheel or Personal and Social Identity Lecture activity. Note that these are broad social categories that are recognized as such within U.S. culture. Write the list on a newsprint or other digital platform such as a slide.
  • Assigned sex
  • Sexual orientation
  • Class
  • Ability or disability (physical, cognitive, emotional, health)
  • Race (and/or ethnicity)
  • Religion
  • Age
  • National Origin/Affiliation
  • Define social categories in relation to social group membership and social identity. The instructors and facilitators can refer to discussions of social categories, social group memberships, and social identities in Chapters 1 and 4.

Example Script: Social categories refer to groups of people who share a range of physical, cultural, or social characteristics. The “categories” exist in the culture as categories of difference and similarities. People think of themselves as members of social groups and derive their social identities from those groups. Race is a clearly established social category, a group membership, inscribed in U.S. law, whereas ethnicity is often seen as only a “group membership.” Whereas race is ascribed by how others see you, ethnicity is recognized by the people connected through their ethnicity. Some people may prefer the “social identity” of ethnicity (Haitian instead of black, Jewish instead of white), but that does not contradict the public ascription of racial categories to everyone, regardless of preferred ethnic categories. (It is also clear in one of the examples given above that “Jewish” is both an ethnic and a religious group membership.)
Write the list on newsprint or other digital platforms such as a slide, leaving room for the participants to add further examples. For example, participants might add “queer” to sexual orientation. It is also important to leave room here for discussion and questions. Some questions might be held for later discussion—for example, how someone self identifies may not match to what others perceive their identity to be (i.e. people who identify as“queer” but gets read as heterosexual. These are important questions with no right or wrong answer and can be carried forward to the next phase of this discussion.

Social Identity Categories

Social Group Members

Race

Black, White, Asian, Latinx/e, Native American, Multiracial

Gender

Gender Conforming, Gender
Variant, Transgender, Gender
Queer

Religion

Jewish, Muslim, Christian,
Hindu, Buddhist, Nature
Religions

Sexual Orientation

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Heterosexual, Asexual

Class

Rich, Poor, Middle Class,
Working Class

Ability

Disabled, Non-Disabled, Temporarily Able Bodied

  1.  Explain that social groups have different statuses or social positions. Describe and clarify the meaning of different statuses or social positions relative to one’s social group membership. Material for this appears in Chapters 1 and 4.

 

Example Script: These social group memberships are not neutral differences. Within each social identity category (race, for example), white people have greater access to social power and privilege based upon their membership in their social group than do people of color. We call the group that has access advantaged or privileged. We call groups whose access to social power is limited or denied disadvantaged or subordinated. Descriptors for these two groups include the following:

  • Advantaged social group: Dominant group, Privileged, Advantaged
  • Disadvantaged social group: Subordinated group, Marginalized (or excluded),
  • Disadvantaged

Social groups are afforded different status in the United States based on historical, political, and social factors. These different statuses affect the abilities of people in the different groups to access needed resources. Some social group members are afforded an advantage, while other social groups are disadvantaged based on their social group memberships.
Even if the instructors or facilitators have presented this material before, it is useful to remind participants by providing the “Matrix of Oppression” (see website) on newsprint, digital platform or slide. This chart describes differences in status among different social groups. The groups in the “advantaged” column are afforded their advantages based on their social group memberships, just as groups in the “disadvantaged” column are marginalized or excluded on the basis of their social group memberships.

Example Script: Many identities are fluid in that people’s group memberships can change through choice, accident, or other circumstances. Examples of fluidity in status or position over one’s lifespan include physical ability, social class, and the two ends of the age continuum.
Also, changes in group status and social position also occur over time as the culture changes its view of social categories. Social groups once routinely discriminated against in the United States—for example, Roman Catholics—are now accepted into mainstream society, and the Catholic Church has significant social influence. The Supreme Court’s decision on behalf of same-sex marriage signals an important change in the access of gay and lesbian couples to what once had been the “privileges” of only heterosexual marriage.

  1. Define the intersections of multiple identities. Conclude the lecture by reminding participants that, because everyone belongs to a number of social group memberships, we all have multiple identities. For that reason, the intersections among our social identities complicate our experience of advantage or disadvantage. There are discussions of this in Chapter 4, and the “Mosaic of Oppression” on the website can also be referred to.

Example Script: Even though specific identities may be most salient in a particular context, the ways in which we experience disadvantage or privilege are related to our other intersecting social group memberships. How a woman of color experiences the disadvantage of sexism is intensified by being a member of another targeted group because of her race. How a white gay man experiences the disadvantage of heterosexism is softened by being a member of an advantaged group because of his race. Most of us have some social group memberships that provide us with privileges and other memberships in which we experience disadvantages. Our multiple identities interact to intensify or “soften” the effects of oppression and to complicate the ways in which we experience privilege or disadvantage. A white homeless man who recently lost his job is more focused on his class status than his racial identity, although if he confronts police at night, they may be less likely to shoot him on the assumption that he is armed. On the other hand, a wealthy white man with a disability has access to resources that can mediate the effects of his disability because he can buy assistive technology or personal care services that a black, poor woman with a disability could not afford.

It is usually helpful if instructors/facilitators clarify these intersections with their own experiences of intersecting social identities that affect each other through their salience in specific situations, and the “pull” of an advantaged identity against the “tug” of a disadvantaged identity, or situations in which one identity is visible relative to the invisibility of another identity.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: Providing the participants with this framework of status, position, and intersectionality often raises questions about the names used to represent different social groups—either the names ascribed to the group, or the names chosen and preferred by members of the group. This framework is tentative and fluid. Its purpose is to provide participants with a common understanding, not to impose a particular language. We stress that the issue of self-definition is extremely sensitive, open to interpretation and contradiction, and constantly in flux. We invite the participants to describe different names they prefer for their social groups and to ask questions about how other groups name themselves. The participants might also have questions about which groups are included among the social groups within each identity category. For example, Jewish participants sometimes identify as part of an ethnic or a racial group, or both. Again, we stress that this framework is an imperfect model that cannot fairly represent the full range of perspectives or complexity embedded in a consideration of social group memberships. For now, invite the participants to use the model in whatever way feels comfortable for their own self-definitions and experience. Depending on the participants’ needs, it may be helpful to make detailed notes from the lecture available.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students: None

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator: None

Name(s) to credit for this activity

  • Adapted by Maurianne Adams and Ximena Zúñiga from
  • Hardiman, R., Jackson, B., & Griffin, P.  (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin  (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge.

Name of Activity: Social Group Memberships, Positionality, and Intersectionality, Option B: Exploring Privilege and Disadvantage, Quadrant 2

Instructional Purpose Category:

  1. Exploring internalized oppression, internalized messages, or implicit bias

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to provide an opportunity for participants to deepen their understanding of the effects of social group memberships on their experiences of privilege and disadvantage.

Learning Outcomes: Participants will be able to have a deeper understanding of the effects of group memberships.

Time Needed: 60 minutes

Materials Needed: Print handouts and/or a digital link to the document or other digital platform

Degree of Risk: Low to medium risk

Procedure: Give the participants the Privilege and Disadvantage Inventory. Ask everyone to take 10 minutes to complete the inventory individually. When everyone is finished, ask the participants to gather in discussion groups of four to five people and instruct them to use the following questions to guide their discussion of the inventory. Encourage the participants to work with people in the small groups that they have not worked with yet in class.

Process Questions:

  1. What are your reactions to the process of doing this activity?
  2. What are your reactions to identifying some of the privileges and disadvantages associated with some of your social group memberships?
  3. What statements were particularly striking to you? Why?
  4. What questions about privilegeand disadvantage are raised for you?
  5. How was your experience of privilege and disadvantage the same or different from others in your discussion group?

Allow for about 30 minutes of small-group discussion. At this point, you might consider giving participants a brief break before returning to discuss the inventory with the whole class. When the class has reconvened, invite the participants to share their responses to the following questions:

  1. What did you learn about your own privileges and disadvantages?
  2. What questions were raised for you about privilege and disadvantage?
  3. How did this activity help you better understand the dynamics of oppression?

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: This activity can be an eye opener for participants who have never thought about the ways in which they are privileged. For participants who are already aware of the ways in which they are disadvantaged by some of their social group memberships, it is an important insight to realize that they also have privileges based on other social group memberships they have. If some participants are struggling with the idea of seeing their own or their family’s accomplishments as partly due to privilege, acknowledge that this realization can be confusing. Encourage them to remain open to further exploration of the effects of their social group memberships and listening to the experiences of other participants who have different identities and experiences. Invite them to continue to explore these questions throughout the remainder of the workshop.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students: None

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator: None

Name(s) to credit for this activity
Hardiman, R., Jackson, B., & Griffin, P. (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education (Chapter 3 in M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge.

Name of Handout:Privilege and Disadvantage Inventory in Quadrant 2 for Chapter 4.

Directions: Read each of the following statements and indicate whether or not the statement is true for you. Circle the T if the statement is true for you. Circle the F if the statement is not true for you.

Statements

True

False

My ancestors were forced to come to the U.S. against their will or because they were fleeing oppression elsewhere.

T

F

My primary cultural identity is American.

T

F

People of color have worked for my parents as domestic workers, gardeners, or child caretakers.

T

F

I have been called names or verbally harassed because of my religion, race, gender identity, age, sexuality, or disability.

T

F

I can formalize my love relationship(s) legally through marriage and receive all the legal, financial, and social benefits that accompany marriage.

T

F

I can apply for a driver license and welfare benefits if I needed to

T

F

I have studied the culture of my ethnic ancestors in school.

T

F

Most of the adults and other students in the high school I attended had a racial or ethnic identity similar to mine.

T

F

I went to a school where my first language was the primary language used in oral and written communication.

T

F

I’ve had to skip a meal or I was hungry because my family did not have enough money to buy food when I was growing up.

T

F

The religious holidays observed in my high school matched my family’s religious observances.

T

F

I have attended private school or sleep-away summer camp.

T

F

I was raised in a single-parent household.

T

F

I have avoided a career choice, recreational activity, friendship, or clothing choice to avoid being thought to be queer, lesbian, or gay.

T

F

I have been discouraged from a career choice because of my assigned sex, gender identity, or a disability.

T

F

My family has taken vacations outside of the U.S.

T

F

I have been physically harassed because of my gender expression, race, religion, ethnicity, age, disability, or sexuality.

T

F

When I was young, one of my parents was laid off or unemployed, not by choice.

T

F

I grew up in a home owned by my family.

T

F

I can hold hands with or express physical affection with an intimate partner in public without provoking stares or hostile comments.

T

F

I am generally able to avoid places that are dangerous in my day-to-day life.

T

F

I have been paid less or denied a job because of my race, gender, citizenship status, or disability.

T

F

I have inherited money or property.

T

F

I have a passport and can travel with ease outside the US

T

F

I have been offered a good job because of family connections or associations with friends.

T

F

I have been accused of cheating, lying, or stealing because of my age, race, ethnicity, or religion.

T

F

I will never need to teach children in my life about racism for their survival.

T

F

I have never been denied access to a public building or educational program because of a disability.

T

F

My parents told me that I could be anything I wanted to be when I grew up.

T

F

I rarely see people of my race or ethnicity portrayed on television or in the movies.

T

F

The presence of police or other law enforcement officials at a public place or event makes me feel protected from harm.

T

F

I have been the victim of physical violence because of my race, age, gender, socioeconomic class, religion, or sexuality.

T

F

I have been teased or made fun of because of my gender expression or sexuality.

T

F

Either I or someone close to me has been the target of sexual harassment or sexual violence.

T

F

I have been made to feel inferior because of my age.

T

F

I expect to have time off to celebrate religious holidays

T

F

Process Questions:

  1. What are your reactions to the process of doing the activity?
  2. What are your reactions to identifying some of the privileges and disadvantages associated with some of your social group memberships?
  3. What statements were particularly striking to you? Why?
  4. What questions about privilege and disadvantage are raised for you?
  5. How was your experience of privilege and disadvantage the same or different from others in your discussion group?

Recommended Materials/Readings for Participants:
Johnson, A. (2018). Chapter 2: Privilege, Oppression, and Difference. Privilege, Power, and Difference (pp. 12-34).  McGraw Hill Education.

Johnson, A. (2018). Chapter 7: How Systems of Privilege Work. Privilege, Power, and Difference (pp. 76-91).  McGraw Hill Education.

Selections from  Readings for Diversity and Social Justice (2018) Edited By Maurianne Adams, Warren J. Blumenfeld, D. Chase J. Catalano, Keri Dejong, Heather W. Hackman, Larissa E. Hopkins, Barbara J. Love, Madeline L. Peters, Davey Shlasko and Ximena Zúñiga.

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Johnson, A. (2018). Chapter 2: Privilege, Oppression, and DifferencePrivilege, Power, and Difference (pp. 12-34).  McGraw Hill Education.

Johnson, A. (2018). Chapter 7: How Systems of Privilege Work. Privilege, Power, and Difference (pp. 76-91).  McGraw Hill Education.

Selected readings from the Readings for Diversity and Social Justice (2018) Edited By Maurianne Adams, Warren J. Blumenfeld, D. Chase J. Catalano, Keri Dejong, Heather W. Hackman, Larissa E. Hopkins, Barbara Love, Madeline L. Peters, Davey Shlasko, Ximena Zúñiga

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

  • Updated by: Nina Tissi-Gassoway, Rani Varghese, and Ximena Zúñiga (2021) from:
  • Maurianne Adams, University of Massachusetts - Amherst

Closing Activity

Name of Activity:Closing Activity, Quadrant 2, Chapter 4 

Instructional Purpose Category:

  1. Icebreakers
  1. Tone setting / developing group guidelines

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to bring a component of the session to a close before transitioning to a different component or topic, taking a break, or ending a session.

Learning Outcomes: Participants will be able to understand how to transition between and in a session.

Time Needed: 5-10 minutes

Materials Needed: None

Degree of Risk: Varies depending on session and group

Procedure1: Thank the participants for their engagement, participation, risk-taking, and sharing during the session or activity. Explain that the group will be doing a brief closing round where everyone is invited to share before closing the space. Use one of the following prompts or create your own:

  • Share one feeling or thought about today’s session/activity.
  • Pose one question you will continue to think about.
  • Name one thing you learned that really touched you or made you think.
  • Say one thing you appreciate about the group or workshop.

Advise the participants to speak openly, since this encourages active listening and reflection. Prompt the participants to share in round-robin style or by going around the circle in order, depending on preference and time. The participants may “pass” until the rest of the group has shared if they need more time to think. The facilitator is advised to participate in the closing round and may role model by sharing first if there are no volunteers.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: While these share-outs are meant to serve as a closing round, the participants may share meaningful and profound information. Due to time limitations, the group may not have time to process or debrief what is shared. In this situation, the facilitator may want to thank the participants for their openness and acknowledge the value of what was shared. If necessary, the facilitator may check in one-on-one with the participants who bring up anything of immediate concern. The facilitator may also use any information from the closing round to frame the next activity or session.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students: None

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
brown, a.m. (2021). Holding Change The way of emergent strategy facilitation and mediation. A.K. Press.

Lakey, G. (2020). Facilitating Group Learning: Strategies for success with adult learners. (2nd edition). PM Press.

Name(s) to credit for this activity

  • Adapted by Itza D. Martínez & Ximena Zúñiga (2021) from:
  • McDonald, J., and Zúñiga, X. (2015). Closing Activity. Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice Companion Website (3rd. edition).
  • Zúñiga, X. (2021) EDUC 202: Exploring social/cultural difference and commonalities intergroup dialogue curriculum. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Quadrant 3

Historical Overview

Name of Activity: Historical Overview, Option A: Lecture Presentation, Quadrant 3, Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:
8. Exploring history

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to provide participants with historical context for contemporary manifestations of oppression.

Learning Outcomes: Participants will have an understanding of the historical context and timelines regarding current manifestations of oppression and liberation.

Time Needed: 30 minutes

Materials Needed: Historical timelines from Chapters 5–10; visuals as necessary (handouts to be created by facilitator depending on focus, newsprint, slides, etc.) Selection of “isms” to incorporate and key episodes to focus on for lecture

Degree of Risk: Low-risk

Procedure1: The participants need some historical context, either for a specific “ism” or a more general overview. The instructor’s “lecture” is only a set of remarks to highlight the importance of understanding historical legacies if one hopes to understand current manifestations of specific forms of oppression. The instructor’s introductory remarks can draw on language in Chapter 4 that describes the importance of understanding the historical legacy of an ism in order to understand the ism. Here is some text selected from the Historical Legacies segment of Chapter 4:

Social Construction and Historical Legacies:
Oppression is socially constructed and historically grounded in social institutions that we inherit from the past, and that reproduce societal advantage and disadvantage in the present. History shows how we inherit a society that is built on advantage and disadvantage, while also providing examples of resistance and change.

The participants in social justice courses and workshops benefit greatly from gaining understanding that current-day advantages and disadvantages didn’t just happen. They are legacies of accumulated and unchallenged systems of inequality inherited from the past, as unequal social systems that people had accepted as “business as usual.” When we examine historical examples of particular instances of oppression, we can better understand how and why they evolved the way they did, as well as to imagine how things might have turned out differently. Barack Obama’s statement that “The past is never dead. It’s not even past” (as quoted from Faulkner, Requiem for a Nun, in Obama’s 2008 speech “A More Perfect Union”) conveys this understanding of why we must excavate the layers of the past if we are to build a better future. History shapes the present through the reproduction of forms of advantage and disadvantage unless that process is questioned, interrupted, and challenged. Our understanding of historical legacies goes hand-in-hand with our understanding of the social construction of human institutions, culture, behavior, and meaning-making. This core concept focuses our attention on the socially constructed bases of all social institutions, cultural personal beliefs, and personal behaviors through our socialized and shared human “understandings” of the way things are or ought to be. If we understand that our social systems are socially constructed, then we no longer think of them as fixed or immutable or inevitable. We understand that we accept our social systems because we are socialized within them from birth throughout our lives, and so we believe that they are “necessary” rather than question what purposes they serve.

From these two related conceptions—historical legacies and social constructionism—it is possible to see that oppression is not “natural” (that is, built into laws of human nature) or necessary and immutable. This insight is fundamental to the writing and work of Paulo Freire, who viewed oppression “not as a closed world from which there is no exit, but as a limiting situation which [we] can transform . . . [H]umans live in a world which [we] are constantly re-creating and transforming” (Freire, 1970, pp. 31, 79–80). As humans, we always have the choice between letting historical legacies reproduce themselves into the cultural beliefs and social institutions of the present and future, or questioning their value and working toward change. Understanding historical legacies of oppression pro- vides hope for change, because if oppression is created by people’s decisions in the past, it can also be dismantled by our decisions in the present.

Further, an understanding of historical legacies strengthens several other core concepts in social justice education. First, history provides examples of social movements (the civil rights movement, the women’s liberation movement) and courageous actions (abolitionists against slavery, union organizers against mine and factory exploitation, the Stonewall resistance to police homophobia), all of which inspire us to continue these efforts toward social justice. Second, historical events provide examples of the intersectionality of forms of oppression and efforts toward liberation. The women’s movement grew out of women’s resistance to gender exploitation and patriarchy during the civil rights movement, and women were important activists within union organizing in the garment factories of New York and the mills of New England. Third, history provides examples of the connections between global and U.S. oppression and resistance. The black consciousness and anti- apartheid movements in South Africa were linked to the civil rights and racial conscious- ness movements in the U.S., and anti-colonialist nationalist movements have been inspired by the anti-colonial U.S. Revolution as well as the anti-monarchical French Revolution.

History also allows for comparison. How did racism or classism or sexism play out in other places and other times? What are the ways in which racism in the U.S. differs from racism elsewhere in the Americas, and what were the historical forces of colonialism, economic exploitation, and cultural marginalization that led to those differences? How does violence against less powerful religious groups differ from geographic context to another in the past and the present? What historical forces shaped conflicts between Protestants and Catholics in Ireland; between Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholics, and Muslims in the former Yugoslavia; between Muslims and Hindus in India (where Hindus are politically dominant) and in Pakistan (where Muslims are politically dominant)? And how do these forms of religious oppression differ from the violence wrought by Christian explorers, colonists, and settlers upon indigenous peoples throughout the Americas? Although these are all examples of oppression in the name of (or on the basis of) religious domination and subordination, only a knowledge of their historical backgrounds enables us to understand their current manifestations in the present day.

The instructor will already have assigned—or can then assign—one or more timelines and readings (listed below) for participant use. The historical timelines in this volume are specific to an ism in the U.S. context and they appear on the specific ism websites. Depending on the layout of the workshop or course, facilitators may choose to use individual timelines in relation to specific isms or to adapt a sample timeline by combining examples from multiple timelines. In this case, we suggest using a shortened form of three different timelines selected from Chapters 5–10 and then focusing on some key episodes.

Participant activities to follow-up (or substitute for) Option A can be found in Option B.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: Given the variety of learning styles among participants, it is strongly suggested to have one or more visual supports incorporated into the design of these activities and the materials available to the participants. These may include handouts, news- prints, illustrations, or other printed visuals, slides, etc. Depending on the participants’ needs, it may be helpful to make detailed notes from the lecture available.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Participants:

  • The chapter introductions and “context” selections in Adams et al. (2018) Readings for Diversity and Social Justice (2018), 4th Edition, Routledge.
  • Prior reading of the historical timelines for selected “Ism” chapters 5-10 in Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice (4th edition)
  • Selected chapters from
    • Dunbar-Ortiz, R. (2015). An Indigeneous Peoples’ History of the United States. Beacon Press.
    • Takaki, R. (2008). A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America  Little Brown
    • Zinn, H.  (2015). A People’s History of the United States. Harper Row.

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:

  • The chapter introductions and “context” selections in Adams et al., (2018), Readings for Diversity and Social Justice , 4th Edition, Routledge.
  • Prior reading of the historical timelines for selected “Ism” chapters 5-10 in Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice (4th edition)
  • Selected chapters from
    • Dunbar-Ortiz, R. (2015). An Indigeneous Peoples’ History of the United States. Beacon Press.
    • Takaki, R. (2008). A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America  Little Brown
    • Zinn, H.  (2015). A People’s History of the United States. Harper Row.

Name(s) to credit for this activity
Maurianne Adams, University of Massachusetts Amherst


1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Name of Activity: Historical Overview, Option B: Participant Activities, Quadrant 3, Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:

  1. Exploring institutional-level oppression
  1. Exploring cultural - or societal-level oppression
  1. Exploring history
  1. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to provide participants with historical context for understanding contemporary manifestations of oppression.

Learning Outcomes: Participants will have an understanding of the historical context and timelines regarding current manifestations of oppression and resistance

Time Needed: 30 minutes

Materials Needed: Historical timelines from Chapters 5–10; visuals as necessary (printed or digital links to be created by facilitator depending on focus)

Degree of Risk: Low-risk

Procedure1: The participants need some historical context, either for a specific “ism” or a more general overview. The instructor’s “lecture” is only a set of remarks to highlight the importance of understanding historical legacies if one hopes to understand current manifestations of specific forms of oppression. The instructor’s introductory remarks can draw on language in Chapter 4 that describes the importance of understanding the historical legacy of an “ism” in order to understand the “ism”. The instructor can then assign one or more timelines and readings (listed below) for participant use. The historical timelines in this volume are specific to an “ism” in the U.S. context, and they appear on the specific “ism” websites. Depending on the layout of the workshop or course, the facilitators may choose to use individual timelines in relation to specific “isms” or to adapt a sample timeline by combining examples from multiple timelines. In this case, we suggest using a shortened form of three different timelines selected from Chapters 5–10 and then focusing on some key episodes. The instructors/facilitators might organize this in the following ways:

  • The purpose of this first option is to encourage the participants to explore key historical events (and current as relevant) for an “ism” of interest to them and to understand the longer-term legacies of those events. In a class with assigned homework, the participants can be asked to select a specific “ism” timeline from among those selected by the instructor. If the timeline is electronically available to the participants from the “ism” websites, the participants can highlight five key events from the timeline. They will then be asked to write several paragraphs explaining (a) why these are key events for them, (b) what they believe is the cumulative importance of the selected events, and (c) what further questions they would like to explore about these events. When the participants return to class, they will join groups on the basis of the selected “ism” and compare their selected key events. A follow-up discussion or homework assignment would be to answer the questions they raised.
  • The purpose of this second option is to generate exploration of small time-chunks for an “ism” and then put the pieces together for a “big picture” perspective of historical legacies. In a class or workshop in which only one “ism” timeline has been assigned, the participants can select a small group or be grouped by the instructor/facilitator according to decades on the timeline (for example: 1850–1880, 1881–1900, 1901–1914). The participants are then asked to discuss key events within their selected “ism”—or assigned decade—to explore what those key events tell them (a) about the decade they are examining, (b) about its relation to the following decades, and (c) about the current manifestation of that “ism” that may be traced back to the key events. If time permits, the small groups will report out to the larger group. A more time-efficient method is for small groups to prepare newsprints that are posted and then reviewed by the entire group as a “gallery walk” followed by a whole-group discussion of major issues that cut across the “ism”.
  • The purpose of this third option is to enable participants to explore selected periods of time within larger time frames but across “isms”. Participants select (or are assigned) an “ism” and specific decades within that “ism”. As in Option 2, they explore what those key events tell them (a) about the decade they are examining, (b) about its relation to the following decades, and (c) about the current manifestation of that “ism” that may be traced back to the key events. They prepare newsprints that are posted and then reviewed by the entire group as a “gallery walk” followed by a whole-group discussion of major issues that cut across the “ism”. This discussion requires time to focus first on the significant events within specific “isms”, and then to re-focus on parallel decades across “isms”. Since these timelines are all within a U.S. context, it will be possible for the group to consider the larger historical context of those decades for the specific two or more “isms” under discussion.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: Given the variety of learning styles among participants, it is strongly suggested to have one or more visual supports incorporated into the design of these activities and the materials available to the participants. These may include handouts, newsprints, illustrations or other visuals, slides, etc. Depending on participant needs, it may be helpful to make detailed notes from the lecture available.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Participants:

  • The chapter introductions and “context” selections in Adams et al. (2018) Readings for Diversity and Social Justice (2018), 4th Edition, Routledge.
  • Prior reading of the historical timelines for selected “Ism” chapters 5-10 in Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice (4th edition)
  • Selected chapters from
    • Dunbar-Ortiz, R. (2015). An Indigeneous Peoples’ History of the United States. Beacon Press.
    • Takaki, R. (2008). A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America  Little Brown
    • Zinn, H.  (2015). A People’s History of the United States. Harper Row.

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:

  • The chapter introductions and “context” selections in Adams et al., (2018), Readings for Diversity and Social Justice , 4th Edition, Routledge.
  • Prior reading of the historical timelines for selected “Ism” chapters 5-10 in Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice (4th edition
  • Selected chapters from:
    • Dunbar-Ortiz, R. (2015). An Indigeneous Peoples’ History of the United States. Beacon Press.
    • Takaki, R. (2008). A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America  Little Brown
    • Zinn, H.  (2015). A People’s History of the United States. Harper Row.

Name(s) to credit for this activity

Maurianne Adams, University of Massachusetts Amherst

1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Current Examples of Oppression

Name of Activity: Current Examples of Oppression, Option A: Levels and Types of Oppression, Quadrant 2, Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:

  1. Exploring institutional-level oppression
  2. Exploring individual/interpersonal-level oppression
  3. Exploring cultural- or societal-level oppression
  4. Exploring internalized oppression, internalized messages, or implicit bias
  1. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to transition from discussing historical timelines to contemporary examples of oppression using an analytical framework introduced in Quadrant 1. Facilitators may do this using the “Levels and Types of Oppression” (Option A) and/or the “Five Faces of Oppression” (Option B) depending on which framework(s) they selected in Quadrant 1.

Learning Outcomes: After this activity participants will understand the use of the Levels and Types analytical frameworks.

Time Needed: 40 minutes

Materials Needed: “Levels and Types of Oppression” handout or digital link to the document

Degree of Risk: Low-risk

Procedure1: Review the “Levels and Types of Oppression” lecture from Quadrant 1. Oppression is defined as a system that maintains advantage and disadvantage based on social group memberships and operates, intentionally and unintentionally, on individual, institutional, and cultural levels:

  • Individual: Attitudes and actions that reflect prejudice against a social group (intentional and unintentional)
  • Institutional: Policies, laws, rules, norms, and customs enacted by organizations and social institutions that disadvantage some social groups and advantage other social groups. These institutions include religion, government, education, law, the media, and the health care system (intentional and unintentional)
  • Societal/cultural: Social norms, roles, rituals, language, music, and art that reflect and reinforce the belief that one social group is superior to another (intentional and unintentional)

Using the attached handout, ask the participants (or small groups) to generate examples of oppression at each of the three levels. Separate small groups could be formed to identify examples related to racism, sexism, heterosexism, transgender oppression, classism, religious oppression, ableism, and youth/elder oppression. (Depending on the time available, it is also possible to have a large visual of the handout and have the whole group brainstorm examples.) Encourage the participants to identify examples from each of the manifestations of oppression discussed. Clarify any examples that are unclear. Call attention to the misconception among many people that oppression operates only on the individual level and note that this is often what is most obvious in day-to-day interactions. To fully understand oppression, it is essential that the participants recognize that it operates on multiple levels, sometimes simultaneously. Some examples (concerning individual teachers, police officers, health care workers) might also be used to illustrate institutional policy (schools and colleges, the legal system, health care). In these cases, an individual might be discriminating against someone while also representing institutional policy. Differentiate individual prejudice from oppression and emphasize that it is only one of the three levels on which oppression operates.

After 20 minutes of small-group activity, ask the participants to return to the whole group. Post a large copy of the matrix (newsprint, white board, or digital platform) and fill in the empty boxes with as many examples as the participants provide. (Alternatively, groups can post their sheets in a gallery and walk around the room to read all of the composite lists.) After the posted matrix has been completely filled in, conduct a whole-group discussion that raises questions such as these:

  • Have any subordinated identity groups been left out of these examples?
  • Do different subordinated identity groups experience different levels of oppression? Or do all subordinated groups experience all levels?
  • What commonalities did you notice across the experiences of all or most of the subordinated identity groups?

Presenters might get participants started with some of these examples:

Individual Unintentional:

  • A high school teacher assumes that all of her students are interested in heterosexual dating relationships.
  • A teacher who prides himself on being fair to all of his students calls on boys to answer questions three times more often than he calls on girls.
  • Bathrooms in school buildings are labeled for women or men, with no provision for transgender staff or students.
  • An adult touches a young Black child’s hair without permission exclaiming that it is so soft!
  • Assumption that Black men are more dangerous, and a woman clutches her purse in the elevator.

Individual Intentional:

  • Someone uses racial slurs to refer to black people and Puerto Rican people.
  • A parent asks to have his child moved out of a gay teacher’s classroom.
  • A teacher refuses to excuse a non-Christian child during Hindu, Jewish, or Muslim religious holidays, claiming that to do so would affect their grades.
  • A Chinese woman experiences street harassment rooted in racialized narratives about her submissiveness.

Institutional Unintentional:

  • Students celebrate Christmas in school, but not other religious holidays.
  • A town hall building does not have an entrance that is accessible to people using wheelchairs.
  • Office policy is decided during the “men’s night out.”

Institutional Intentional:

  • A state adopts a law prohibiting the legal recognition of same-gender relationships.
  • An employment agency steers black people toward low-paying, domestic, or custodial positions.
  • Black women that are discriminated against for their natural hair and protective hairstyles in their work environments.
  • People who are perceived as Muslim having a hard and longer time getting through security at the airport.

Societal/Cultural Unintentional:

  • Standards of beauty for women are based on white norms: blonde, fine hair, blue eyes, and fair skin.
  • A belief in individual merit and hard work that is rewarded by economic success leads to an assumption that poor people are lazy and undeserving.
  • The culture of mansplaining - believing that women do understand and need things explained.

Societal/Cultural Intentional:

  • English is designated as the “official” language in the United States.
  • European culture is assumed to be superior to other cultures.
  • Lack of representation of disabilities in the media (having rigid roles of the represented disabilities, having people without disabilities portray people with disabilities).

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: The facilitators should consider the purpose of their workshop or course, as well as the audience, when selecting both the manifestations of oppression (ableism, classism, racism, etc.) that they want to focus on and the examples that they want to offer the participants. Facilitators should brainstorm key examples that they want to include and connections they wish to draw between them.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Participants:
Adams, M., Zúñiga, X., (2018). Core Concepts for Social Justice Education. Readings for Diversity in Social Justice. In Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W.J., Catalano, D. C. J., DeJong, K., Hackman, H.W., Hopkins, L., Love, B.J., Peters, M. L., Shlasko, D., Zúñiga, X., (4th ed., pp. 41 – 49). Routledge.

Hardiman, R., Jackson, B., & Griffin, P. (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge.

Interchange Counseling Institute. (2013). Oppression 101.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lkxi4V8zO2k

Pipes, E., (2016). Legos and the 4 I’s of Oppression. Encompass at the Western Justice Center. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WWyVRo4Uas

 

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Adams, M., Zúñiga, X., (2018). Core Concepts for Social Justice Education. Readings for Diversity in Social Justice. In Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W.J., Catalano, D. C. J., DeJong, K., Hackman, H.W., Hopkins, L., Love, B.J., Peters, M. L., Shlasko, D., Zúñiga, X., (4th ed., pp. 41 – 49). Routledge.

Adams, M., Zúñiga, X., & Varghese, R. (2022).Getting started: Core concepts for social justice education (chapter 4). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, D. Goodman, & D. Shlasko, R. Briggs, & R. Pacheco. Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice (4th Edition). Routledge.

Hardiman, R., Jackson, B., & Griffin, P. (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge.

Interchange Counseling Institute. (2013). Oppression 101.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lkxi4V8zO2k

Pipes, E., (2016). Legos and the 4 I’s of Oppression. Encompass at the Western Justice Center. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WWyVRo4Uas

 

Name(s) to credit for this activity

  • Updated by Rani Varghese & Ximena Zúñiga (2021) from
  • Adams, M., & Joshi, K. Y. (2007). Religious oppression curriculum design (Chapter 11, Appendix 11A: Participant worksheet: Levels and types of religious oppression). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 255–284). Routledge.
  • Bell, L. A., Joshi, K., & Zúñiga, X. (2007). Racism, immigration, and globalization curriculum design (Chapter 7, Handout 7G: Levels and types of oppression). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 145–166). Routledge.
  • Catalano, C., McCarthy, L., & Shlasko, D. (2007). Transgender oppression curriculum design (Chapter 10, Appendix 10I: Levels of oppression). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 219–245). Routledge.
  • Hardiman, R., Jackson, B., & Griffin, P. (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge.

1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Name of Handout: Levels and Types of Oppression, Quadrant 3, Chapter 4

The following are examples of the levels and types of oppression:

INDIVIDUAL

INSTITUTIONAL

CULTURAL

  • Attitudes
  • Beliefs
  • Socialization
  • Interpersonal interactions
  • Individual behaviors
  • Housing
  • Employment
  • Education
  • Health services (physical/emotional)
  • Religion
  • Media
  • Government/Laws
  • Legal systems
  • Values, norms, needs
  • Language
  • Standards of beauty
  • Holidays
  • Sex/Gender roles
  • Logic systems
  • Societal expectations

Points to consider:

This model can be applied to systems of oppression based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, language, nationality, etc.

These manifestations of oppression happen simultaneously and reinforce one another

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

  • Updated by Ximena Zúñiga and Itza D. Martínez from
  • Katz, Judith, H. (1978). White Awareness: Handbook for Anti-Racism Training. ‎ (3rd edition). University of Oklahoma Press.

Name of Handout: Levels and Types of Oppression Worksheet, Quadrant 3, Chapter 4

Levels and Types of Oppression Worksheet

Level

Unconscious/
Unintentional Examples

Conscious/
Intentional Examples

Individual: Attitudes and actions that reflect prejudice/bias against a social group

 

 

 

 

 

 

Institutional: Policies, laws, rules, norms, and customs enacted by organizations and social institutions that disadvantage some social groups and advantage other social groups. These institutions include religion, government, education, law, the media, and health care system

 

 

 

Cultural/Societal: Social norms, roles, rituals, language, music, and art that reflect and reinforce the belief that one social group is superior to another

 

 

 

 

 

Name(s) to credit for this activity:
Adams, M., Bell, L.A., Goodman, D.J., and Joshi, K. Y. (2016). Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice (3rd ed). Routledge.

Name of Activity: Current Examples of Oppression, Option B: Five Faces of Oppression Interactive Lecture, Quadrant 2, Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:

  1. Exploring institutional-level oppression
  1. Exploring cultural- or societal-level oppression
  1. Exploring history
  1. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to transition from discussing historical timelines to contemporary examples of oppression using an analytical framework introduced in Quadrant 1. Facilitators may do this using the “Levels and Types” (Option A) and/or the “Five Faces” (Option B) depending on which framework(s) they selected in Quadrant 1.

Learning Outcomes: After this activity participants will understand the use of the Levels and Types analytical frameworks.

Time Needed: 45 – 60 minutes

Materials Needed: “Five Faces of Oppression” handout or digital link to the document

Degree of Risk: Low-risk

Procedure1: Briefly recap the “Five Faces” lecture from Quadrant 1. Note that this is one of several conceptual organizers that focus on different aspects of oppression. This activity enables the participants to focus on examples of exploitation, marginalization, powerlessness, cultural imperialism, and violence that characterize all forms of oppression. The focus of this model is on the experiences of oppression and not on the forms of privilege and advantage experienced by members of socially dominant groups.

Ask the participants to form five work groups (one for each of the Five Faces)—or, if the whole group is too small or too large, create multiple groups of three to five participants to talk about the “faces” that are most striking for them. Facilitators distribute copies of the “Five Faces of Oppression Handout” available on the companion website so that each small group (or each participant) has a copy with two columns of blank cells for examples to be filled in by them.

Encourage them to brainstorm specific examples, and where possible, to think about intersections. (Some of the examples from the Quadrant 1 lecture offer intersections of racism with religious oppression.) Review the handout with them to address any questions.

After 20 minutes of small-group activity, ask the participants to return to the whole group. Post a large copy of the matrix (newsprint, whiteboard, or digital slide as appropriate) and fill in the empty boxes with as many examples as the participants provide. (Alternatively, groups can post their sheets in a gallery and walk around the room to read all of the composite lists.) After the posted matrix has been completely filled in, conduct a whole-group discussion that raises questions such as these:

  • Have any disadvantaged or marginalized identity groups been left out of these examples?
  • Do different disadvantaged or marginalized identity groups experience different “faces” of oppression?
  • What commonalities did you notice across the experiences of all or most of the subordinated identity groups?

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: The facilitators should consider the purpose of their workshop or course, as well as the audience, when selecting both the manifestations of oppression (ableism, classism, racism, etc.) that they want to focus on and the examples that they want to offer the participants. Facilitators should brainstorm key examples that they want to include and connections they wish to draw between them. Mobility concerns should also be considered and potentially provide activity notes beforehand to participants.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students:
Please refer to “Isms” chapters 5-10 of Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice (4th edition)

Young, I. M. (1990). The Five Faces of Oppression. Justice and the politics of difference (pp. 39–65).
Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Please refer “Isms” chapters 5-10 of Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice (4th edition)

Young, I. M. (1990). The Five Faces of Oppression. Justice and the politics of difference (pp. 39–65). Princeton University Press.

Name(s) to credit for this activity

  • Updated by X. Zúñiga, R. Varghese (2021) based on:
  • Adams, M., & Joshi, K. Y. (2007). Religious oppression curriculum design (Chapter 11, Appendix 11B: Participant worksheet: Five Faces of Oppression). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 255–284). Routledge.
  • Young, I. M. (1990). The Five Faces of Oppression. Justice and the politics of difference (pp. 39–65). Princeton University Press.

1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Name of Handout: Five Faces of Oppression, Quadrant 3, Chapter 4

Face of Oppression

Example

Example of Intersections with Other Isms

Exploitation: The process by which the results of the labor of one social group is transferred for the benefit of another

 

 

Marginalization: The process by which people who the labor system cannot or will not use are expelled from or denied useful or productive participation in economic and social life, often resulting in material deprivation and dependency

 

 

Powerlessness: An inability to participate in making decisions that affect the conditions of one’s lives and actions; lacking in authority, status, and sense of self; limited concrete opportunities to develop and exercise one’s capacities

 

 

Cultural imperialism: The process by which the dominant symbols, activities, or meanings of a society reinforce the perspective of a dominant social group while making invisible, stereotyped, or marked as “other” the perspectives of subordinate or targeted social groups; includes the universalization of a dominant group’s experience, culture, and religion

 

 

Violence: Random, unprovoked attacks against members of (targeted or subordinated) social
groups and their property, with the primary motivation to damage, humiliate, or terrorize, and in a social context in which this violence is tolerated or even enabled by accepted institutional and social practices

 

 

Name(s) to credit for this activity

  • Adams, M., Bell, L.A., Griffin, P.  (2007). Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice. (2nd edition). Routledge.
  • Young, I.M. (2013). Five faces of oppression. In M. Adams, W. Blumenfeld, R. Castaneda, H. Hackman, M. Peters & X. Zuniga (Eds), Readings for diversity and social justice (3rd ed, pp. 35-44).  Routledge.
  • Young, I. M. (1990). The Five Faces of Oppression. Justice and the politics of difference (pp. 39–65). Princeton University Press.

Web of Oppression

Name of Activity: Web of Oppression Chapter 4, Quadrant 3

Instructional Purpose Category:

  1. Exploring institutional-level oppression
  2. Exploring individual/interpersonal-level oppression
  3. Exploring cultural- or societal-level oppression
  4. Exploring internalized oppression, internalized messages, or implicit bias
  1. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to create a visual representation of the otherwise overly abstract concept of a social system or culture and the interlocking forms of oppression within social institutions.

Learning Outcomes: Participants will be able to conceptualize and understand some of the ways in which  systemic oppressions interlock within social institutions at the individual, interpersonal, cultural, and societal level.

Time Needed: 30-45 minutes

Materials Needed: Examples of individual/interpersonal, institutional, and cultural or societal manifestations of singular and/or intersecting oppression(s); ball of yarn; examples noted on index cards or on a digital platform that provides a visual representation of the web.

Degree of Risk: Low-to-medium risk

Procedure1: It is important that the participants have experienced a lecture, activity, or reading assignment in which examples of institutional oppression have been clarified with specific examples. This knowledge will be key in shaping their participation in this activity.
Facilitators ask the participants to stand in a circle with a ball of yarn and explain the activity. The yarn ball will be tossed across the circle as the participants brainstorm social institutions and examples of oppression. The person starting with the yarn ball calls out a social institution (such as a summer camp, elementary school, hospital emergency room, etc.) and then calls out another participant’s name, tossing the yarn ball to this person. This person then names an example of social oppression (examples of disadvantage, exclusion, marginalization, discrimination, etc.) related to that institution, calls out another social institution and another participant’s name, and tosses the yarn ball to the next person.
It is important that the yarn ball is thrown across the circle (rather than to someone standing right beside the thrower), and everyone must continue to hold the yard after it’s been thrown to them. In this way, the group will work together to create a web of yarn representing a web of social oppression. As the yarn ball is tossed back and forth across the circle, the participants continue to hold their place on the yarn while taking turns calling out an institution and responding with an example of institutional disadvantage, exclusion, marginalization, or discrimination.
As the participants feel they are running out of names of social institutions, they can do a second turn on institutions named earlier. The process continues until everyone in the circle has caught the yarn ball, named an example, and tossed it to someone else. The participants continue to hold their end of the yarn, and the yarn ball gets smaller and smaller with each successive toss.
By the end of the activity, an intricate web of yarn will link all of the participants in the circle and represent the web of all the various instances of oppression and institutions that have been identified. This web, reproduced and maintained in social institutions, visualizes the complexity of the interlocking of forms of oppression within all  institutional life, and it grounds the otherwise overly abstract concept of social system or culture—which is, in effect, what gets reproduced at the multi-systemic level.

Examples for Facilitator to Use with this Activity


Family

Oppose interfaith and/or interracial marriage; kick lesbian, gay, bisexual, non-binary, queer and transgender (LGBT) youth out of their homes

Schools

Link holidays to the Christian calendar; participate in racial segregation and unequal funding; bully and harass members of marginalized groups; abolish ethnic studies and history of social movements from the curriculum; school counselors and teachers channel Asian students into math and science fields; overrepresentation of working-class Latinos, Native Americans, and African Americans in Special Ed Programs; Remote schooling relies on computer and Wi-Fi access and many low income and rural students do not have access to it.

The Media (TV, magazines, social media, news outlets, radio, etc.)

Portray Muslims as terrorists; caricature Native Americans as mascots; assume that “family” means a heterosexual white nuclear family; “erase” people with disabilities; Underrepresentation of of Latinos, Asian Americans, and Native Americans in a US Television, and a tendency to depict ethnic minorities stereotypically; People of color own less than 10% of television stations.

Local police

Use racial profiling; criminalize homelessness; use excessive force on mentally ill people, transgender people, and youth of color.

Local, state, and federal courts

Over-represent white men as judges; deliver court decisions that fail to protect marginalized groups against exploitation, marginalization, and other forms of oppression

Government

Over 90% of members of congress identify as Christians. Old boy network of White, male politicians that grooms and promotes people like themselves for political office. Voter suppression of youth, people of color and poor people: new barriers to voter registration, shortening early voting periods, and adding new requirements for registered voters.

Child adoption agencies

May not be willing to place adopted or foster children in same-sex families

Building code enforcers

Fail to include gender inclusive bathroom; fail to include curb-cuts, elevators, braille signs, or other accommodations for people with disabilities

Prisons

May make no allowances for non-Christian faith practices and no allowances for transgender medical requirement

Drug and alcohol agencies

May forbid religious use of peyote for members of Native American communities, target people of color with harsher sentences for drug use

Fashion industry

Design “trendy” clothes using Native American or Hindu styles and symbols; copy the work of artists of color without credit or compensation

Businesses and workplaces

Make no “reasonable accommodation” for daily prayer or dietary requirements; contribute to gender-segregated economy and pay gap between women and men; discriminate against people who are or may become pregnant; follow people of color around stores for fear of shoplifting

Colleges and universities

Use “legacy preference” admissions policies that act as affirmative action for white students; follow no affirmative action policies for students of color; offer no social events for LGBT and queer-identified students; fail to prevent low retention rates for students from marginalized social groups (working-class students, students of color, LGBTQ students, etc.); do not adequately staff disability services offices

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: The success of this activity depends largely on the participants having sufficient information to provide examples of institutional oppression—from readings, films and videos, discussions, observation, their own experiences, etc.—to generate examples quickly. The facilitator should have examples in mind to contribute if the participants have no examples and in order to keep the process going.

It is important to stop and observe how tangled up the group is in this seemingly unending yarn that binds on the basis of advantage and disadvantage. It serves as an experiential metaphor for the way a system can “feel” when someone is disadvantaged financially (housing, car, jobs) or by gender and/or sexuality and/or gender expression (excluded from jobs because the person is “not the look we want representing our company”). Police profiling is targeted at people of color or trans people who “look suspicious.” Health care is not alerted to needs of transgender or disabled people or is too expensive for those who do not have the financial means. Effective legal help is not available. The processing of this activity, with all the participants entangled with yarn, indicates the cumulative force of seemingly minor disadvantages. Those who are not able to stand for the duration of the activity may need to sit.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students: It is important that the participants have experienced a lecture, activity, or reading assignment in which examples of institutional oppression have been clarified with specific examples.

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator: None

Name(s) to credit for this activity

  • Updated by Ximena Zúñiga, Itza Martinez and Rani Varghese from: 
  • Adapted by Maurianne Adams (2015) from Adams, M., & Joshi, K. Y. (2007). Religious oppression curriculum design (Chapter 11, Appendix 11T: Institutional and cultural “web” of religious oppression: Examples). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 255–284). Routledge.

1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Web of Resistance

Name of Activity: Unweaving the Web of Oppression, Quadrant 3, Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:
6. Exploring cultural- or societal-level oppression
7. Exploring internalized oppression, internalized messages, or implicit bias
9. Exploring liberation and social action
14. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to envision policies and practices that can be enacted to challenge or resist institutional and cultural oppression.

Learning Outcomes: Participants will be able to understand some of the intersectional ways in which policies and practices can contribute to challenging the systems of institutional and cultural oppression.

Time Needed: 10-15 minutes

Materials Needed: Ball of yarn, scissors (optional), and examples of policies and practices that can be enacted to challenge or resist oppression at the individual/interpersonal, institutional, and cultural or societal level; examples noted on index car or a digital platform that visualizes the web

Degree of Risk: Medium-to- Low-risk

Procedure1: This activity immediately follows the Web of Oppression activity. After everyone has called out an institution and an example of oppression, the person left holding the end of the yarn begins to unwind the web. The person holding the end of the yarn names an example of oppression and then walks with the end of the yarn to the person who threw (or handed) it to them. This person takes the yarn and imagines a way in which the example named could be changed, resisted, or somehow resolved. Then, they name another example of oppression and walk the yarn back to the person who originally threw it to them. That person takes the yarn and imagines a way in which the example named could be changed, resisted, or somehow resolved. Another option is to cut the yarn as a way of illustrating the web of resistance.
This goes on until all have participated and the yarn is no longer a web. The examples named can be new examples or examples borrowed from when the web was first constructed. Note that this activity can inform the “visioning” activity of Quadrant 4.
Examples:

  • Police racial profiling →Police racially profiling is a demerit on an officer’s promotion record.
  • Counselors turn working-poor students away from elite colleges → Counselors seek out working-poor students to present the opportunities that are currently available.
  • Health care workers insist on giving pregnancy tests to women identified individuals regardless of their sexuality  → Health care workers inquire about an individual's sexuality, likelihood or unlikelihood of pregnancy, and work on the issue that brought these individuals to the clinic.
  • Christian evangelists insist their children should be taught creationism only → School boards agree that children may have “religious education” during after-school hours but must learn the assigned content in their scholarly biology texts, including evolution.

Once the web of yarn has been unwoven, the facilitator should highlight the power of individual agency and briefly debrief the activity. Ask the participants how they felt unweaving the web, how the activity shaped their understanding of institutional oppression and change, what they are taking away from the activity, etc. If this activity is done as one of the closing activities on the last day of a workshop or course, the facilitator might consider bringing scissors and having the participants cut the yarn into bracelets. This can serve as a reminder for the participants to remember their agency to challenge systems of oppression.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: The facilitator needs to be prepared to assist with naming examples of how to challenge oppression. If the participants are struggling, they can also work together to brainstorm examples as a group. In that case, facilitators can connect their struggles in the activity to the larger pattern of our socialization into oppression and away from critical thinking and liberatory consciousness. Those who are not able to stand for the duration of the activity may need to sit.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Participants: None

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator: None

Name(s) to credit for this activity
Maurianne Adams, University of Massachusetts Amherst

1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Closing Activity

Name of Activity: Closing Activity, Quadrant 3, Chapter 4 

Instructional Purpose Category:

  1. Icebreakers
  1. Tone setting / developing group guidelines

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to bring a component of the session to a close before transitioning to a different component or topic, taking a break, or ending a session.

Learning Outcomes: Participants will be able to understand how to transition between and in a session.

Time Needed: 5-10 minutes

Materials Needed: None

Degree of Risk: Varies depending on session and group

Procedure1: Thank the participants for their engagement, participation, risk-taking, and sharing during the session or activity. Explain that the group will be doing a brief closing round where everyone is invited to share before closing the space. Use one of the following prompts or create your own:

  • Share one feeling or thought about today’s session/activity.
  • Pose one question you will continue to think about.
  • Name one thing you learned that really touched you or made you think.
  • Say one thing you appreciate about the group or workshop.

Advise the participants to speak openly, since this encourages active listening and reflection. Prompt the participants to share in round-robin style or by going around the circle in order, depending on preference and time. The participants may “pass” until the rest of the group has shared if they need more time to think. The facilitator is advised to participate in the closing round and may role model by sharing first if there are no volunteers.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: While these share-outs are meant to serve as a closing round, the participants may share meaningful and profound information. Due to time limitations, the group may not have time to process or debrief what is shared. In this situation, the facilitator may want to thank the participants for their openness and acknowledge the value of what was shared. If necessary, the facilitator may check in one-on-one with the participants who bring up anything of immediate concern. The facilitator may also use any information from the closing round to frame the next activity or session.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students: None

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
brown, a.m. (2021). Holding Change The way of emergent strategy facilitation and mediation. A.K. Press.

Lakey, G. (2020). Facilitating Group Learning: Strategies for success with adult learners. (2nd edition). PM Press.

Name(s) to credit for this activity

  • Adapted by Itza D. Martínez & Ximena Zúñiga (2021) from:
  • McDonald, J., and Zúñiga, X. (2015). Closing Activity. Teaching for diversity and social justice companion website (3rd.,  ed.). Routledge.
  • Zúñiga, X. (2021). EDUC 202: Exploring social/cultural difference and commonalities intergroup dialogue curriculum. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Quadrant 4

Envisioning Change

Name of Activity: Envisioning Change: Gallery Activity to Explore Pathways to Creating Change

Instructional Purpose Category:
9. Exploring liberation and social action
10. Developing action plans

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to stimulate participants’ imagination about what is possible when groups of people come together to create change. This activity also supports participants in analyzing multiple examples of social change as they consider the purpose, strategies, and resources needed to actualize different types of action steps.

Learning Outcomes: After this activity participants will have explored and talked with others about different examples of social action and be more prepared to begin generating additional examples of social action.

Time Needed:40 minutes

Materials Needed: Chart paper, markers, printed or digital link to examples of social action (pictures, news articles, song lyrics, quotes, and videos), laptops or tablets as needed

Degree of Risk: Low risk

Procedure1:  In advance, create approximately 4-5 stations around the room and post a piece of chart paper at each station with pictures, news articles, song lyrics, and/or quotes that relate to taking social action. If laptops or tablets are available, consider including short video clips (no longer than 1-2 minutes). If participants bring examples of their own, ask them to post them on a piece of chart paper before the activity starts.

  • Begin the activity by telling participants they will have one minute for a free word-association activity. Ask participants, “When you hear the words ‘creating change,’ what comes to mind?” Have the participants brainstorm individually on paper and then invite a brief share-out. Limit this activity to five minutes or less.
  • Next, divide the participants into groups of three to four and have each group start at a different station.
  • Give the participants approximately four minutes at each station (approximately 20 minutes total) before instructing them to rotate. Invite them to consider the following questions:
    • What is the purpose of this action? What is this action responding to?
    • Who is involved in the action? (Who is not?)
    • What resources have been brought together to support this action?
    • What methods/strategies were used (or are being used) to take this action?
  • Upon completion of the gallery activity (after each group has visited each station), bring the group back together and debrief for 10-15 minutes by posing the following questions:
    • What feelings or reactions did you have while participating in this activity?
    • What observations did you make during the activity?
    • What shared themes did you notice across different examples?
    • What additional examples did you think of while participating in this activity?

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: You may also invite the participants to bring examples of social actions (e.g., social movements, community leaders) and post them around the room before the activity begins. Video clips can be effective, but should be kept short. If using videos, turn captions on. Facilitators are encouraged to pick examples that demonstrate efforts on individual, institutional, and cultural/social levels. It is also helpful to include examples that relate to the participants’ campuses or local communities.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students:
Harro, B. (2018). Cycle of Liberation. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 627-634). Routledge.

Johnson, A. (2018). What can we do? In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 621-627). Routledge.

Johnson, A. (2018). What can we do? Privilege, power and difference (3rd ed., pp. 107-134). McGraw Hill.

Lyiscott, J. (2019). Vision driven justice.Black Appetite. White food. Issues of race, voice, and justice within and beyond the classroom. (pp. 11- 19). Routledge.

Southern Poverty Law Center (2017). SPLC on campus: A guide to bystander intervention.  https://www.splcenter.org/sites/default/files/soc_bystander_intervention_guide_ web_final.pdf

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Harro, B. (2018). Cycle of Liberation. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 627-634). Routledge.

Johnson, A. (2018). What can we do? In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 621-627). Routledge.

Johnson, A. (2018). What can we do? Privilege, power and difference (3rd ed., pp. 107-134). McGraw Hill.

Lyiscott, J. (2019). Vision driven justice. In Black Appetite. White food. Issues of race, voice, and justice within and beyond the classroom. (pp. 11- 19). Routledge.

Southern Poverty Law Center (2017). SPLC on campus: A guide to bystander intervention. https://www.splcenter.org/sites/default/files/soc_bystander_intervention_guide_ web_final.pdf    

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

  • Adapted by Dave Neely and Ximena Zúñiga (2021) from:
  • Zúñiga, X.  (2016). Envisioning Change, Teaching for diversity and social justice companion website(3rd.  ed.). Routledge,  and:
  • Zúñiga, X. (2021; 2015), EDUC 202: Exploring social issues in intergroup dialogue curriculum guide. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials)

Frameworks for Creating Change

Name of Activity: Frameworks for Creating Change – Option A: Developing a Liberatory Consciousness and the Four A’s in Quadrant 4 for Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:

  1. Exploring institutional-level oppression
  2. Exploring individual/interpersonal-level oppression
    1. 9. Exploring liberation and social action
    1. Terminology /exploring language

    Instructional Purpose:The purpose of this activity is to identify actions for navigating systems of oppression with intentionality.

    Learning Outcomes:After this activity participants will be able to identify and apply The Four “A’s of Liberatory Consciousness – awareness, analysis, action and accountability (Love, 2018) to their personal and professional lives.

    Time Needed:45 minutes

    Materials Needed: Provide participants with printed The Four A’s of Liberatory handout or a digital link to this document

    Degree of Risk: Low risk

    Procedure1: The participants should read, as an assigned homework reading assignment, Barbara Love’s  “Developing Liberatory Consciousness”  (see recommended readings below). Review the four A’s as a whole group. Invite participants to share their thoughts on the readings as well. Next, explain to the participants that together, there will be time in small groups to delve more deeply into each of the four A’s. The small groups should be triads or quartets to think together on the four A’s and generate examples using “The Four “A’s” of Liberatory Consciousness” Handout. Facilitators can distribute this printed or through a digital link. Ask each group to generate personal examples for each of the four A’s on a newsprint or digital platform.  Float among groups to provide support and give time checks as necessary. Once the groups complete the task, ask each group to post their newsprint and share out to the class for five minutes or have each small group share their screen from their digital notes. Once all groups have shared, summarize themes and praise and share gratitude to the groups for their contributions.

    Facilitation Notes & Considerations: Developing a liberatory consciousness through the lens of the four A’s of Liberatory Consciousness is a relatively easy conceptual framework to understand, yet it is more difficult to apply to our daily lives. Having the opportunity to generate specific examples and hear fellow participants' examples can be very valuable for participants.

    Recommended Materials/Readings for Participants:
    Harro, B. (2018). Cycle of Liberation. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 627-634). Routledge.

    Love, B. (2018). Developing a Liberatory Consciousness. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, D. C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 610-615). Routledge.

    Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
    Harro, B. (2018). Cycle of Liberation. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, C. J. Catalano, K. Dejong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 627-634). Routledge.

    Love, B. (2018). Developing a Liberatory Consciousness. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, D. C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 610-615). Routledge.

    Lyiscott, J. (2019). Vision driven justice. Black Appetite. White Food.: Issues of Race, Voice, and Justice Within and Beyond the Classroom. (pp. 11- 19). Routledge.

    Name(s) to credit for this activity:

    • Ximena Zúñiga & Itza D. Martínez (2021) adapted from:
    • Hardiman, R., Jackson, B., & Griffin, P. (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education (Chapter 3: Appendix 3F: Cycle of Liberation). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge.
    • Zúñiga, X., & Cytron-Walker, A. (2003). Exploring differences and common ground intergroup dialogue curriculum. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

    1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Name of Handout: The Four “A’s” of Liberatory Consciousness for Quadrant 4 in Chapter 4

Area

Prompts

Notes/Reflection

Awareness: "The awareness component of a liberatory consciousness involves developing the capacity to notice, to give our attention to our daily lives, our language, our behaviors, and even our thoughts" Love, 2010, (p. 598)

What -isms (e.g. youth oppression) or intersections between -isms (e.g. youth oppression and ableism) do I need to learn more about or explore further?

 

Analysis: "A liberatory consciousness requires every individual to...think about [what is going on in the world] and theorize about it...to get information and develop [an] explanation for what is happening, why it's happening, and what needs to be done about it" (Love, 2010, p. 599)

What theories and/or frameworks help ground me in my practice?

What analytical tools and/or skill sets do I need to develop or sharpen in order to examine the manifestations of various “isms” more deeply?

In what ways do I reflect on my learning and/or experiences (e.g. internal versus external process, individual or group reflection, etc.)?

 

Action: "The action component of a liberatory consciousness is based on the assumption that the participation of each of us in the liberation project provides the best possibility of gaining liberation for any of us" (Love, 2010, p. 599)

What actions can I take to become more aware and prepared to identify, analyze, and interrupt various -isms?

What actions can I take to reimagine, dream, and/or sustain hope for a world without -isms?

 

Accountability: "The accountability element of a liberatory consciousness is concerned with how we understand and manage this opportunity and possibility for perspective sharing and allyship in liberation work" (Love, 2010, p. 600)

To me, accountability means…

How can I be more accountable for my own learning and growth around deepening my awareness of various -isms?

What people, communities, or organizations can I connect with to support me in my accountability process and encourage me to stay committed to my goals?

 

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

  • Jayna Tavarez, Itza D. Martínez, & Ximena Zúñiga (2021) from:
  • Love, B. (2018). Developing a Liberatory Consciousness. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, D. C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 610-615). Routledge.

Name of Activity: Frameworks for Creating Change – Option B: Cycle of Liberation in Quadrant 4 for Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:

  1. Exploring liberation and social action
  2. Developing action plans
  1. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to identify actions for personal and social change at the interpersonal and institutional level.

Learning Outcomes: After this activity participants will be able to identify actions for personal and social change at the interpersonal and institutional level.

Time Needed: 45 minutes

Materials Needed: Provide participants with printed copies of the The Cycle of Liberation handout and Cycle of Liberation Discussion Questions or a digital link to these documents.

Degree of Risk: Low risk

Procedure1: The participants should read, as an assigned homework reading assignment, Bobbie Harro’s “The Cycle of Liberation” (see recommended readings below). Invite the participants to share their main takeaways from the reading. Then explain that the group will now be going a little more in depth with the concepts. Pass out the “Cycle of Liberation” handout. Spend 5–10 minutes reviewing the Cycle of Liberation, clarifying key concepts and providing examples. Highlight the three stages that will be used to structure the activity: Empowerment of self, building community with others, and transforming institutions and organizations.

Divide the class into three groups and assign each group one of the stages of the Cycle of Liberation. Explain that they will have eight minutes to brainstorm examples of actions they could take at their level and what kind of support they would need to be successful. They will have a handout with discussion questions to help them do this. Explain that they will make notes on their newsprint to share with the class.
Pass out the discussion questions handout and tell them to begin. Float among groups to provide support and give time checks as necessary. Once the brainstorming period is complete, ask each group to post their newsprint and share out to the class for five minutes. Once all groups have shared, praise the groups for their contributions and summarize the themes.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: The Cycle of Liberation can be a fairly complex concept for some participants to comprehend in such a short amount of time. Having a variety of relatable examples on hand is helpful.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Participants:
Harro, B. (2018). Cycle of Liberation. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 627-634). Routledge.

Lyiscott, J. (2019) Critical Hope in the Context of Crisis. Black Appetite. White Food. Issues of Race, Voice, and Justice Within and Beyond the Classroom. (pp. 67-80). Routledge.

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Harro, B. (2018). Cycle of Liberation. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, C. J. Catalano, K. Dejong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 627-634). Routledge.

Lyiscott, J. (2019). Vision driven justice. Black Appetite. White Food: Issues of Race, Voice, and Justice Within and Beyond the Classroom. (pp. 11- 19). Routledge.

Love, B. (2010). Developing a Liberatory Consciousness. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, R. Castañeda, H. Hackman, M. Peters, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp.599-603). Routledge.

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

  • Itza D. Martínez and Ximena Zúñiga (2021) adapted from:
  • Hardiman, R., Jackson, B., & Griffin, P. (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education (Chapter 3: Appendix 3F: Cycle of Liberation). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge.
  • Zúñiga, X., & Cytron-Walker, A. (2003). Exploring differences and common ground intergroup dialogue curriculum. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Name of Handout: Cycle of Liberation, Quadrant 4 in Chapter 4

Name(s) to credit for this activity
Harro, B. (2018). The cycle of liberation. In Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W. J., Catalano, D.C.J., DeJong, K. S., Hackman, H. W., Hopkins, L. E., Love, B.J., Peters, M. L., Shlasko, D., & Zúñiga, X. (2018). Readings for diversity and social justice (pp. 627 - 634). Routledge.

Name of Activity: Cycle of Liberation – Discussion Questions in Quadrant 4 for Chapter 4

Empowerment of Self

  • What actions can I take to empower myself to work for social justice?
  • How can I become more self-aware and educate myself?
  • How can I feel more inspired to take action?
  • What kind of information do I need to develop a more complete understanding of the causes of social injustice?
  • What kind of information do I need to develop a more complete understanding of the causes of social injustice?

Building Community

  • What actions can I take to work more closely with people “like” me (i.e., people with similar social identities) in order to bring about social justice?
  • What actions can I take to work more closely with people “different” from me (i.e., people with different social identities) in order to bring about social justice?
  • How can I build coalitions?

Transforming Institutional Policies and Practices

  • What actions can I take, individually and with others, to (1) challenge and transform institutions, and (2) influence policy, in order to bring about social justice?
  • What can I do individually?
  • What can I do with my peers?
  • What can I do with my co-workers?
  • What can I do on campus and in student life?
  • What can I do in the local community?

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

  • Zúñiga, X., & Cytron-Walker, A. (2003). EDUC 395Z: Exploring differences and common ground intergroup dialogue curriculum. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts - Amherst.

Taking Action Terminology

Name of Activity: Taking Action Terminology in Quadrant 4 for Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:
9. Exploring liberation and social action

  • Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to introduce participants to selected terminology and help the group develop a glossary of working definitions for shared language.

Learning Outcomes: After this activity participants will be able to develop, recognize, and utilize working definitions of terminology related to action, allyship, and social change.

Time Needed: 25 minutes

Materials Needed: Taking Action Terminology” handout - printed  or digital link to this document

Degree of Risk: Low Risk

Procedure1: Explain to the participants that they are now going to complete a matching activity to learn more about terminology commonly used when discussing and pursuing action, allyship, building solidarity and forging coalitions and social change. Pass out the handouts (without the answer key). Explain to the participants that they will first spend five minutes trying to match the definitions individually, then they will pair up with someone else to compare their answers and deliberate accordingly in order to establish a consensus between the two. After the pairs decide on their joint responses, the groups return to a large circle. The participants go around the circle and share their answers for the matching activity. The facilitator shares the answer key and responds to questions about terminology throughout the process.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: For accessibility purposes, it may be helpful to provide definitions and terms to participants beforehand.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students: None

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator: None

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

  • Adapted by Erika Lala and Ximena Zúñiga (2021) based on:
  • McDonald, J. (2016). Taking Action Terminology. Teaching for diversity and social justice companion website (3rd. ed.). Routledge.

1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Name of Handout: Taking Action Terminology in Quadrant 4 for Chapter 4

Directions: Match the definition to the term listed.
____ 1. Action Continuum
____ 2. Solidarity
____ 3. Ally
____ 4. Mutual Aid
____ 5. Collusion
____ 6. Coalition
____ 7. Spheres of Influence
____ 8. Power over/with/from within
____ 9. Empowerment
____ 10. Liberatory consciousness
____ 11. Advocacy
____ 12. Cycle of Liberation
____ 13. Agency
____ 14. Co-Conspirators
____ 15. Solidarity

  • These are areas over which one has control, where one can work for change. This may include one’s personal network of family and friends, family and co-workers, community, or local institutions (Tatum, 1997).
  • A collection of people from different cultural and/or social groups who come together to work toward a common goal; “. . . works with, but does not ignore, differences and conflicts of interest” (Crowfoot & Chesler, 1996, p. 204). Examples include several civil rights and social movement organizations such as the organization for Human Immigrant Rights in Los Angeles, CA; the National Women Coalition against Violence and Exploitation; and the Southern Coalition for Social Justice.
  • A spectrum of ways that people can respond to injustice; ranges from actions that support prejudice, divisiveness, and social injustice to actions that promote prejudice reduction, coalitional work, and social justice (adapted from McClintock, 2001).
  • Someone who actively supports marginalized individuals or groups, “using the privilege [they] have to refute oppression” (Singh, 2019, p. 169).
  • Actively or passively supporting harassment, discrimination, and other forms of differential or unequal treatment by failing to confront one’s own biases or discriminatory behaviors, or by actively supporting or participating in organized efforts to keep disadvantaged individuals or social groups from gaining equality. Examples include people who object to renovations that make buildings more accessible to people with disabilities, who remain silent when they hear a racially prejudiced remark, or who “look the other way” when hate crimes are committed (adapted from Griffin, 1997; and Wijeyesinghe, Griffin, & Love, 1997).
  • Realizing the value of aligning oneself with the aims and values of social justice movements across multiple social identities, social locations, and social positions. For example: Taking a stand in support of the struggle for social justice of different groups.
  • “(T)he process through which people gain the power and resources necessary to shape their worlds and reach full human potential” (Schriver, 2004, p. 27). Empowered individuals, organizations, communities, and social groups believe in their capacity to act and take action (Irwin, 1996).
  • A concept that can be deployed in a number of ways, including hierarchical dominance, a non-hierarchical and collaborative process for mutual benefit and self-determination, or an internal source of energy (Irwin, 1996; Kreisberg, 1992).
  • The capacity to make choices and influence events, individually or collectively. Individuals can act on their own behalf (take action to achieve their own goals) or act on behalf of someone else’s goals. People can also act collectively in the form of social movements (Hewson, 2010).
  • Organized efforts of individuals or groups to change policies, practices, and cultural climates within institutional contexts (i.e., a hospital, school, corporation, etc.)
  • A cyclical pattern of events and processes that are common to successful efforts to create critical transformation and social change, including intrapersonal awareness, interpersonal community-building, and systemic change (Harro, 2013).
  • A tool that enables us to maintain an awareness of the dynamics of oppression without giving into despair and hopelessness; an awareness of the roles played by each individual in the maintenance of that system without blaming them for the roles they play; the ability to live outside of the patterns of thought and behavior learned through an oppressive socialization process in order to be intentional about our role in working toward transformation (Love, 2013).
  • Someone who actively works toward greater equity via “direct challenge to or subversion of” (Singh, 2019, p. 184) oppressive systems – thereby being closer to the actual building of a social movement.
  • “[A] form of political participation in which people take responsibility for caring for one another and changing political conditions, not just through symbolic acts or putting pressure on their representatives in government but by actually building new social relations that are more survivable” (Spade, 2020, p. 136)
  • “[C]ollectively meeting our own needs rather than relying on harmful institutions, making decisions by consensus rather than by following authority, or sharing things rather than hoarding and protecting private property” (Spade, 2020, p. 133)

Answer Key:

1. C
2. F
3. D
4. N
5. E
6. B
7. A
8. H
9. G
10. L
11. J
12. K
13. M
14. I

References:
Crowfoot, J. E., & Chesler, M. A. (1996). White men’s roles in multicultural coalitions. In B. Bowser
& R. G. Hunt (Eds.), Impacts of racism on white Americans (2nd ed.). Sage.

Goodman, D. & Schapiro, S. (1997). Sexism curriculum design. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P.
Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice: A sourcebook (1st ed., pp. 110–140).
Routledge.

Griffin, P. (1997). Introductory module for a single-issue course. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin
(Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice: A sourcebook (1st ed., pp. 61–81). Routledge.

Hewson, M. (2010). Agency. In A. Mills, G. Durepos, & E. Wiebe (Eds.), Encyclopedia of case study
Research. (pp. 13–17). Sage.

Irwin, J. W. (1996). Empowering ourselves and transforming our schools. SUNY Press.

Kaye/Kantrowitz, M. (1992). The issue is power: Essays on women, Jews, violence and resistance. Aunt Lute Books.

Kreisberg, S. (1992). Transforming power. SUNY Press.

Love, B. (2018). Developing a Liberatory Consciousness. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, D. C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 610-615). Routledge.

Mclintock, M. (2000). How to interrupt oppressive behavior. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, R.
Castañeda, H. W. Hackman, M. L. Peters, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (pp. 483–485). Routledge.

Schriver, J. M. (2004). Human behavior and the social environment: Shifting paradigms in essential knowledge for social work practice (4th ed.). Pearson.

Singh, A. (2019). The racial healing handbook: Practical Activities to help you challenge privilege, confront systemic racism & engage in collective healing. New Harbinger. 

Spade, D. (2020). Solidarity not charity: Mutual aid for mobilization and survival. Social Text 143, 38(1), pp. 131-151. DOI: 10.1215/01642472-7971139

Tatum, B. D. (2018). Why are all the black kids sitting together in the cafeteria and other conversations about race (20th Anniversary Edition). Basic Books.

Wijeyesinghe, C. L, Griffin, P., & Love, B. (1997). Racism curriculum design. In M. Adams, L. A.
Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice: A sourcebook (1st ed., pp. 82–109). Routledge.

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

  • Adapted by Erika Lala and Ximena Zúñiga (2021) based on:
  • McDonald, J. (2016). Taking Action Terminology Teaching for diversity and social justice companion website (3rd.  ed.).  Routledge.

Action Continuum and Spheres of Influence

Name of Activity: Action Continuum and Spheres of Influence in Quadrant 4 for Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:

11.  Developing action plans

  • Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to encourage the participants to reflect on their place in or position relative to the action continuum and think about possible steps they could take to address social justice issues and create change in their personal lives, workplace and within their communities.

Learning Outcomes: After this activity participants will understand action as a relative term and will have practiced identifying where specific actions fall on the continuum. After reflecting on their current placements on the continuum, participants will have brainstormed opportunities to advance their work on the continuum and in their personal commitments to social change.

Time Needed: 20 minutes

Materials Needed: Action Continuum and Spheres of Influence Handouts  - printed or digital link to these two documents.

Degree of Risk: Low-to-Medium Risk

Procedure1: Introduce the “Action Continuum” model to the participants. As the facilitator or facilitators are going over the model, be sure to reference and connect some of the actions mentioned previously during the session to the continuum. Invite additional examples from the participants as much as possible. Acknowledge and affirm the wide variety of action possibilities. Note that participants may find their experiences on multiple parts of the continuum, and that their position on the continuum may change over time and across different issues. Explain that the group is now going to think about the areas of impact that these actions fall within and where in their spheres of influence they want to have the most impact or anticipate the greatest risks.

Using a visual, present the “Spheres of Influence” model. Note that each participant has several spheres of influence where they can extend their own learning and that of others. Ask the participants to think about their own interests and activity at home and on campus. For example, in the sphere of self, a person could read a book, follow an activist on social media, or attend a workshop that pushes their learning edge a little further. In the sphere of work, a person could join a committee, hire a consultant, or dedicate a staff meeting to assessing their office’s environment and culture relative to its stated values, policies, and the experiences of marginalized groups.

Solicit a few examples and invite conversation about how each action may carry a different level of risk that may vary considering each person’s circumstances. Pushing back on an offensive comment may seem easier with friends but riskier with a supervisor. Often, we have to weigh these risks with our potential to make an impact and decide when it is most effective to take action.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: Make sure to emphasize the different levels and types of actions one can take. Generate some examples prior to this session so that the participants can see a range in which actions can take place. Some participants may feel overwhelmed by the idea of “taking action,” so it is important to offer concrete examples that connect to their lives.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students:
Johnson, A. (2018). What can we do?In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 621-627). Routledge.

Johnson, A. (2018). What can we do? Privilege, power and difference (3rd ed., pp. 107-134). McGraw Hill.

Southern Poverty Law Center (2017). SPLC on campus: A guide to bystander intervention. https://www.splcenter.org/sites/default/files/soc_bystander_intervention_guide_ web_final.pdf

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Johnson, A. (2018). What can we do?In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 621-627). Routledge.

Johnson, A. (2018). What can we do? Privilege, power and difference (3rd ed., pp. 107-134). McGraw Hill.

Southern Poverty Law Center (2017). SPLC on campus: A guide to bystander intervention. https://www.splcenter.org/sites/default/files/soc_bystander_intervention_guide_ web_final.pdf

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

  • Adapted by Ximena Zúñiga and Erika Lala (2021). University of Massachusetts Amherst.
  • McDonald, J., and Zúñiga, X. (2015) Action Continuum and Spheres of Influence.Teaching for diversity and social justice companion website (3rd. ed.)  Routledge. and:
  • Bell, L. A., & Griffin, P. (2007). Designing social justice courses (Chapter 4, Appendix 4B: Spheres of Influence). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 67–88). Routledge.
  • Bell, L. A., Love, B. J., & Roberts, R. (2007). Racism and white privilege curriculum design (Chapter 6, Appendix 6H: Action Continuum). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 123–144). Routledge.
  • Zúñiga, X. (2021; 2015). EDUC 202: Exploring issues in intergroup dialogue curricular guide. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Name of Handout: The Action Continuum for Quadrant 4 in Chapter 4

THE ACTION CONTINUUM

Actively Participating

 

Denying
Ignoring

Recognizing, No Action

Recognizing, Interruption

Educating Self

Educating Others

Supporting, Encouraging

Dialoguing with Others

Initiating,
Preventing

Actions Against Equity & Social Justice

🡨-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------🡪

Actions for Equity & Social Justice

Actively Participating: Using derogatory jokes or harmful language, intentionally avoiding marginalized group members, discriminating against marginalized group members, verbally or physically harassing marginalized group members.

Denying or Ignoring: “Business as usual attitude.” Enabling unjust behaviors, patterns, and policies by denying harm. May not be directly responsible for the action/policy in question, but contributes to it by willfully denying its harm and consequential impact.

Recognizing, No Action: Can identify harmful actions, unjust policies, and their effects but takes no action to stop them. This inaction can be the result of fear, lack of information, confusion about what to do, or other feelings of powerlessness. Those at this stage may experience discomfort at the contradiction between awareness and action.

Recognizing, Interrupting: Is aware of oppression and injustices, recognizes oppressive behaviors of self and others and takes action to challenge them

Educating Self: Taking actions to learn more about the roots of social inequities and oppression, as well as their impact on privileged and marginalized social groups. This also entails thinking about how to create affirming and healing-centered spaces. Related actions can include reading, listening to relevant news and media coverage, or participating in workshops, seminars, cultural events, and discussions.

Educating Others:  Moving beyond educating self to educating others by sharing readings, videos and podcasts, facilitating meetings and workshops, or having informal conversations with others. Rather than just interrupting an oppressive behavior or a biased comment, you are inviting people to explore what happened and engaging in a conversation to share why you objected to it while also examining the harm.

Supporting, Encouraging:  Supporting those doing advocacy, equity, inclusion and other social justice work by echoing/amplifying their words, engaging in healing-centered practices, and/or becoming an active member in a relevant task force or committee.

Dialoguing with Others:  Inviting sustained conversation in affinity or mixed groups to explore contentious issues impacting your community. Those you converse with may share your social identities, worldview, etc. - but they may not. Regardless, from these conversations, you may increase your understanding of the issues addressed and develop individual and collective plans to initiate action.

Initiating, Preventing: Working to change actions and conventions that discriminate against, disadvantage, and otherwise harm marginalized group members. This can include initiating mutual aid efforts with others, activating coalitions and alliances to promote change, and advancing more equitable policies.

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

  • Adapted by Ximena Zúñiga and Erika Lala (2021) based on:
  • Allies & Safe Zones, Western Illinois University (n.d.), https://sga.fsu.edu/safe_zone/PDF/Action-Continuum-for-Allies
  • Wijeyesinghe, C. L., Griffin, P., and Love, B (1997). Racism curriculum design. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice: A sourcebook (pp. 82–109). Routledge.

Name of Handout: Spheres of Influence

Spheres of Influence

  • Self: Educating yourself, understanding your values and feelings, examining how you want to change.
  • Close family and friends: Influencing the people closest to you
  • Social, school, and work relationships: Friends and acquaintances, co-workers, neighbors, classmates, and others with whom you interact on a regular basis
  • Community: People, community groups, or other organizations with whom you interact infrequently in your local community

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

  • Updated by Erika Lala, Itza D. Martínez, and Ximena Zúñiga (2021) based on:
  • Zúñiga, X. (2020). EDUC 202: Exploring issues in intergroup dialogue curricular guide. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst.
  • Adams, M., Bell, L.A., & Griffin, P. (2007). Teaching for diversity and social justice. Routledge

Action Planning

Name of Activity: Action Planning: Small-Group Activity

Instructional Purpose Category:
9. Exploring liberation and social action
10. Developing action plans

  • Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: This small-group activity provides participants with the opportunity to write and share an action plan aimed at creating justice-oriented change within their spheres of influence. Through individual reflection/writing and talking with others in a small group, participants will hone their action plans, considering both potential challenges and rewards.

Learning Outcomes: After this activity participants will have drafted their own action plans to create change within their spheres of influence, talked with others about their plans for creating change, and be better prepared to navigate potential challenges in the actions they intend to take.

Time Needed: 60-75 minutes

Materials Needed: Action Planning Worksheet, Action Continuum Handout, Spheres of Influence Handout  - printed or digital link to these three documents.
 
Degree of Risk: Low-to-medium risk

Procedure1: Typically this activity occurs after the “Action Continuum and Spheres of Influence” activity. Remind the participants that they can take action in a variety of ways in different parts of their lives. Encourage them to keep the “Action Continuum” and “Spheres of Influence” handouts with them for reference during this activity.

  1. Explain that the participants will now be working to create an action plan for a specific change that they want to create in their lives or communities. Distribute the Action Planning Worksheet handout and ask the participants to brainstorm some ideas that they might implement. Using one of these examples or one of your own, walk through the worksheet step-by-step, asking for the participants’ input at each step.
  2. Give participants 15 minutes to fill out the Action Planning Worksheet individually. Answer questions and provide support as necessary.
  3. Next, divide participants into small groups of three to four people (either randomly or based on similar topics). Provide 20-25 minutes for them to share and workshop their action plans with one another (at least 5 minutes per person). Ask them to note themes, commonalities, differences, and questions to share out with the large group related to their action plans.
  4. After 25 minutes, ask the small groups to take 5 more minutes to wrap up and prepare to share out with the large group.
  5. Facilitate a debriefing process by inviting each small group to share out highlights of one participants’ action plan. Ask follow-up questions to inquire about the different aspects of the Action Planning Worksheet (e.g., what resources/support might you need? What risks may be involved? What are some rewards of taking this action?).

Prompts for Small-Group Sharing:
Use the following questions as prompts to help further clarify your ideas for action planning and implementation:

  • What do you hope to accomplish and how?
  • What steps do you predict will be the easiest to implement? Who do you think of as your supporters/collaborators?
  • What steps do you predict will be the most difficult to implement?
  • What will you need to hold yourself accountable while doing this work - particularly throughout the aforementioned challenges?
  • What can we take away from this sharing process? How are our action plans similar/different? What questions can we bring back to the full group?

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: To prepare, facilitators are encouraged to reflect on their own actions for creating change and jot down some notes about actions they have taken at different points along the Action Continuum. These may be useful to share as examples when introducing the activity or to support participants who may be feeling stuck as they work on their own action plans. These examples may also be helpful if the group is focusing on only one or two points on the Action Continuum.
Visual learners may find it helpful to have a large visual of the Action Continuum Handout and Spheres of Influence Handout (See Teaching for Diversity companion website) during this activity (e.g., projected as a slide or drawn on a white board). The facilitator might consider asking the participants to visually mark where on the Action Continuum and Spheres of Influence their action plans fall at some point during the activity. The group can then analyze any patterns that arise and their significance.
It might be helpful to encourage small groups to use their own timers (on their phones) to help manage their time and ensure all group members have time to share. The debrief process should focus mostly on the content of the participants’ action plans. Questions posed within one small group may be able to be answered by other groups. Encourage sharing from all members of the small groups.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students:
Johnson, A. (2018). What can we do?In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 621-627). Routledge.

Johnson, A. (2018). What can we do? Privilege, power and difference (3rd ed., pp. 107-134). McGraw Hill.

Southern Poverty Law Center (2017). SPLC on campus: A guide to bystander intervention. https://www.splcenter.org/sites/default/files/soc_bystander_intervention_guide_ web_final.pdf

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Johnson, A. (2018). What can we do?In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 621-627). Routledge.

Johnson, A. (2018). What can we do?  Privilege, power and difference (3rd ed., pp. 107-134). McGraw Hill.

Southern Poverty Law Center (2017). SPLC on campus: A guide to bystander intervention. https://www.splcenter.org/sites/default/files/soc_bystander_intervention_guide_ web_final.pdf

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

  • Adapted by Dave Neely (2021) based on: 
  • Adams, M., & Joshi, K. Y. (2007). Religious oppression curriculum design (Chapter 11, Appendix 11X: Action planning worksheet). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 255–284). Routledge.
  • McDonald, J. (2016). Action Planning Activity.Teaching for diversity and social justice companion website (3rd. ed.). Routledge.
  • Zúñiga, X., Martínez, I. D., Neely, D., Crystal Norwood & E. Lala. (2021). Intergroup Dialogue Practice Labs Curriculum. Transformative Racial Justice Practices Initiative, University of Massachusetts Amherst.
  • Zúñiga, X. (2021; 2015). EDUC 202: Exploring issues in intergroup dialogue curricular guide. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

1If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Name of Handout: Action Planning Worksheet in Quadrant 4 in Chapter 4

Action Planning Worksheet

The purpose of this worksheet is to help you outline in detail an action plan aimed at creating justice-oriented change within your spheres of influence. After reflecting and responding to the prompts on your own, you will share your plan and compare your notes/ideas with other participants.

  1. Describe the action you want to take and what you hope to accomplish? Explain why you chose it. What do you hope will be different if this action is successful?
  1. Regarding your plan/timeline:
    1. What is your timeline for planning and implementing your action? Be as specific as possible for each step in the timeline.

Step 1

 

Step 2

 

Step 3

 

Step 4

 

Step 5

 

    1. Will you work “solo” or collaborate with others? What challenges do you foresee given your choice?
    1. What does accountability look like for your action? What and/or who will help keep you accountable to stay the course?
  1. What resources/support do you bring to support such an action? (e.g., planning skills, communication skills, organizing skills, passion, energy, time, allies, social networks).
  1. What resources/support might you need to carry out such an action? (e.g. colleagues, time, information, financial).
  1. What are some personal and social risks involved for you or others in carrying out this action, considering your own and others' social group memberships?
  1. What are some personal or social rewards of taking this action? What might you or others gain from taking this action?

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

  • Adapted by Dave Neely (2021) based on:
  • Adams, M., & Joshi, K. Y. (2007). Religious oppression curriculum design (Chapter 11, Appendix 11X: Action planning worksheet). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 255–284). Routledge.
  • Bell, L. A., Love, B. J., & Roberts, R. (2007). Racism and white privilege curriculum design (Chapter 6, Appendix 6I: Action planning worksheet). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 123–144). Routledge.
  • Zúñiga, X., Martinez, I., Neely, D., Crystal Norwood & E. Lala. (2021). Intergroup Dialogue Practice Labs Curriculum. Transformative Racial Justice Practices Initiative, University of Massachusetts Amherst.
  • Zúñiga, X. (2021). EDUC 202: Exploring issues in intergroup dialogue curricular guide. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Affirmations

Name of Activity: Affirmations, Quadrant 4 in Chapter 4 

Instructional Purpose Category:
3. Tone setting / developing group guidelines
9. Exploring liberation and social action
11. Processing / debriefing the process 

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to affirm the journey that the group has taken together and the participants’ contributions to each other’s learning.

Learning Outcomes: After this activity participants will have an understanding and experience of what it is to affirm the process/journey that occurs in a sustained group process.

Time Needed: 45 minutes

Materials Needed: Markers and decorative supplies (optional), newsprint, poster, or construction paper (one per person), music. If conducting this activity virtually,1 the facilitators will need to prepare a digital platform such as a Jamboard, slide, or Padlet with each participants’ name at the top.

Degree of Risk: Low to medium risk

Procedure2: If in person: Instruct the participants to write their name in large print and briefly decorate their poster. The facilitators should also make posters. Depending on the way the room is set up, the participants may pass posters around in a circle or move around the room to different poster stations. Provide instructions: The goal is for the participants to write a positive comment on everyone’s poster. This may be something they appreciate, a positive memory, something they learned, etc. Begin playing upbeat music. Facilitators should participate in writing affirmations while also giving regular time checks and reminding the participants to write on everyone’s poster.

Once all the participants and facilitators have had a chance to write affirmations on each other’s boards, have the participants silently read their board. Take 5–10 minutes to debrief the activity. Invite the participants to share some highlights or themes from their boards. Thank them for their participation throughout the workshop or course and the activity. Ask them if there is anything else they would like to share about the activity or their experience together.
Debrief the activity by asking things like:

  • Share a highlight from their posters- perhaps one they were touched by!
  • Make some general comments about the activity to wrap up the activity
  • Ask participants to share if they have anything they want to say that was brought up by the activity.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: This group activity affirms the journey that the group has taken together. Affirmations are one way to show gratitude and appreciation for self and each other. Affirmations ask participants to choose to see the beauty, light, love, good, and complexities etc. in a person. Participants will have time to review the posters that facilitators have put together based on the affirmations received. Once participants have had a chance to read their poster, allow some time to debrief how participants are feeling and what’s coming up for them (mind and body).
This activity reminds participants of the humanizing quality of sustained engagement and learning within and across differences and helps the group recognize and acknowledge the unique contributions of each of the participants to this dialogue community.

It is key to plan enough time for this activity in advance since it is the last segment of a course or workshop. If passing around posters, the facilitator(s) should time how long each participant has to write per poster. Facilitators might consider providing participants with some sentence stems in advance to ease the way. If any participants have mobility needs, it may be easiest to pass posters around the circle and provide digital options for participants if conducting this activity virtually.  In closing, it is important to debrief the activity in some way since it is the final activity of the workshop or course.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students:
brown, a.m. (2021). Holding Change The way of emergent strategy facilitation and mediation. A.K. Press.

Lakey, G. (2020). Facilitating Group Learning: Strategies for success with adult learners. (2nd edition). PM Press.

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
brown, a.m. (2021). Holding Change The way of emergent strategy facilitation and mediation. A.K. Press.

Lakey, G. (2020). Facilitating Group Learning: Strategies for success with adult learners. (2nd edition). PM Press.

Name(s) to credit for this activity

  • Adapted by Itza D. Martínez and Ximena Zúñiga (2021) based on:
  • Zúñiga, X. (2021; 2015). EDUC 202: Exploring issues in intergroup dialogue curricular guide. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

1If possible, collect positive affirmations prior to meeting and populate the digital “poster” beforehand for participants. One way to collect positive affirmations prior to meeting is through email or digital form or survey.

2If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials)

Glossary

Allies are people who work in solidarity/alliance with others toward a shared goal of changing systems of oppression. Allies might be members of privileged groups who are ready to leverage their privilege toward change. They might be members of marginalized groups who are actively working on their own behalf and that of others’. Other terms include accomplices, co-conspirators, activists, advocates, and change agents, all of which are likely to be individuals working within and across social groups in networks or coalitions in schools, communities, or organizations to challenge, re-imagine, and/or transform oppressive structures (Brown, 2017, 2021; Singh, 2019).

A diversity approach generally emphasizes the social, cultural, linguistic, and other differences and commonalities among people based on the ethnic, racial, religious, gender, class, or other “social categories” generally recognized in the US.

Historical Legacies are the historical contexts out of which current  injustices have evolved and persisted.

Horizontal oppressionin contrast to vertical or hierarchical oppression (Hardiman & Jackson, 1997). This term comes from the phrases “horizontal violence” and “horizontal hostility” used by Pharr (1997) to describe situations in which members of marginalized or subordinated groups misdirect their rage at members of other marginalized groups rather than at the more dangerous and powerful members of dominant groups.

Individual/interpersonal level of oppression are the individual attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that maintain one or more forms of oppression, intentionally or unintentionally.

Institutional level of oppressionis produced, maintained, and reproduced by the policies and practices of institutions, such as government agencies, business and industry, nursing homes and hospitals, banking and finance, K-12 and post-secondary education, religious organizations, and the legal system. The institutional level refers both to broad fields, such as health care, and to specific organizations, such as a sports team or a school.

Internalized domination or internalized superiority describes the behaviors, thoughts, and feelings of privileged or advantaged group members who, through their socialization, have learned to think and act in ways that express entitlement and privilege (Singh, 2019; Watkins & Shulman, 2002)

Internalized subordination or internalized oppression refers to ways in which members of marginalized and disadvantaged groups, through their socialization, internalize the dominant group’s negative ideology about their group and accept a definition of themselves that is hurtful and limiting, causing them to think, feel, and act in ways that accept the devaluation of their group.

Intersectionalityrecognizes the ways social identities and oppressions interact, resulting in varied experiences and opportunities. Social identities and social location in systems of oppression intersect to create a complex experience that is not reducible to one identity or system of oppression  (Collins, 2019; Crenshaw, 2003; Hankivsky, 2014).

Microaggressions are commonplace, everyday interactions that intentionally or unintentionally reinforce a person’s subordinated status within a system of oppression (Sue, 2010).

Privileges are benefits and unearned advantages given to members of dominant groups that are denied to, and often at the expense of people from marginalized groups. Some privileges are material—such as access to adequate health care—while others are nonmaterial—such as the ability to experience oneself as normal and central in society. The concept of privilege reminds us that such benefits are not earned, but rather result from social advantage relative to others’ disadvantage (Case, 2013; Johnson, 2018; Kimmel & Ferber, 2009; Wildman, 1996; see also Chapter 1).

A social group or social identity group is a collective of persons who have an affinity to one another based on similar experiences, practices, and ways of life (Young, 1990). Social identity groups are a collection of people who may share similar linguistic, social, and cultural experiences within socially constructed categories of race, ethnicity, language, religion, gender, and so on.  For example, social identity groups within the social category of gender may include man, woman, transgender, nonbinary and genderqueer.

Social identity refers to our sense of belonging to, identification with, or assignment into a social identity group.

Socialization, in the context of SJE, refers to the lifelong process by which we inherit, internalize, and replicate the dominant norms and frameworks of our society and learn to accept them as the “way things are,” the “right way,” or “common sense”. As members of social identity groups, we get systematic training on how to enact prescribed roles across categories of difference (e.g. race, gender or class) within systems of oppression.

A social justice approach incorporates the appreciation of social diversity along with an understanding of structural inequalities based on history, politics, and policies through which members of social identity groups experience advantages or disadvantages Social Justice Education (SJE) also centers resistance to oppressive structures, transformation, and change.

Socio-cultural level of oppressionis the social systems and cultural norms that convey messages about what is correct and expected by the larger society including unquestioned beliefs, hegemonic norms, and ideologies.

Stereotypes are overly generalized assumptions about groups of people that are embedded in the dominant culture and that many people, consciously or unconsciously, reproduce through their behaviors.

Resource List

Readings:
Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W., Catalano, C.J., DeJong, S., Hackman, H., Hopkins, L.E., Shlasko, D., Peters, M.L., &  Zúñiga, X.  (Eds.). Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed). Routledge.
Adams, M. (2014). Social justice and education. In M. Reisch (Ed.), Routledge international handbook of social justice (pp. 249–268). Routledge.
Banaji, M. R., & Greenwald, A. G. (2013). Blindspot: Hidden biases of good people. Delacorte Press. .
Beril, B. (2016). Integrating mindfulness into anti-oppression pedagogy: Social justice in higher education. New York, NY: Routledge.
Boggs, G. L. (2012). The next American revolution. University of California Press.
Brookfield, S. (2005). The power of critical theory: Liberating adult learning and teaching. Wiley.
Brown, M. A. (2017). Emergent strategy, shaping change, changing worlds. AK Press.
Chun, E. B., & Feagin, J. R. (2020). Rethinking diversity frameworks in higher education. Routledge.
Collins, P. H. (1990). Black feminist thought: Knowledge, consciousness, and politics of empowerment. Unwin Hyman.
Collins, P. H. (2019). Intersectionality as critical social theory. Duke University Press.
Crenshaw, K. (1991). Mapping the margins: intersectionality, identity politics, and violence against women of color. Stanford Law Review, 43(6), 1241-1299.
Cudd, A. E. (2006). Analyzing oppression. New York: Oxford University Press.
Dunbar-Ortiz, R. (2014). An Indigenous People’s history of the United States. Beacon Press.
Feagin, J. P., Vera, H. & Ducey, K. (2015). Liberation sociology (3rd. Edition).  Routledge. 
Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Herder & Herder.
Ginwright, S. H. (2022). The four pivots: Reimagining justice, reimagining ourselves. North Atlantic Books
hooks, b. (1994). Teaching to transgress. New York, NY: Routledge
hooks, b. (2001). All about love. New York, NY: Routledge.
Johnson, A. (2018). Privilege, power, and difference, (3rd ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Lakey, G. (2020). Facilitating group learning: Strategies for success with diverse adult learners. PM Press
Love, B. L. (2019). We want to do more than survive. Abolitionist teaching and the pursuit of education freedom. Beacon Press.
Lyiscott, J. (2019). Black appetite. White food: Issues of race, voice, and justice within and beyond the classroom. Routledge.
Memmi, A. (1957/1991). The colonizer and the colonized (expanded ed.). Beacon Press.
Obear, K. (2018). In it for the long haul: Overcoming burnout & passion fatigue as social justice agents. Morgan James.
Ransby, B. (2018). Making all Black lives matter: Reimagining freedom in the 21st century. University of California Press.
Ross, L. J. (2017). Reproductive justice as intersectional feminist activism. Souls 19 (3), 286-314.
Sue, D. W. (2010). Microaggressions in everyday life: Race, gender, and sexual orientation. Wiley.
Spade, D. (2020). Mutual aid: Building solidarity during this crisis (and the next). Verso.
Takaki, R. (1993). A different mirror: History of multicultural America. Little Brown and Company.
Tatum, B. D. (2018). Why are all the Black kids sitting together in the cafeteria? (20th ann. ed.) Basic Book.
Watkins, M. & Shulman, H. (2008). Toward psychologies of liberation. Palgrave.
Wijeyesinghe, C. L., & Jackson, B. W. (Eds.) (2012). New perspectives on racial identity development: Integrating emerging frameworks (2nd ed.). New York: New York University Press.
Young, I. M. (1990). Justice and the politics of difference. Princeton University Press.
Young, I. M. (2011). Responsibility for justice. Oxford University Press.
Zinn, H. (2003). A people’s history of the United States: 1492-present. Harper-Collins.
Zúñiga, X., Lopez, G. E., & Ford, K. (2014). Intergroup dialogue: Engaging difference, social identity and social justice. Routledge. 

Web links:

  1. Learning for Justice (Formerly known as Teaching for Tolerance) [Website]

Retrieved from https://www.learningforjustice.org/

Provides free educational resources such as articles, guides, lessons, films, webinars, and frameworks for educators, caregivers and community members teaching and learning about issues of social justice.

  1. California Newsreel (n.d.). Unnatural causes. [Television film series]

Retrieved from https://unnaturalcauses.org/

Companion site for the film, Unnatural causes which provides resources such as
discussion guide, activities, case studies and video clips

  1. Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (n.d.). American experience [Television film series]. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/

The “American Experience” series by the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) features over 250 broadcasted films on U.S. American history. Full films, teachers’ guides, and behind-the-scenes footage are available on the website.

  1. Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) [Website]. Retrieved from http://www.splcenter.org/

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) was founded in 1971 as a small civil rights law firm. The website is designed to provide visitors with news reports, commentary, real-time critiques, as well as scholarly information and results of research to teach concepts of fundamental fairness and tolerance.

  1. Kirwan Institute [Website]. Retrieved from https://kirwaninstitute.osu.edu/

The Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, an interdisciplinary research institute, provides research, training modules and other resources focused on implicit bias and institutional racism.

  1. National Conference on Community and Justice (NCCJ) [Website]. Retrieved from https://www.nccj.org/

NCCJ offers programs for youth (i.e. ANYTOWN) and adults and  resources, such as definitions, on social justice

Videos

  1. Adichie, C. N. (2009). The danger of a single story [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story?language=en

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a Nigerian novelist who wrote such notable works as Purple Hibiscus (2003), Half of a Yellow Sun (2006), and Americanah (2013). In this TED Talk, she tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice and warns that we risk a critical misunderstanding if we only hear or listen to a single story about other people or places.

  1. Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society (Hass Institute) (2015, April 30). bell hooks and john a. powell: Keynote dialogue at Othering & Belonging Conference April 2015 [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sX7fqIU4gQ

In front of an audience at the annual Othering & Belonging Conference in 2015, author, feminist, and activist bell hooks—and john a. powell, who leads the University of California Berkeley’s Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society—dialogue about belonging through connection and connecting through love, particularly with oneself, the other, and the Earth. They discuss how there are constructed schisms in these connections, and they challenge the idea that there is no schism, but rather a need to acknowledge and live through connection. Building on hooks’ understanding of love as a verb, they shift the approach and conceptualization of love so that love is an interactive practice with potential to deconstruct barriers between these constructed schisms.

  1. Robbins, C. L. (2014, December 17). Social justice—Is it still relevant in the 21st century? [Video file]. TED Talk: TEDxSBU. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wtroop739uU

In this TED Talk, Charles L. Robbins presents on how pervasive injustice has society at a turning point and that every individual has a critical choice to make: To stand with each other and fight for social justice, or stay on the sidelines, silently supporting the system that perpetuates inequality, violence, and poverty in the world. Robbins highlights critical social justice issues of our time and calls on everyone to play a part in changing the world.

  1. Denver University of Social Work. (2018, March 26). Power, Privilege and Oppression [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTDikx-maoM

            In this video, the narrator describes the relationship between social identity and
experiences of oppression and opportunities for social justice.

  1. Fusion Comedy (2016, October 15). How microaggressions are like mosquito bites [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDd3bzA7450

In this video, the narrator illustrates how microaggressions are experienced as mosquito bites and provides examples across race, gender and sexuality.

  1. Fireweed Collective (2017). [Video file]. Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/182569316

            In this video, the narrator defines and describes the three levels of oppression
(interpersonal, institutional and cultural).

  1. Crenshaw, Kimberlé (2016, Dec 7 ) [Video file]. The urgency of intersectionality. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akOe5-UsQ2o

In this TED Talk, Kimberlé Crenshaw defines intersectionality and discusses the history of the term in recognizing the lived experiences of Black women who experience both racial discrimination and gender discrimination.

  1. Love, B. J. (2020, February) [podcast and transcript] Developing a liberatory consciousness in funding. Grantmakers in the arts. Retrieved from https://www.giarts.org/developing-liberatory-consciousness-funding-podcast-transcript

Barbara J. Love defines liberation and describes her model of liberatory consciousness which involves awareness, analysis, action, accountability and allyship.