The Matrix of Domination

In order to define and explain such phenomena as oppression, intolerance, discrimination, inequality, and civil rights advocacy in reference to race, ethnicity, and gender, sociologist Patricia Hill Collins created a concept called the Matrix of Domination. Identity politics and civil rights activism are pillars of the fight against oppression in general. The interpersonal component of the matrix of domination is crucial because it represents the area in which, as a result of oppression, the interests of individuals from various racial, ethnic, and gender backgrounds interact. The particular stances of the groups’ spokespeople have a significant impact on the civil rights movements for, say, LGBT people or African Americans. Without political activism of common people (not politicians) any progressive development in the defense of civil rights would be unimaginable.

Civil rights movement was always on the frontline of battle against oppression, prejudice, intolerance, discrimination, and domination (Healey, 31). People who exist in societies in which oppression is present always experience their difficulties individually (Dhamoon, 89). A gay person will always carry some personal damage which moved him or her towards revolt in the first place. Therefore, identity politics are especially important as they express opinion of people who do not think they are treated fairly in their average everyday life.

Identity politics can be compared to active civil position of a citizen in a state. In minority groups each participant is a representative of the interests of a group which constitutes a movement. This sheds light on oppression after which it stops being personal and transforms into collective injustice (Conklin, 44). This can be considered as first step towards dealing with the problem because it becomes recognized as people become informed about it – all people including the oppressors, the ones who can do something about it, and most of all other oppressed who were unable to make themselves heard before.

Matrix of domination is a genuine way to explain the ways in which oppression works and how social injustice appears. When people of different groups interact with each other their difference becomes realized and individual acts according to the realization of this difference (Ollhoff, 110). Some stereotypes were historically applied to minority (not applicable to women) groups, for example, Jews were considered greedy, Afro-Americans thought of as lazy, and women were treated as stupid in comparison with males. These stereotypes made people consider all representatives of a particular group to be treated according to the stereotype making the incorrect image and depriving representatives of a particular group of their individuality (Healey, 32).

All the oppressed groups were always defending their right for individuality. The frame of oppression is so that it disallows an individual to be what he or she wants and needs to be. Therefore, oppression stands on the way of individual growth and makes it impossible for an individual to be himself/herself (Ollhoff, 125). Each and every human person deserves the right to be individual with his or her own unique demands and needs. For example, a woman can vote because inability to vote makes her less in the eyes of a man. Afro-American person must be allowed to use the same public transport as other people because even if he or she has a car and does not use public transport at all it reassures other people in the fact Afro-Americans deserve less than other people (Dhamoon, 50). Principles of inequality projected by law from above make it impossible for average people to cultivate tolerance as they see rules around them that support racial or gender prejudices. That is why domination must be fought on all fronts in everyday life and on a higher juridical level.

In my own opinion, oppression became a very striking problem in the 20th century because of the new complex issues brought by modernity and progress. People from different countries with various cultural origins became concentrated in agglomerations which led to friction between the different social groups. Sexuality became an issue as well as it is now said that a person cannot choose his sex but is free to choose his own gender. Perhaps there were as many gays before as it is now but because they were forced to hide it can never be known for sure. Now when being gay is not shameful anymore people can live their lives fully according to their individual needs.

All in all, it was explained how and why oppression appears and what it means to be oppressed. It was also pointed out how civil rights movement fights for the individual freedom of all people shedding light on the injustice, intolerance, prejudice, and inequality. Identity politics defend individual freedom and because of that individual position can be called a starting point of war against oppression of any kind. People involved in identity politics that defend their civil rights work for the benefit of justice, peace, and equality demanding what is only fair.

References

Dhamoon, R. (2010) Identity/Difference Politics: How Difference Is Produced, and Why It Matters. Boston: UBC Press

Collins, P. (2002) Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment. New York: Routledge

Conklin, W. (2007) Civil Rights Movement. Chicago: Teacher Created Materials

Healey, J. (2011) Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Class: The Sociology of Group Conflict and Change. Chicago: Pine Forge Press

Ollhoff, J. (2011) The Civil Rights Movement. Boston: ABDO

Matrix of Domination retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gzixp-cdoeE