Blog Post 1: Power, Privilege, and Minnesota
I know I’m not alone in feeling heartbroken, horrified, and angry by what has happened in Minnesota over the past three weeks. I had started this reading before January 24th and had initially intended to write a very different post and analysis of Allan Johnson’s Power, Privilege and Difference. However, as news continued to unfold over the weekend, I found it impossible to separate Johnson’s discussion of systemic power and privilege from the real-world consequences playing out around us. His framework quickly became a lens through which the current moment felt clearer, heavier, and more urgent. Johnson’s text does more than explain how systems of inequality function—it challenges readers to recognize their role within those systems and deeply consider what responsibility looks like in moments like this.
A KEY IDEA FROM THE TEXT
In the opening chapters, Johnson argues that privilege is not only about our individual actions and intentions, but about the larger social systems that shape outcomes regardless of our personal beliefs. His explanation of how our social systems operate is haunting, as he shows their quiet, persistent nature and how we unconsciously maintain them, even when we want to think of ourselves as “good,” “fair,” or “just” people. Johnson also points out that being part of a privileged group doesn’t automatically make someone a “bad” person, but it does mean they benefit unfairly from structures that others don’t. For me, understanding this distinction was eye-opening. It shifts the focus from blame to responsibility. To take meaningful action and enact change, we must recognize how we are connected to systems of power—and our role within them.
CONNECTING JOHNSON TO MINNESOTA
Reading Johnson’s discussion of systemic privilege made the recent events in Minnesota hit much harder for me. The news illustrates how social systems and institutional power have life-altering consequences for marginalized communities. On January 24, federal immigration agents shot and killed a 37-year-old Minneapolis ICU nurse, Alex Pretti, during a high-tension law enforcement operation, sparking public outcry as leaders and community members demanded accountability and transparency (Reuters). Even without intentional wrongdoing, the outcomes of this event reflect the broader patterns of privilege and disadvantage that Johnson discusses; it makes clear that harm can result directly from the system itself, not only the choices of individuals. Processing the news this weekend through Johnson’s lens amplified how complex and pervasive systemic inequity really is. It made me wonder what role I can have in challenging the system currently at work—how can I take meaningful action?
REFLECTION & A CALL TO ACTION
Awareness alone isn’t enough; understanding how these systems operate is important, but more needs to be done. To truly confront injustice, we must consider how our choices and voices interact with larger systems of power. This could mean diving deeper into educating ourselves about systemic inequity, amplifying marginalized voices, and taking part in civic engagement or advocacy where we can. While I’m just one person, collective action is what drives systemic change. Thinking through Johnson’s framework, I am left asking myself: what concrete steps can I take this week to challenge inequities in my community and contribute to a more just society?
Hi Adriana, I really appreciate how you related the reading to Minnesota. I was thinking about how Johnson talks about that a person only needs the perception of privilege to access the benefits, but if they are "othered" then they lose those privileges. I think one of the reasons that Alex Pretti and Renee Good have gotten so much attention is because they are white and this is shocking to others who had expected that that would have been enough to protect them. Looking at the other side, the rhetoric coming out of the current administration is doing everything to distance Alex Pretti and Renee Good from those privileges, by accusing them of having a gun or being dangerous, or being a terrorist. I think this is one of the reasons that institutions have been able to uphold oppression for centuries because people with power hope and believe that being part of a privileged group will protect them and if they can convince themselves that they are good people then why do they need to confront these ideas?
ReplyDeleteHi Adriana, I really appreciate that you connected this to what is going on in Minnesota. I think this reading truly ties into what is happening there.
ReplyDeleteYour point about being a part of a privileged group doesn't mean that person is "bad", and I feel like many people get caught up in this defensive reaction that they think they are fine because they aren't necessarily contributing to racism, but they still reap the benefits of this system and are a part of it, which is holding this system up.
I think that we as a society, especially those with privilege must use that privilege to be a voice for those without it. That is when change can truly be made.
Hi Adriana,
ReplyDeleteI think this piece of literature is extremely relevant to the terrible things happening in Minnesota right now, and I agree that these injustices and differences play a crucial role. Here, I immediately thought about in chapter one when Johnson discusses Rodney King's question about getting along. Clearly we are living in a world right now where no one is getting along, and violence is becoming more and more prominent. Here, Johnson argues that injustice cannot be reduced to individual attitudes or single identities, because systems of power operate across race, gender, class, and sexuality simultaneously. His example of everyday racialized and gendered experiences, such as needing multiple forms of identification, calculating personal safety, or being treated with suspicion represents how privilege functions even when no one believes they are acting unjustly.