Text: Power, Privilege, and Difference
The author is Alan G. Johnson.
BIG PICTURE:
Intro to Privilege, Power, and Difference: S.C.W.A.A.M.P.
Beginning of the text
Johnson redefines privilege as something that arises from social systems and structures rather than from people and their behaviors. He says, “Privilege is not something we either have or do not have, but something that exists in social systems and relationships” (Johnson, 2018). I found this intriguing because it immediately removed the sense of personal responsibility and shifted the focus to social structures instead. It made me think about how often people confuse privilege with a personal attack instead of an issue with the system.
Middle of the text
Johnson talks about the "path of least resistance" in the middle of the section. He explains that “the path of least resistance is built into systems of privilege, encouraging us to accept things as they are rather than question or challenge them” (Johnson, 2018). This thought helped me understand how people might be part of inequality unconsciously without wanting to harm anyone. I started to question how often not doing or saying anything in schools and other places really helped keep the power hierarchies in place.
The end of the text
Johnson puts more emphasis on responsibility than guilt at the end. He argues that “the challenge is not to take privilege personally, but to take responsibility for how we participate in systems that create unequal outcomes” (Johnson, 2018). He says that recognizing privilege is only helpful if it leads to action. This passage made me think about how just being aware isn't enough, especially in positions like teaching, where the decisions you make have a direct impact on how students learn and what they can do.
Statement of Argument
This author, Alan Johnson, argues that privilege operates as a systemic and often invisible feature of social structures, and that meaningful social change requires individuals to recognize their participation in these systems and intentionally resist the norms that maintain inequality.
Links to additional texts, vocab, thoughts, and issues
Johnson's argument is extremely similar to other things we've spoken about in previous classes, such as power, fairness, and the way institutions work. His theories are similar to those of structural inequality and social reproduction, especially in the area of education. Schools may reflect dominant cultural norms through their curriculum choices, disciplinary practices, and behavioral expectations, which may marginalize students from non-dominant backgrounds.
Johnson's ideas are very similar to Peggy McIntosh's work on privilege. Her essay on structural privilege and the "invisible knapsack" helps illustrate how advantages that individuals don't earn work silently and are often taken for granted. All of these publications reinforce the idea that inequality doesn't happen because of what people want, but because institutions are set up to help some groups more than others.
Personal Reflection
This book made me think more about what it means to have privilege. I loved how Johnson didn't make privilege something to be ashamed of; instead, he made it something to be aware of and accountable for. As a teacher, this made me think about how the decisions I make every day fit into wider systems of power. Even choices that seem neutral can make things worse if you don't think about them carefully. This reading reminded me that growth often begins with discomfort and that being responsible means being willing to question routines, norms, and assumptions that seem normal but may not be fair.
References (APA 7)
Johnson, A. G. (2018). Privilege, power, and difference (3rd ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
McIntosh, P. (1989). White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack. Wellesley College Center for Research on Women. https://www.racialequitytools.org/resourcefiles/mcintosh.pdf
