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Capitalism, Class, and the Matrix of Domination

Capitalism, Class, and the Matrix of Domination . Capitalism, Difference, & Privilege. Historically, capitalism in the US has developed and defined itself through racialization. Racialized bodies E.g. – slavery (Africans) E.g. – industrial age (Chinese) E.g. – 20 th century (Mexicans)

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Capitalism, Class, and the Matrix of Domination

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  1. Capitalism, Class, and the Matrix of Domination

  2. Capitalism, Difference, & Privilege • Historically, capitalism in the US has developed and defined itself through racialization. • Racialized bodies • E.g. – slavery (Africans) • E.g. – industrial age (Chinese) • E.g. – 20th century (Mexicans) • E.g. 21st century (undocumented immigrants)

  3. Capitalismdoes not = Democracy • Capitalism is the theory of free market. • Democracy is the theory of a government where people vote for their government & are not interchangeable until people hold a public, free election and decide otherwise. • Just because capitalism exists in a country, the country’s government isn’t automatically democratic. And vice-versa. • How has the US democratic experiment operated through the logic of capitalism? • Privilege and Oppression

  4. Enter the Matrix of Domination • Patricia Hill Collins – each particular form of privilege (oppression) is part of a much larger system of privilege (and oppression)

  5. Intersectionality • No one oppression (privilege) operates alone. • “package deal” (Johnson 50). • Applying Intersectional approaches to understanding privilege, oppression, and power provides social scientists with a much more effective way at understanding how systems (race, gender, class, sexuality, ableism) operate simultaneously with one another all the time.

  6. Capitalism as a System System As we participate in social systems, we are shaped by socialization and by paths of least resistance. We make social systems happen. Individuals

  7. How Do I Operate W/in Systems? • 1) Socialization • Learn to participate in social life via families, schools, religion, mass media. • Examples set up and taught by our parents, peers, coaches, teachers, and public figures. • “We learn to name things and people, to value one thing or kind of person above another, to distinguish what’s considered ‘normal’ and acceptable from what is not.” (Dr. Allan Johnson, 78).

  8. How Do I Operate W/in Systems? • 2) Paths of Least Resistance • Every social situation on a daily provides decisions to be made. i.e: in a movie theater you could go to sleep, eat dinner, undress, dance, take out a flashlight, laugh hysterically, etc. • People are more comfortable with choosing the past of least resistance in order to avoid being picked out among the crowds. • Elevator experiment.

  9. Summary • Capitalism, like any other system (race, gender, sexuality) operates because of people. • People often choose the path of least resistance, or “go with the flow” because that is the normal thing to do. • Commodities purchased on the daily have stories of both global and local dimensions. • How we go about as 1st world American consumers has significant ramifications for people, places, ideas throughout the globe.

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