Oppression

Recently, our readings for class have touched on themes of oppression. Oppression is a word that is often used without true understanding of what it actually means. One thing that this class, and really all of the pacs classes I've taken have taught me is that it is important to really analyze and understand the terms that we use before trying to understand their implications. Oppression is one of those terms. I had never really thought about what oppression meant before. I had often used it as a term to mean "held back" or "held down," but that's such a broad definition that it lessens the importance and impact of the word. Oppression must be defined by who it affects. Group membership and some kind of identifiable group dynamics must exist in order for oppression to exist. Oppression, just like many other ideas related to conflict, is closely associated with power. The oppressors must have the power to oppress and I would argue that the oppressed must have a lack of power to defend themselves.