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Chapt.

03 ~ Empowerment and Human Diversity


Learning Objectives
A. Define discrimination, oppression, marginalization, alienation, power, privilege, acclaim, stereotypes, and prejudice, and
examine their relevance to social work practice.
discrimination
Unequal treatment of people based on prejudgment because they belong to some group rather than on merit
oppression
A term that involves putting extreme limitations and constraints on some person, group, or larger system
marginalization
having less power/being viewed as less important ...because of belonging to some group or having some characteristic
alienation
related to marginalization; the feeling that you don’t fit in or aren’t treated as well as others in mainstream society
power
The ability to move people on a chosen course to produce an effect or achieve some goal
privilege
Entails special rights or benefits enjoyed because of elevated social, political, or economic status
acclaim
Enthusiastic and public praise
stereotypes
Fixed mental images about people based on assumed attributes reflecting an overly simplified opinion about that group
prejudice
An opinion or prejudgment about an individual, group, or issue that is not based on fact
B. Explore the concepts of populations-at-risk and social and economic justice.
population-at-risk
* people at greater risk of deprivation and unfair treatment due to identifiable characteristic that places them in a diverse
group; dimensions include: age, class, color, culture, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity/expression,
immigration status, political ideology, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation

social justice
* social justice: in a perfect world all citizens would have identical rights, protection, opportunities, obligations, social
benefits regardless of their backgrounds and membership in diverse groups.

economic justice
* the distribution of resources in a fair and equitable manner.

Populations-at-risk are people at greater risk of deprivation and unfair treatment because they share some identifiable
characteristic that places them in a diverse group. Dimensions of diversity include age, class, color, culture, disability,
ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, immigration status, political ideology, race, religion, sex, and sexual
orientation. Social justice involves the idea that in a perfect world all citizens would have identical “rights, protection,
opportunities, obligations, and social benefits,” regardless of their backgrounds and membership in diverse groups.
Economic justice concerns the distribution of resources in a fair and equitable manner.
Being a member of various diverse groups places people at risk of unfair and unequal treatment.
C. Define empowerment and introduce a strengths perspective to social work practice.
empowerment vs strengths perspective
* Empowerment is the “process of increasing personal, interpersonal, or political power so that individuals can take
action to improve their life situations.” A strengths perspective emphasizes people’s strengths in order to pursue their
empowerment.
D. Examine empowerment for women in groups.
Themes emerging as providing successful conditions for women’s empowerment within a group setting include safety,
mutual interaction, commonality, acceptance, validation, and interdependence.
E. Describe the concept of resiliency.
resiliency
The ability of an individual, family, group, community, or organization to recover from adversity and resume functioning
even when suffering serious trouble, confusion, or hardship
* Resiliency can characterize individuals and larger systems.
F. Recognize various aspects of human diversity including age, class, color, culture, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity
and expression, immigration status, political ideology, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation.
Race implies a greater genetic determinant, whereas ethnicity often relates to cultural or national heritage. Other terms
such as minorities and people of color are also commonly used to refer to people of different racial and ethnic heritage.
People of color is a collective term that refers to the major groups of African, Latino, and Asian Americans, and First
Nations Peoples [Native Americans] who have been distinguished from the dominant society by color.
Aspects of culture are often related to people’s ethnic, racial, and spiritual heritage.
Immigration: a person’s position in terms of legal rights/residency when entering/residing in a country no of that person’s
legal country of origin; statuses: legal or illegal
class: people’s status or ranking in society with respect to standards like “relative wealth, power, prestige, education level,
family background”
Political ideology: relatively coherent system of ideas (beliefs, traditions, principles, and myths) about human nature,
institutional arrangements, and social processes” that indicate how a government should be run and what principles
that government should support
SEX: biological differences; GENDER: differences in social and psychological characteristics; GENDER IDENTITY: a person’s
internal psychological self-concept of being male or female; GENDER EXPRESSION: how we express ourselves to others
in ways related to gender that include both behavior and personality; SEXUAL ORIENTATION: sexual and romantic
attraction to persons of one or both genders
Disabilities: affect millions; vary dramatically; include cognitive, physical & psychiatric conditions
RELIGION: people’s spiritual beliefs concerning origin, character and reason for being; based on existence of some higher
power/s; often involves designated rituals and provides direction in morality/right; SPIRITUALITY: one’s values, beliefs,
mission, awareness, subjectivity, experience, sense of purpose and direction, and a kind of striving toward something
greater than oneself; may/may not include a deity; may involve religion, or it may reflect a personal, internalized view of
existence
G. Examine the social construction of gender.
Many types of gender expression (intersex, transgernderism, transsexuals, transvestites); concept of gender is socially
constructed according to social values and beliefs; women often victims of oppression on basis of gender
H. Employ critical thinking skills to appraise racial self-awareness, cultural self-awareness, the treatment of intersex people
and people with various forms of gender expression, and the feminist perspective.
Questions posed concerning personal attitudes about race, culture, worldview, family structure, treatment of intersex
people, freedom of gender expression, the meaning of gender, fair treatment on the basis of gender, and the feminist
perspective
I. Discuss some of the major values characterizing Hispanic, Native American, African American, and Asian American families.
Hispanic family themes: significance of a common language and cultural pride, extended family, respect for older adults,
spirituality, and strict division of gender roles
Native American family values: importance of extended family, respect for elders, noninterference, harmony with nature, a
less rigid concept of time and spirituality
African American family themes: importance of extended family, gender-role flexibility, respect for older adults, strong
religious beliefs
Asian American family values: importance of family vs individual members as the primary unit, interdependence, filial
piety, investment in children; patriarchal hierarchy
J. Define cultural competence and explain its application to social work.
cultural competence: mastery of a particular set of knowledge, skills, policies, and programs used by the social worker that
address the cultural needs of individuals, families, groups, and communities
NASW identifies 6 tasks necessary to achieve cultural competence:
1. dev. awareness of personal values, assumptions & biases
2. appreciation of other cultures and nurture attitudes that respect differences
3. understand how personal cultural heritage & belief system differ/influence interaction
4. existence of stereotypes about, discrimination against, oppression of various diverse groups
5. Commit to learning about clients’ cultures
6. Acquire effective skills for working with people from other cultures
K. Identify some of the basic tenets of Islam and discuss Muslims as a population-at-risk of prejudice and discrimination.
involves belief in one god, centered on Koran; values include family, selection of marriage partners, diet, dress; dev.
understanding of Muslim religion and culture

Glossary
Acclaim
enthusiastic and public praise
Acculturation
the adaptation of language, identity, behavior patterns, and preferences to those of the host/majority society
Alienation
this term is related to marginalization and is the feeling that you don’t fit in or aren’t treated as well as others in the
mainstream of society
Allies
The Texas State program that promotes awareness and understanding about sexual and gender identities through education
and training
Bodegas
grocery stores that also serve as information centers for the Hispanic community
Botanicas
shops that sell herbs as well as records and novels in Spanish
Chicano/Chicana
a term that refers to U.S. citizens with a Mexican heritage. It only focuses on Mexico and excludes people with origins in
other countries including those that are primarily Spanish speaking
Class (or social class)
a term that refers to people’s status or ranking in society with respect to such standards as relative wealth, power, prestige,
educational level, or family background
Club socials
settings that provide recreation as well as links to community resources, including employment and housing
Como familial
a term used in the Hispanic culture that refers to special friends who furnish reciprocal support
Compadres
people (also called godparents) who often serve as substitute parents, who may be prominent leaders or older pe9ple who
hold some position of authority and respect within the Latino community
Cultural competence
the set of knowledge and skills that a social worker must develop in order to be effective with multicultural clients
Culture
the sum total of life patterns passed on from generation to generation within a group of people and includes institutions,
language, religious ideals, habits of thinking, artistic expressions, and patterns of social and interpersonal relationships
Curanderismo
the practice among Mexican Americans and other Central and South Americans of curing physical, emotional, and folk
illnesses
Curanderos/as
healers among Mexican Americans and other Central and South Americans who use a range of treatments, such as herbal
remedies, inhalation, sweating, massage, incantations, and limpieza (a ritual cleansing)
Discrimination
unequal treatment of people based on prejudgment because they belong to some group rather than on merit
Displaced people
those people who have been uprooted within their own country
Documented alien
one who has been granted a legal right to be in the United States
Drag kings
lesbians who dress up in traditionally masculine clothing
Drag queens
gay men who dress up as women
Economic deprivation
the condition of having inadequate or unjust access to financial resources
Economic justice
a term that concerns the distribution of resources in a fair and equitable manner
Empowerment
the process of increasing personal, interpersonal, or political power so that individuals can take action to improve their life
situations
Espiritismo
a belief, among Puerto Ricans, that loved ones can be around in spirit after death and can lead one’s life in times of
difficulties
Espiritistas
spiritist leaders who communicate with spirits and can be incarnated by them
Ethnicity
this term refers to the affiliation with a large group of people who have common racial, national, tribal, religious, linguistic, or
cultural origin or background, and often relates to cultural or national heritage
Ethnocentric worldview
people perceive their own race, ethnic background, or cultural values as being better than that of others
Extended family
relatives beyond the nuclear family including at least grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins
Female impersonators
men who dress up as women usually for the purpose of providing entertainment, and may be heterosexual or gay
Feminism
the philosophy of equality between women and men that involves both beliefs and actions, that infiltrates virtually all
aspects of life, that often necessitates providing education and advocacy on behalf of women, and that appreciates the
existence of individual differences and personal accomplishments regardless of gender
Feminist perspective
a perspective in which women’s experiences, ideas, and needs are valued in their own right. Women’s experiences are seen
as constituting a different view of reality. The perspective that views man as the norm ceases to be the only recognized
frame of reference for human beings
Filial piety
a devotion to and compliance with parental and familial authority, to the point of sacrificing individual desires and ambitions
Folk healers
individuals in Hispanic cultures who help people deal with physical, emotional, and spiritual difficulties
Foster family care
the provision of substitute care with a family for a planned temporary or extended period when parents or legal guardians
are unable to care for a child
Gender expression
this concerns how we express ourselves to others in ways related to gender that include both behavior and personality
Gender identity
a person’s internal psychological self-concept of being either a male or a female, or, possibly, some combination of both
Gender role socialization
the process of conveying what is considered appropriate behavior and perspectives for males and females in a particular
culture
Gender roles
the attitudes, behaviors, rights, and responsibilities that society associates with being male or being female
Hermaphrodite
a person born with fully formed ovaries and fully formed testes, which is very rare
Hispanic
original definition—A person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American or other Spanish culture or origin,
regardless of race
Homophobia
the irrational hatred, fear, or dislike of gay, lesbian, and bisexual people
Human diversity
the vast range of differences among groups including those related to age, class, color, culture, disability, ethnicity, family
structure, gender, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation
Immigrants
individuals who have been granted legal permanent residence in a country not their own
Intersex
people who have some mixture of male and female predisposition and configuration of reproductive structures (also referred
to as pseudohermaphrodite)
Institutional Racism
Describes societal patterns that are subtle, but have the net effect of imposing oppressive or otherwise negative conditions
against identifiable groups on the basis of race or ethnicity
Kinship
the state of being related through a common ancestry
Kwanzaa
meaning “first fruits of the harvest” in Swahili. A week-long celebration of life, culture, and history for many African
Americans
Latino/Latina
this term makes reference both to the Latin American languages, including Spanish, and to Latin America itself; however, it
omits South Americans, who speak English and people whose family roots extend to other continents
Machismo
the idea of male superiority that defines the man as provider, protector, and head of the household
Marginalization
the condition of having less power and being viewed as less important than others in the society because of belonging to
some group or having some characteristic
Marianismo
the idea that, after the Virgin Mary, females are valued for their female spiritual sensitivity and self-sacrifice for the good of
husband and children. The mother and wife roles offer power to exercise authority in the home
Migrants
people, usually workers, who have temporary permission to live in a country, but plan to return to their country of origin
Minorities
members of a group of people who, because of physical or cultural characteristics, are singled out from the others in the
society in which they live for differential and unequal treatment, and who therefore regard themselves as objects of
collective discrimination
Noninterference
the deep respect for the rights and dignity of individuals to make their own decisions
Nuclear family
the immediate family group composed of parent[s] and children
Oppression
a term that involves putting extreme limitations and constraints on some person, group, or larger system
People of color
a collective term that refers to the major groups of African, Latino, Asian, and Native Americans who have been distinguished
from the dominant society by color
Political ideology
the relatively coherent system of ideas (beliefs, traditions, principles, and myths) about human nature, institutional
arrangements, and social processes that indicate how a government should be run and what principles that government
should support
Populations-at-risk (vulnerable populations)
groups of people who share some identifiable characteristic that places them at greater risk of social and economic
deprivation and oppression than the general mainstream of society
Power
the ability to move people on a chosen course to produce an effect or achieve some goal
Prejudice
an opinion or prejudgment about an individual, group, or issue that is not based on fact
Privilege
entails special rights or benefits enjoyed because of elevated social, political, or economic status
Pseudohermaphrodite
people who have some mixture of male and female predisposition and configuration of reproductive structures (also referred
to as intersex)
Race
a term that refers to a category of people who share a common descent and genetic origin. Implies a greater genetic
determinant
Refugees
people who have crossed national boundaries in search of refuge
Religion
a term that involves people’s spiritual beliefs concerning the origin, character, and reason for being, usually based on the
existence of some higher power or powers, that often involves designated rituals and provides direction for what is
considered moral or right. Religion implies membership in a spiritual organization with customs, traditions, and structure
Resiliency
the ability of an individual, family, group, community, or organization to recover from adversity and resume functioning even
when suffering serious trouble, confusion, or hardship
Santeria
practices among Cuban Americans that combine African deities with Catholic saints. The priests who function as healers,
diviners and directors of rituals are called santeros/santeras
Sex
this term refers to the biological distinction between being female and being male, usually categorized on the basis of the
reproductive organs and genetic makeup
Sex discrimination
the differential and potentially unfair treatment of people based solely on their gender
Sexism
prejudice or discrimination based on sex, especially discrimination against women that involves behavior, conditions, or
attitudes that foster stereotypes of social roles based on sex
Sexual orientation
an aspect of diversity that involves sexual and romantic attraction to persons of one or both genders
Social construction
the perspective where the social world is considered a social creation, originating and evolving through our everyday
thoughts and actions
Social construction of gender
a perspective that looks at the structure of the gendered social order as a whole and at the processes that construct and
maintain it
Social justice
the idea that in a perfect world all citizens would have identical rights, protection, opportunities, obligations, and social
benefits” regardless of their backgrounds and membership in diverse groups
Spirituality
a term that involves the views and behaviors that express a sense of relatedness to something greater than the self;
spirituality connotes transcendence or a level of awareness that exceeds ordinary physical and spatial boundaries.
Spirituality may involve religion, or it may reflect a personal, internalized view of existence
Stereotypes
fixed mental images of members belonging to a group based on assumed attributes that reflect an overly simplified opinion
about that group
Strengths perspective
this perspective can provide structure and content for an examination of realizable alternatives, for the mobilization of
competencies that can make things different, and for the building of self-confidence that stimulates hope;
— emphasizes people’s strengths in order to pursue their empowerment
Transgenderism
an expression of gender that involves people whose appearance and/or behaviors do not conform to traditional gender roles
Transsexuals
people who feel they are imprisoned in the physical body of the wrong gender
Transvestites
people who derive sexual gratification from dressing in the clothing of the opposite gender
Undocumented alien
one who does not have a legal right to be in the United States
Worldviews
one’s perceptions of oneself in relation to other people, objects, institutions, and nature. It relates to one’s view of the world
and one’s role and place in it

CH 3 ~ Quiz
1. ______ involves putting extreme limitations on or discriminating against some designated group
a. prejudice
b. stereotype
c. discrimination no
* d. oppression
2. ______ is a negative opinion about an individual, group, or issue that is not based on fact
* a. prejudice
b. stereotype
c. discrimination
d. oppression
3. _____ concerns the distribution of resources in a fair and equitable manner
a. social justice
b. espiritismo
* c. economic justice
d. noninterference
4. Strengths perspective is defined as the process of increasing personal, interpersonal, or political power so that individuals
can take action to improve their life situations
a. True
* b. False
5. The concept of _____ underscores the complex nature of cultural and personal identities and human experiences that
cannot be defined simply by one dimension of inequality or difference
a. ethnicity
b. worldview no
* c. intersectionality
d. dual perspective
6. ______ refers to the affiliation with a large group of people who have common racial, national, tribal, religious, linguistic, or
cultural origin or background
a. minority
b. people of color
c. race
* d. ethnicity
7. The term _____ was originally used by the U.S. government's Office of Management and Budget for the 1978 census
a. Chicano no
* b. Hispanic
c. Latino no
d. Mexican American no
8. Botanicas are grocery stores, and also serve as information centers for the Hispanic community
a. True
* b. False
9. _____ is the adaptation of language, identity, behavior patterns, and preferences to those of the host/majority society
a. melting pot
* b. acculturation
c. acclimation
d. mimicry
10. Which of the following cultural values is especially common with Asian Americans
a. noninterference
b. role flexibility
c. spirituality
* d. patriarchal hierarchy
11. People who flee to another country out of a fear of persecution because of religion, political affiliation, race, nationality, or
membership in a particular group are described as nonimmigrants
a. True
* b. False
12. An example of overt victimization is when a lesbian, gay, or bisexual person is discriminated in the hiring process because of
their sexual orientation
a. True
* b. False
13. The African American spiritual celebration of life, culture, and history is called
* a. Kwanzaa
b. Umani
c. Ujamma
d. Kwalli
14. Muslims believe that people are essentially created good
* a. True
b. False
15. During the month of _____ Muslims may not eat, drink, smoke, or have sexual intercourse between sunup and sundown
a. Mahram
* b. Ramadan
c. Kwanzaa
d. Hanukkah

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