Name of Activity: Cycle of Socialization, Option A: Lecture Presentation for Quadrant 2, Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:

2. Early learning / socializations

7. Exploring internalized oppression, internalized messages, or implicit bias

14. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to introduce participants to the concept of socialization as a framework for understanding privilege and oppression in our lives.

Learning Outcomes: After this activity participants will have language and an understanding of Bobbie Harro’s Cycle of Socialization.

Time Needed: 25-30 minutes

Materials Needed: Handouts/Links of Harro’s Cycle of Socialization figure and slides from the SJE Approach presentation available on the website.

Degree of Risk: Low risk

Procedure: The participants should read, as an assigned homework reading assignment, Bobbie Harro’s “The Cycle of Socialization” (see recommended readings below). Acknowledge that this was a part of their assigned readings and explain that the group will be reviewing it together because it is a core concept for the session. Explain that the facilitators will be using personal stories from targeted and privileged perspectives to help illustrate how we are impacted by and respond to different events in our lives. The facilitators pass out the Cycle of Socialization handout and guide participants through it using personal examples. Facilitators are encouraged to share examples that not only relate directly to their session topic (racism, transgender oppression, etc.) but that also reference interactions or events that may help illustrate intersections with other dynamics of privilege and oppression (e.g., ableism, adultism, etc.) from both targeted and a privileged social group perspective. Having a range of examples normalizes that we all may have experienced oppression and privilege in our lives, regardless of our current status in systems of advantage and disadvantage.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: In selecting their examples, facilitators should try to balance conscious as well as unconscious aspects of the cycle. Use concrete examples from everyday life, relevant to both privileged and targeted groups. The presentation of the Cycle of Socialization becomes tangible and real for the participants when the facilitators work together by co-presenting the main points and sharing personal stories from their own lives. If there is enough time, invite participants to share stories and give examples from their own lives.
As the facilitators model their stories, they should review the terminology that is relevant to their identities as a way to integrate the terminology without “teaching” the terms. Revisiting terms such as “advantaged/privileged,” “disadvantaged/subordinated,” and “salient” might be useful.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Participants:
Harro, B. (2018). The cycle of socialization. In M. Adams, W. Blumenfeld, D. C. J. Catalano, K. “S”. DeJong, H.W. Hackman, L.E. Hopkins, B.J. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 27 - 34). Routledge.

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Harro, B. (2018). The cycle of socialization. In M. Adams, W. Blumenfeld, D. C. J. Catalano, K. “S”. DeJong, H.W. Hackman, L.E. Hopkins, B.J. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 27 - 34). Routledge.
.

Name(s) to credit for this activity

• Hardiman, R., Jackson, B., & Griffin, P. (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education (Chapter 3, Handout 3E). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge.
• Harro, B. (2000). The cycle of socialization. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, R. Castañeda, H. W. Hackman, M. L. Peters, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (pp. 15–21). Routledge.
• Zúñiga, X. (2021; 2015). EDUC 202: Exploring social/cultural difference and commonalities intergroup dialogue curriculum. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Slideshow not supplied.

Name of Activity: Cycle of Socialization, Option B: Activity for Quadrant 2, Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:

2. Early learning / socializations

7. Exploring internalized oppression, internalized messages, or implicit bias

14. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to introduce participants to the concept of socialization as a framework for understanding privilege and oppression in our lives.

Learning Outcomes: After this activity participants will have language and an understanding of Bobbie Harro’s Cycle of Socialization.

Time Needed: 25-30 minutes

Materials Needed: handouts and/or a digital link to document of Harro’s Cycle of Socialization figure; newsprint and markers or link to a digital platform for participants to write on, such as a set of slides, digital whiteboard, Jamboard or Padlet.

Degree of Risk: Low-risk

Procedure: Have the participants get into four equal-sized groups (predetermined mixed identity if possible). Assign each group a portion of the cycle: First socialization, institutional and cultural socialization, enforcements, and results. Instruct the participants to take 10 minutes in small groups to review their stage of the cycle and brainstorm some examples of how they were trained to “fit in” their assigned roles during a particular stage of the cycle. Have the group choose a recorder and reporter. Write examples on newsprint (or another digital platform such as a slide/digital whiteboard/Jamboard/Padlet). One member from each group takes one or two minutes to report out to the large group some of their experiences and insights from their discussions. A large-group debriefing should allow the participants to think about their socialization process within the context of the cycle. The facilitators should focus on similarities and differences of how people were socialized. Discuss as a group the last stage of the socialization process and how change is created. The facilitators might want to indicate that the group will dedicate more time to talking about planning and taking action later in the course or workshop.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: If possible, determine groups beforehand so that they have a variety of social identities in each group.Be sure to include or highlight examples that highlight collusion or ways that we resist oppression. Also be mindful to highlight intersectionality in examples. Remind the participants that most of us have experienced both oppression and privilege depending on our social identities, and that some of these statuses [identities] (class, age, ability) can change over time.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Participants:
Harro, B. (2018). The cycle of socialization. In M. Adams, W. Blumenfeld, D. C. J. Catalano, K. “S”. DeJong, H.W. Hackman, L.E. Hopkins, B.J. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 27–34). Routledge.

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Harro, B. (2018). The cycle of socialization. In M. Adams, W. Blumenfeld, D. C. J. Catalano, K. “S”. DeJong, H.W. Hackman, L.E. Hopkins, B.J. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (pp. 27 - 34). Routledge.

Name(s) to credit for this activity: 

• Ximena Zúñiga  & Itza D. Martínez (2021) from:
• Zúñiga, X. (2021; 2015). EDUC 202: Exploring social/cultural difference and commonalities intergroup dialogue curriculum. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
• Harro, B. (2018). The cycle of socialization. In M. Adams, W. Blumenfeld, D. C. J. Catalano, K. “S”. DeJong, H.W. Hackman, L.E. Hopkins, B.J. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 27 - 34). Routledge.

Name of Handout:Cycle of Socialization

Name(s) to credit for this activity: Harro, B. (2018). The cycle of socialization. In Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W. J., Catalano, D.C.J., DeJong, K. S., Hackman, H. W., Hopkins, L. E., Love, B.J., Peters, M. L., Shlasko, D., & Zúñiga, X. (2018). Readings for diversity and social justice (pp. 27 - 34). Routledge.

Name of Activity: Cycle of Socialization: Advocacy Taking Action or Resistance (Core Concepts), Quadrant 2 for Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:

9. Exploring liberation and social action

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to encourage the participants to share personal examples of advocacy and resistance drawing on their own experiences.

Learning Outcomes: After this activity participants will have experienced sharing personal examples of advocacy, taking action, and resistance.

Time Needed: 25–35 minutes

Materials Needed: Determine how to divide groups (randomly, based on identity, etc.); handout created by facilitator as necessary, depending on topic; extra paper and pencils, handout created by facilitator as necessary in printed or digital format.

Degree of Risk: Low- to medium-risk

Procedure: In the preceding activities of Quadrant 2, the participants have had opportunities to hear about how socialization takes place within social systems at various levels—the individual, the institutional, and the societal or cultural levels. Perhaps they have had some small-group or personal note-taking opportunities to think about how that occurred for them, the messages and pressures they experienced to behave in accordance with their social identities, and the related advantaged or disadvantaged social positions. Now is the opportunity for them also to think about and then talk about times in their lives in which they have “pushed back” against those messages or pressures. You may connect this to the “Enforcements” and “Results” stages of the Cycle of Socialization. What times did they feel themselves disagreeing and perhaps resisting—or even just thinking about resistance? How did they feel? What did they do—or wish they could do? Introduce this concept and provide a few relatable examples of your own.
Give participants 5–7 minutes to do a free write in response to the first set of questions on the handout. Explain that they will not be turning in these free writes but will be using them to share in a group (or pair).  After this time is up, split the participants into groups. Depending on the participants and the workshop, it may make sense to divide them randomly into small groups, create affinity groups based on identity, or just partner them. If conducting this activity digitally, small groups may be curated by placing participants in breakout rooms that are at random or chosen by the facilitator. The participants should share what they wrote, making sure that everyone has time to speak. After the participants have written their notes and had their pair shares or small-group discussions, it is useful to have a general discussion. This discussion could involve issues such as the following:

1. What were the issues that generated resistance?
2. What was the relationship of those issues to one’s specific social identity?
3. What empowered participants to resist and/or advocate for others?
4. What prevented participants from doing so?
5. What can we learn from our own examples of advocacy, taking action and resistance about our ability to act in the future?

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: It may take some participants a few minutes to brainstorm personal examples. If the group is struggling, you might consider asking the group to generate ideas through a brainstorm.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Participants: None

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator: None

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

• Updated by Ximena Zúñiga & Itza D. Martínez (2021) from:
• Maurianne Adams, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Name of Activity: Personal & Social Identity, Option A: Lecture Presentation for Quadrant 2, Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:
2. Early learning/socializations
5. Exploring individual/interpersonal-level oppression
12. Exploring privilege
13. Identifying stereotypes
14. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to introduce participants to the concepts of personal and social identity.

Learning Outcomes: Participants will be able to recognize the concepts of personal and social identity.

Time Needed: 25-30 minutes

Materials Needed: Chapters 1 and 4 from this volume and a lecture presentation such as a slide deck.

Degree of Risk: Low-Risk

Procedure¹: Facilitators create a lecture presentation about these two concepts. In preparation, they read Chapters 1 and 4 from this volume and use text from Chapter 4 to support their lecture activity. They can also use slides from the SJE Approach slide show available on the website to support this segment.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations²: When presenting, consider ways in which participants can engage with the presentation and share their understandings from the readings as well. Additionally, it may help some participants to receive the presentation ahead of time which can be done by providing a digital or printed copy.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Participants: What you might share with participants before and/or after activity to augment it (optional).

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Johnson, A. (2017). Chapter 2: Privilege, oppression, and difference. In Privilege, power, and difference (3rd ed., pp. 12–34). McGraw-Hill.

Kirk, G., & Okazawa-Rey, M. (2018). Identities and social locations: Who am I? Who are my people? In M. Adams, W. Blumenfeld, D. C. J. Catalano, K. “S”. DeJong, H.W. Hackman, L.E. Hopkins, B.J. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 10–15). Routledge.

Name(s) to credit for this activity: 

• Updated by Ximena Zúñiga & Itza D. Martínez (2021) from:
• Adapted by Maurianne Adams and Ximena Zúñiga from Pat Griffin (2007). Appendix 3I: Oppression lecture slide show, Chapter 3, Conceptual foundations for social justice education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–88). Routledge.
  

¹If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

²When preparing slides, consider incorporating an agenda/overview and a Land Acknowledgement. The following is some suggested wording: I want acknowledge the land on which I sit and occupy today as the traditional and ancestral home of the ___________. I would also like to acknowledge our neighboring Indigenous nations to the east, west, south and north. Without them, we would not have access to this gathering and to this dialogue. We take this opportunity to thank and honor the original caretakers of this land and the need to continue to address the lasting inequities of colonization. To learn more about the native land on which you live, learn, and work please visit: https://native-land.ca/

Name of Activity: Personal and Social Identity, Option B: Interactive activity for Quadrant 2, Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:
2. Early learning/socializations
5. Exploring individual/interpersonal-level oppression
12. Exploring privilege
13. Identifying stereotypes
14. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to introduce participants to the concepts of personal and social identity.

Learning Outcomes: Participants will be able to recognize the concepts of personal and social identity.

Time Needed: 60 minutes

Materials Needed: “Personal Identity Wheel” and “Social Identity Wheel” handouts or digital link to the document, markers or a version on a digital platform. The facilitators may consider having blank paper available for the students to construct their two identity wheels. The facilitators may also consider having a handout with the three discussion questions or these may be posted on a slide or newsprint.

Degree of Risk: Low-risk (personal identity) to moderate-risk (social identity)

Procedure¹: Remind the students about the difference between personal identity and social identity, as discussed in the PowerPoint slide show in Quadrant 1. Share the Personal Identity Wheel via handout, digital platform, or newsprint. Explain that personal identity includes aspects such as names, personal experiences, personality traits, skills, characteristics, self-view, self-esteem, academic and social interests, etc. Validate the importance of our personal identity to who we are as individuals but remind participants that the workshop/course will largely focus on social identity.
The purpose of this activity is to provide a vehicle for the participants to explore their own social group memberships and to identify how they experience privilege and disadvantage. Provide each participant with the Personal Identity Wheel handout and explain that they will be creating their own identity wheel. Ask them to create a Personal Identity Wheel that includes the elements of their personal identity that are most important to them.
Then, on a separate sheet of paper, ask them to create a Social Identity Wheel that includes all of their social identities. This Social Identity Wheel will represent each of their social group memberships: Race, ethnicity, assigned sex, gender, sexuality, age, class, religion, (dis)ability, etc. Ask the participants to indicate their awareness of and the saliency of their different social group memberships by the size of the segment they allot to it. Group memberships that they think about more will be a larger slice of the circle, and memberships that they think about less will be smaller slices. For instance, a participant might indicate that she is much more aware of being black, a woman, and working class than she is being able-bodied, gender-conforming, or a young adult.

Next, have the participants color code or in some way differentiate their advantaged identities and their disadvantaged identities based on their current understandings of whether they are “socially advantaged” or “socially disadvantaged” in their social identity group memberships.
Ask the participants to find one or two others in the class that they would like to spend some time with discussing the following questions:

1. What are the relationships between my personal identity and my social identity? For example: How does my identity as a young person reflect my social identity? Do the clubs or team sports I engage in reflect my social identity?
2. Are there social situations in which I feel that a particular social identity is most visible or important for me? When and where do I feel most aware of any specific social identities?
3. When I am most aware of a social identity, am I aware of it as an advantaged social identity or as a disadvantaged social identity? What are some specific ways in which I feel especially aware of advantages or disadvantages based on that identity?

Following the small-group discussions, ask for volunteers to describe any new insights they had from discussing these three questions. At the end of this whole-group discussion, the facilitator will summarize people’s observations about the relationship of personal to social identities, the social situations in which they are most aware of social identities, and the situations in which that awareness relates to their feeling of advantage or disadvantage relative to others. The facilitators should think of the closure to this discussion as a preparation for the next segment of the design, which has to do with positionality and intersectionality.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations²: It is important that the facilitators prepare for this activity by creating their own Personal and Social Identity Wheels beforehand to model the activity for participants. The facilitators also should be prepared to model how the participants can talk about situations in which their advantaged or disadvantaged identities feel more visible or salient for them, and perhaps say something about why they think they are more or less aware of advantaged or disadvantaged identities in different contexts. When presenting, consider ways in which participants can engage with the presentation and share their understandings from the readings as well. Additionally, it may help some participants to receive the presentation ahead of time which can be done by providing a digital or printed copy.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students:
Johnson, A. (2017). Chapter 2: Privilege, oppression, and difference.  Privilege, power, and difference (3rd ed., pp. 12–34). McGraw-Hill.

Kirk, G., & Okazawa-Rey, M. (2018). Identities and social locations: Who am I? Who are my people? In M. Adams, W. Blumenfeld, D. C. J. Catalano, K. “S”. DeJong, H.W. Hackman, L.E. Hopkins, B.J. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 10–15). Routledge.

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Johnson, A. (2017). Chapter 2: Privilege, oppression, and difference.  Privilege, power, and difference (3rd ed., pp. 12–34). McGraw-Hill.

Kirk, G., & Okazawa-Rey, M. (2018). Identities and social locations: Who am I? Who are my people? In M. Adams, W. Blumenfeld, D. C. J. Catalano, K. “S”. DeJong, H.W. Hackman, L.E. Hopkins, B.J. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 10–15). Routledge.

Name(s) to credit for this activity: 

• Updated by Ximena Zúñiga & Itza D. Martínez (2021) from
• Adapted by Maurianne Adams & Ximena Zúñiga from Pat Griffin (2007). Appendix 3I: Oppression lecture slide show, Chapter 3, Conceptual foundations for social justice education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–88). Routledge.
  

¹If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

²When preparing slides, consider incorporating an agenda/overview and a Land Acknowledgement. The following is some suggested wording: I want acknowledge the land on which I sit and occupy today as the traditional and ancestral home of the ___________. I would also like to acknowledge our neighboring Indigenous nations to the east, west, south and north. Without them, we would not have access to this gathering and to this dialogue. We take this opportunity to thank and honor the original caretakers of this land and the need to continue to address the lasting inequities of colonization. To learn more about the native land on which you live, learn, and work please visit: https://native-land.ca/

Name of Handout: Personal Identity Wheel, Quadrant 2, Chapter 4

Name(s) to credit for this activity: 

• Zúñiga, X. & Kachwaha, T. (2009). Adapted from “Voices of Discovery”.  Intergroup Relations Center. Arizona State University
• Zúñiga, X. (2021; 2015) EDUC 202: Exploring social/cultural difference and commonalities intergroup dialogue curriculum. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
  

Name of Activity:Social Identity Wheel, Quadrant 2, Chapter 4

Name(s) to credit for this activity

• Zúñiga, X. (2021; 2015). EDUC 202: Exploring social/cultural difference and commonalities intergroup dialogue curriculum. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
• Zúñiga, X. & Kachwaha, T. (2009). Adapted from “Voices of Discovery” at the Intergroup Relations Center, Arizona State University.

Name of Activity: Social Categories and Social Group Memberships: Social Status, Positionality, and Intersectionality, Option A: Lecture and Profiles for Quadrant 2, Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:
14. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to introduce participants to the relationship between social group categories, memberships, and social status or social position.

Learning Outcomes:After this activity, participants will be able to have a better understanding of the relationship between social group categories, memberships, and social status or social position.

Time Needed: 35 minutes

Materials Needed: Text from Chapters 1 and 4 of this volume, slides or other digital presentation platform or newsprint.

Degree of Risk: Moderate-risk

Procedure: Revisit how oppression is an overarching phenomenon with individual manifestations based on different social identity categories, using text presented in Chapter 1 and in descriptions of core concepts in Chapter 4. Following the lecture, use the visual aids as activities to prompt participant discussion. The instructors and facilitators should refer back to the discussion of appropriate core concepts for each part of this activity.

• List (or ask participants to name) the different categories of social identity they referred to during the Personal and Social Identity Wheel or Personal and Social Identity Lecture activity. Note that these are broad social categories that are recognized as such within U.S. culture. Write the list on a newsprint or other digital platform such as a slide.
• Assigned sex
• Sexual orientation
• Class
• Ability or disability (physical, cognitive, emotional, health)
• Race (and/or ethnicity)
• Religion
• Age
• National Origin/Affiliation

• Define social categories in relation to social group membership and social identity. The instructors and facilitators can refer to discussions of social categories, social group memberships, and social identities in Chapters 1 and 4.

Example Script: Social categories refer to groups of people who share a range of physical, cultural, or social characteristics. The “categories” exist in the culture as categories of difference and similarities. People think of themselves as members of social groups and derive their social identities from those groups. Race is a clearly established social category, a group membership, inscribed in U.S. law, whereas ethnicity is often seen as only a “group membership.” Whereas race is ascribed by how others see you, ethnicity is recognized by the people connected through their ethnicity. Some people may prefer the “social identity” of ethnicity (Haitian instead of black, Jewish instead of white), but that does not contradict the public ascription of racial categories to everyone, regardless of preferred ethnic categories. (It is also clear in one of the examples given above that “Jewish” is both an ethnic and a religious group membership.)
Write the list on newsprint or other digital platforms such as a slide, leaving room for the participants to add further examples. For example, participants might add “queer” to sexual orientation. It is also important to leave room here for discussion and questions. Some questions might be held for later discussion—for example, how someone self identifies may not match to what others perceive their identity to be (i.e. people who identify as“queer” but gets read as heterosexual. These are important questions with no right or wrong answer and can be carried forward to the next phase of this discussion.

3.  Explain that social groups have different statuses or social positions. Describe and clarify the meaning of different statuses or social positions relative to one’s social group membership. Material for this appears in Chapters 1 and 4.

Example Script: These social group memberships are not neutral differences. Within each social identity category (race, for example), white people have greater access to social power and privilege based upon their membership in their social group than do people of color. We call the group that has access advantaged or privileged. We call groups whose access to social power is limited or denied disadvantaged or subordinated. Descriptors for these two groups include the following:

• Advantaged social group: Dominant group, Privileged, Advantaged
• Disadvantaged social group: Subordinated group, Marginalized (or excluded),
• Disadvantaged

Social groups are afforded different status in the United States based on historical, political, and social factors. These different statuses affect the abilities of people in the different groups to access needed resources. Some social group members are afforded an advantage, while other social groups are disadvantaged based on their social group memberships.
Even if the instructors or facilitators have presented this material before, it is useful to remind participants by providing the “Matrix of Oppression” (see website) on newsprint, digital platform or slide. This chart describes differences in status among different social groups. The groups in the “advantaged” column are afforded their advantages based on their social group memberships, just as groups in the “disadvantaged” column are marginalized or excluded on the basis of their social group memberships.

Example Script: Many identities are fluid in that people’s group memberships can change through choice, accident, or other circumstances. Examples of fluidity in status or position over one’s lifespan include physical ability, social class, and the two ends of the age continuum.
Also, changes in group status and social position also occur over time as the culture changes its view of social categories. Social groups once routinely discriminated against in the United States—for example, Roman Catholics—are now accepted into mainstream society, and the Catholic Church has significant social influence. The Supreme Court’s decision on behalf of same-sex marriage signals an important change in the access of gay and lesbian couples to what once had been the “privileges” of only heterosexual marriage.

4. Define the intersections of multiple identities. Conclude the lecture by reminding participants that, because everyone belongs to a number of social group memberships, we all have multiple identities. For that reason, the intersections among our social identities complicate our experience of advantage or disadvantage. There are discussions of this in Chapter 4, and the “Mosaic of Oppression” on the website can also be referred to.

Example Script: Even though specific identities may be most salient in a particular context, the ways in which we experience disadvantage or privilege are related to our other intersecting social group memberships. How a woman of color experiences the disadvantage of sexism is intensified by being a member of another targeted group because of her race. How a white gay man experiences the disadvantage of heterosexism is softened by being a member of an advantaged group because of his race. Most of us have some social group memberships that provide us with privileges and other memberships in which we experience disadvantages. Our multiple identities interact to intensify or “soften” the effects of oppression and to complicate the ways in which we experience privilege or disadvantage. A white homeless man who recently lost his job is more focused on his class status than his racial identity, although if he confronts police at night, they may be less likely to shoot him on the assumption that he is armed. On the other hand, a wealthy white man with a disability has access to resources that can mediate the effects of his disability because he can buy assistive technology or personal care services that a black, poor woman with a disability could not afford.

It is usually helpful if instructors/facilitators clarify these intersections with their own experiences of intersecting social identities that affect each other through their salience in specific situations, and the “pull” of an advantaged identity against the “tug” of a disadvantaged identity, or situations in which one identity is visible relative to the invisibility of another identity.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: Providing the participants with this framework of status, position, and intersectionality often raises questions about the names used to represent different social groups—either the names ascribed to the group, or the names chosen and preferred by members of the group. This framework is tentative and fluid. Its purpose is to provide participants with a common understanding, not to impose a particular language. We stress that the issue of self-definition is extremely sensitive, open to interpretation and contradiction, and constantly in flux. We invite the participants to describe different names they prefer for their social groups and to ask questions about how other groups name themselves. The participants might also have questions about which groups are included among the social groups within each identity category. For example, Jewish participants sometimes identify as part of an ethnic or a racial group, or both. Again, we stress that this framework is an imperfect model that cannot fairly represent the full range of perspectives or complexity embedded in a consideration of social group memberships. For now, invite the participants to use the model in whatever way feels comfortable for their own self-definitions and experience. Depending on the participants’ needs, it may be helpful to make detailed notes from the lecture available.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students: None

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator: None

Name(s) to credit for this activity

• Adapted by Maurianne Adams and Ximena Zúñiga from
• Hardiman, R., Jackson, B., & Griffin, P.  (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin  (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge.
  

Name of Activity: Social Group Memberships, Positionality, and Intersectionality, Option B: Exploring Privilege and Disadvantage, Quadrant 2

Instructional Purpose Category:

7. Exploring internalized oppression, internalized messages, or implicit bias

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to provide an opportunity for participants to deepen their understanding of the effects of social group memberships on their experiences of privilege and disadvantage.

Learning Outcomes: Participants will be able to have a deeper understanding of the effects of group memberships.

Time Needed: 60 minutes

Materials Needed: Print handouts and/or a digital link to the document or other digital platform

Degree of Risk: Low to medium risk

Procedure: Give the participants the Privilege and Disadvantage Inventory. Ask everyone to take 10 minutes to complete the inventory individually. When everyone is finished, ask the participants to gather in discussion groups of four to five people and instruct them to use the following questions to guide their discussion of the inventory. Encourage the participants to work with people in the small groups that they have not worked with yet in class.

Process Questions:

1. What are your reactions to the process of doing this activity?
2. What are your reactions to identifying some of the privileges and disadvantages associated with some of your social group memberships?
3. What statements were particularly striking to you? Why?
4. What questions about privilegeand disadvantage are raised for you?
5. How was your experience of privilege and disadvantage the same or different from others in your discussion group?
   

Allow for about 30 minutes of small-group discussion. At this point, you might consider giving participants a brief break before returning to discuss the inventory with the whole class. When the class has reconvened, invite the participants to share their responses to the following questions:

1. What did you learn about your own privileges and disadvantages?
2. What questions were raised for you about privilege and disadvantage?
3. How did this activity help you better understand the dynamics of oppression?

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: This activity can be an eye opener for participants who have never thought about the ways in which they are privileged. For participants who are already aware of the ways in which they are disadvantaged by some of their social group memberships, it is an important insight to realize that they also have privileges based on other social group memberships they have. If some participants are struggling with the idea of seeing their own or their family’s accomplishments as partly due to privilege, acknowledge that this realization can be confusing. Encourage them to remain open to further exploration of the effects of their social group memberships and listening to the experiences of other participants who have different identities and experiences. Invite them to continue to explore these questions throughout the remainder of the workshop.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students: None

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator: None

Name(s) to credit for this activity
Hardiman, R., Jackson, B., & Griffin, P. (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education (Chapter 3 in M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge.

Name of Handout:Privilege and Disadvantage Inventory in Quadrant 2 for Chapter 4.

Directions: Read each of the following statements and indicate whether or not the statement is true for you. Circle the T if the statement is true for you. Circle the F if the statement is not true for you.

Process Questions:

1. What are your reactions to the process of doing the activity?
2. What are your reactions to identifying some of the privileges and disadvantages associated with some of your social group memberships?
3. What statements were particularly striking to you? Why?
4. What questions about privilege and disadvantage are raised for you?
5. How was your experience of privilege and disadvantage the same or different from others in your discussion group?

Recommended Materials/Readings for Participants:
Johnson, A. (2018). Chapter 2: Privilege, Oppression, and Difference. Privilege, Power, and Difference (pp. 12-34).  McGraw Hill Education.

Johnson, A. (2018). Chapter 7: How Systems of Privilege Work. Privilege, Power, and Difference (pp. 76-91).  McGraw Hill Education.

Selections from  Readings for Diversity and Social Justice (2018) Edited By Maurianne Adams, Warren J. Blumenfeld, D. Chase J. Catalano, Keri Dejong, Heather W. Hackman, Larissa E. Hopkins, Barbara J. Love, Madeline L. Peters, Davey Shlasko and Ximena Zúñiga.

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Johnson, A. (2018). Chapter 2: Privilege, Oppression, and Difference.  Privilege, Power, and Difference (pp. 12-34).  McGraw Hill Education.

Johnson, A. (2018). Chapter 7: How Systems of Privilege Work. Privilege, Power, and Difference (pp. 76-91).  McGraw Hill Education.

Selected readings from the Readings for Diversity and Social Justice (2018) Edited By Maurianne Adams, Warren J. Blumenfeld, D. Chase J. Catalano, Keri Dejong, Heather W. Hackman, Larissa E. Hopkins, Barbara Love, Madeline L. Peters, Davey Shlasko, Ximena Zúñiga

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

• Updated by: Nina Tissi-Gassoway, Rani Varghese, and Ximena Zúñiga (2021) from:
• Maurianne Adams, University of Massachusetts - Amherst

Name of Activity:Closing Activity, Quadrant 2, Chapter 4 

Instructional Purpose Category:

1. Icebreakers

3. Tone setting / developing group guidelines

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to bring a component of the session to a close before transitioning to a different component or topic, taking a break, or ending a session.

Learning Outcomes: Participants will be able to understand how to transition between and in a session.

Time Needed: 5-10 minutes

Materials Needed: None

Degree of Risk: Varies depending on session and group

Procedure¹: Thank the participants for their engagement, participation, risk-taking, and sharing during the session or activity. Explain that the group will be doing a brief closing round where everyone is invited to share before closing the space. Use one of the following prompts or create your own:

• Share one feeling or thought about today’s session/activity.
• Pose one question you will continue to think about.
• Name one thing you learned that really touched you or made you think.
• Say one thing you appreciate about the group or workshop.

Advise the participants to speak openly, since this encourages active listening and reflection. Prompt the participants to share in round-robin style or by going around the circle in order, depending on preference and time. The participants may “pass” until the rest of the group has shared if they need more time to think. The facilitator is advised to participate in the closing round and may role model by sharing first if there are no volunteers.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: While these share-outs are meant to serve as a closing round, the participants may share meaningful and profound information. Due to time limitations, the group may not have time to process or debrief what is shared. In this situation, the facilitator may want to thank the participants for their openness and acknowledge the value of what was shared. If necessary, the facilitator may check in one-on-one with the participants who bring up anything of immediate concern. The facilitator may also use any information from the closing round to frame the next activity or session.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students: None

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
brown, a.m. (2021). Holding Change The way of emergent strategy facilitation and mediation. A.K. Press.

Lakey, G. (2020). Facilitating Group Learning: Strategies for success with adult learners. (2nd edition). PM Press.

Name(s) to credit for this activity

• Adapted by Itza D. Martínez & Ximena Zúñiga (2021) from:
• McDonald, J., and Zúñiga, X. (2015). Closing Activity. Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice Companion Website (3rd. edition).
• Zúñiga, X. (2021) EDUC 202: Exploring social/cultural difference and commonalities intergroup dialogue curriculum. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

¹If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Name of Activity: Current Examples of Oppression, Option A: Levels and Types of Oppression, Quadrant 2, Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:

4. Exploring institutional-level oppression
5. Exploring individual/interpersonal-level oppression
6. Exploring cultural- or societal-level oppression
7. Exploring internalized oppression, internalized messages, or implicit bias

14. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to transition from discussing historical timelines to contemporary examples of oppression using an analytical framework introduced in Quadrant 1. Facilitators may do this using the “Levels and Types of Oppression” (Option A) and/or the “Five Faces of Oppression” (Option B) depending on which framework(s) they selected in Quadrant 1.

Learning Outcomes: After this activity participants will understand the use of the Levels and Types analytical frameworks.

Time Needed: 40 minutes

Materials Needed: “Levels and Types of Oppression” handout or digital link to the document

Degree of Risk: Low-risk

Procedure¹: Review the “Levels and Types of Oppression” lecture from Quadrant 1. Oppression is defined as a system that maintains advantage and disadvantage based on social group memberships and operates, intentionally and unintentionally, on individual, institutional, and cultural levels:

• Individual: Attitudes and actions that reflect prejudice against a social group (intentional and unintentional)
• Institutional: Policies, laws, rules, norms, and customs enacted by organizations and social institutions that disadvantage some social groups and advantage other social groups. These institutions include religion, government, education, law, the media, and the health care system (intentional and unintentional)
• Societal/cultural: Social norms, roles, rituals, language, music, and art that reflect and reinforce the belief that one social group is superior to another (intentional and unintentional)

Using the attached handout, ask the participants (or small groups) to generate examples of oppression at each of the three levels. Separate small groups could be formed to identify examples related to racism, sexism, heterosexism, transgender oppression, classism, religious oppression, ableism, and youth/elder oppression. (Depending on the time available, it is also possible to have a large visual of the handout and have the whole group brainstorm examples.) Encourage the participants to identify examples from each of the manifestations of oppression discussed. Clarify any examples that are unclear. Call attention to the misconception among many people that oppression operates only on the individual level and note that this is often what is most obvious in day-to-day interactions. To fully understand oppression, it is essential that the participants recognize that it operates on multiple levels, sometimes simultaneously. Some examples (concerning individual teachers, police officers, health care workers) might also be used to illustrate institutional policy (schools and colleges, the legal system, health care). In these cases, an individual might be discriminating against someone while also representing institutional policy. Differentiate individual prejudice from oppression and emphasize that it is only one of the three levels on which oppression operates.

After 20 minutes of small-group activity, ask the participants to return to the whole group. Post a large copy of the matrix (newsprint, white board, or digital platform) and fill in the empty boxes with as many examples as the participants provide. (Alternatively, groups can post their sheets in a gallery and walk around the room to read all of the composite lists.) After the posted matrix has been completely filled in, conduct a whole-group discussion that raises questions such as these:

• Have any subordinated identity groups been left out of these examples?
• Do different subordinated identity groups experience different levels of oppression? Or do all subordinated groups experience all levels?
• What commonalities did you notice across the experiences of all or most of the subordinated identity groups?

Presenters might get participants started with some of these examples:

Individual Unintentional:

• A high school teacher assumes that all of her students are interested in heterosexual dating relationships.
• A teacher who prides himself on being fair to all of his students calls on boys to answer questions three times more often than he calls on girls.
• Bathrooms in school buildings are labeled for women or men, with no provision for transgender staff or students.
• An adult touches a young Black child’s hair without permission exclaiming that it is so soft!
• Assumption that Black men are more dangerous, and a woman clutches her purse in the elevator.

Individual Intentional:

• Someone uses racial slurs to refer to black people and Puerto Rican people.
• A parent asks to have his child moved out of a gay teacher’s classroom.
• A teacher refuses to excuse a non-Christian child during Hindu, Jewish, or Muslim religious holidays, claiming that to do so would affect their grades.
• A Chinese woman experiences street harassment rooted in racialized narratives about her submissiveness.

Institutional Unintentional:

• Students celebrate Christmas in school, but not other religious holidays.
• A town hall building does not have an entrance that is accessible to people using wheelchairs.
• Office policy is decided during the “men’s night out.”

Institutional Intentional:

• A state adopts a law prohibiting the legal recognition of same-gender relationships.
• An employment agency steers black people toward low-paying, domestic, or custodial positions.
• Black women that are discriminated against for their natural hair and protective hairstyles in their work environments.
• People who are perceived as Muslim having a hard and longer time getting through security at the airport.

Societal/Cultural Unintentional:

• Standards of beauty for women are based on white norms: blonde, fine hair, blue eyes, and fair skin.
• A belief in individual merit and hard work that is rewarded by economic success leads to an assumption that poor people are lazy and undeserving.
• The culture of mansplaining - believing that women do understand and need things explained.

Societal/Cultural Intentional:

• English is designated as the “official” language in the United States.
• European culture is assumed to be superior to other cultures.
• Lack of representation of disabilities in the media (having rigid roles of the represented disabilities, having people without disabilities portray people with disabilities).

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: The facilitators should consider the purpose of their workshop or course, as well as the audience, when selecting both the manifestations of oppression (ableism, classism, racism, etc.) that they want to focus on and the examples that they want to offer the participants. Facilitators should brainstorm key examples that they want to include and connections they wish to draw between them.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Participants:
Adams, M., Zúñiga, X., (2018). Core Concepts for Social Justice Education. Readings for Diversity in Social Justice. In Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W.J., Catalano, D. C. J., DeJong, K., Hackman, H.W., Hopkins, L., Love, B.J., Peters, M. L., Shlasko, D., Zúñiga, X., (4th ed., pp. 41 – 49). Routledge.

Hardiman, R., Jackson, B., & Griffin, P. (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge.

Interchange Counseling Institute. (2013). Oppression 101.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lkxi4V8zO2k

Pipes, E., (2016). Legos and the 4 I’s of Oppression. Encompass at the Western Justice Center. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WWyVRo4Uas

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Adams, M., Zúñiga, X., (2018). Core Concepts for Social Justice Education. Readings for Diversity in Social Justice. In Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W.J., Catalano, D. C. J., DeJong, K., Hackman, H.W., Hopkins, L., Love, B.J., Peters, M. L., Shlasko, D., Zúñiga, X., (4th ed., pp. 41 – 49). Routledge.

Adams, M., Zúñiga, X., & Varghese, R. (2022).Getting started: Core concepts for social justice education (chapter 4). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, D. Goodman, & D. Shlasko, R. Briggs, & R. Pacheco. Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice (4th Edition). Routledge.

Hardiman, R., Jackson, B., & Griffin, P. (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge.

Interchange Counseling Institute. (2013). Oppression 101.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lkxi4V8zO2k

Pipes, E., (2016). Legos and the 4 I’s of Oppression. Encompass at the Western Justice Center. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WWyVRo4Uas

Name(s) to credit for this activity

• Updated by Rani Varghese & Ximena Zúñiga (2021) from
• Adams, M., & Joshi, K. Y. (2007). Religious oppression curriculum design (Chapter 11, Appendix 11A: Participant worksheet: Levels and types of religious oppression). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 255–284). Routledge.
• Bell, L. A., Joshi, K., & Zúñiga, X. (2007). Racism, immigration, and globalization curriculum design (Chapter 7, Handout 7G: Levels and types of oppression). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 145–166). Routledge.
• Catalano, C., McCarthy, L., & Shlasko, D. (2007). Transgender oppression curriculum design (Chapter 10, Appendix 10I: Levels of oppression). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 219–245). Routledge.
• Hardiman, R., Jackson, B., & Griffin, P. (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge.

¹If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Name of Handout: Levels and Types of Oppression, Quadrant 3, Chapter 4

The following are examples of the levels and types of oppression:

Points to consider:

This model can be applied to systems of oppression based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, language, nationality, etc.

These manifestations of oppression happen simultaneously and reinforce one another

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

• Updated by Ximena Zúñiga and Itza D. Martínez from
• Katz, Judith, H. (1978). White Awareness: Handbook for Anti-Racism Training. ‎ (3rd edition). University of Oklahoma Press.

Name of Handout: Levels and Types of Oppression Worksheet, Quadrant 3, Chapter 4

Levels and Types of Oppression Worksheet

Name(s) to credit for this activity:
Adams, M., Bell, L.A., Goodman, D.J., and Joshi, K. Y. (2016). Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice (3rd ed). Routledge.

Name of Activity: Current Examples of Oppression, Option B: Five Faces of Oppression Interactive Lecture, Quadrant 2, Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:

4. Exploring institutional-level oppression

6. Exploring cultural- or societal-level oppression

8. Exploring history

14. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to transition from discussing historical timelines to contemporary examples of oppression using an analytical framework introduced in Quadrant 1. Facilitators may do this using the “Levels and Types” (Option A) and/or the “Five Faces” (Option B) depending on which framework(s) they selected in Quadrant 1.

Learning Outcomes: After this activity participants will understand the use of the Levels and Types analytical frameworks.

Time Needed: 45 – 60 minutes

Materials Needed: “Five Faces of Oppression” handout or digital link to the document

Degree of Risk: Low-risk

Procedure¹: Briefly recap the “Five Faces” lecture from Quadrant 1. Note that this is one of several conceptual organizers that focus on different aspects of oppression. This activity enables the participants to focus on examples of exploitation, marginalization, powerlessness, cultural imperialism, and violence that characterize all forms of oppression. The focus of this model is on the experiences of oppression and not on the forms of privilege and advantage experienced by members of socially dominant groups.

Ask the participants to form five work groups (one for each of the Five Faces)—or, if the whole group is too small or too large, create multiple groups of three to five participants to talk about the “faces” that are most striking for them. Facilitators distribute copies of the “Five Faces of Oppression Handout” available on the companion website so that each small group (or each participant) has a copy with two columns of blank cells for examples to be filled in by them.

Encourage them to brainstorm specific examples, and where possible, to think about intersections. (Some of the examples from the Quadrant 1 lecture offer intersections of racism with religious oppression.) Review the handout with them to address any questions.

After 20 minutes of small-group activity, ask the participants to return to the whole group. Post a large copy of the matrix (newsprint, whiteboard, or digital slide as appropriate) and fill in the empty boxes with as many examples as the participants provide. (Alternatively, groups can post their sheets in a gallery and walk around the room to read all of the composite lists.) After the posted matrix has been completely filled in, conduct a whole-group discussion that raises questions such as these:

• Have any disadvantaged or marginalized identity groups been left out of these examples?
• Do different disadvantaged or marginalized identity groups experience different “faces” of oppression?
• What commonalities did you notice across the experiences of all or most of the subordinated identity groups?

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: The facilitators should consider the purpose of their workshop or course, as well as the audience, when selecting both the manifestations of oppression (ableism, classism, racism, etc.) that they want to focus on and the examples that they want to offer the participants. Facilitators should brainstorm key examples that they want to include and connections they wish to draw between them. Mobility concerns should also be considered and potentially provide activity notes beforehand to participants.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students:
Please refer to “Isms” chapters 5-10 of Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice (4th edition)

Young, I. M. (1990). The Five Faces of Oppression. Justice and the politics of difference (pp. 39–65).
Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Please refer “Isms” chapters 5-10 of Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice (4th edition)

Young, I. M. (1990). The Five Faces of Oppression. Justice and the politics of difference (pp. 39–65). Princeton University Press.

Name(s) to credit for this activity: 

• Updated by X. Zúñiga, R. Varghese (2021) based on:
• Adams, M., & Joshi, K. Y. (2007). Religious oppression curriculum design (Chapter 11, Appendix 11B: Participant worksheet: Five Faces of Oppression). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 255–284). Routledge.
• Young, I. M. (1990). The Five Faces of Oppression. Justice and the politics of difference (pp. 39–65). Princeton University Press.

¹If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Name of Handout: Five Faces of Oppression, Quadrant 3, Chapter 4

Name(s) to credit for this activity

• Adams, M., Bell, L.A., Griffin, P.  (2007). Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice. (2nd edition). Routledge.
• Young, I.M. (2013). Five faces of oppression. In M. Adams, W. Blumenfeld, R. Castaneda, H. Hackman, M. Peters & X. Zuniga (Eds), Readings for diversity and social justice (3rd ed, pp. 35-44).  Routledge.
• Young, I. M. (1990). The Five Faces of Oppression. Justice and the politics of difference (pp. 39–65). Princeton University Press.

Name of Activity: Web of Oppression Chapter 4, Quadrant 3

Instructional Purpose Category:

4. Exploring institutional-level oppression
5. Exploring individual/interpersonal-level oppression
6. Exploring cultural- or societal-level oppression
7. Exploring internalized oppression, internalized messages, or implicit bias

14. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to create a visual representation of the otherwise overly abstract concept of a social system or culture and the interlocking forms of oppression within social institutions.

Learning Outcomes: Participants will be able to conceptualize and understand some of the ways in which  systemic oppressions interlock within social institutions at the individual, interpersonal, cultural, and societal level.

Time Needed: 30-45 minutes

Materials Needed: Examples of individual/interpersonal, institutional, and cultural or societal manifestations of singular and/or intersecting oppression(s); ball of yarn; examples noted on index cards or on a digital platform that provides a visual representation of the web.

Degree of Risk: Low-to-medium risk

Procedure¹: It is important that the participants have experienced a lecture, activity, or reading assignment in which examples of institutional oppression have been clarified with specific examples. This knowledge will be key in shaping their participation in this activity.
Facilitators ask the participants to stand in a circle with a ball of yarn and explain the activity. The yarn ball will be tossed across the circle as the participants brainstorm social institutions and examples of oppression. The person starting with the yarn ball calls out a social institution (such as a summer camp, elementary school, hospital emergency room, etc.) and then calls out another participant’s name, tossing the yarn ball to this person. This person then names an example of social oppression (examples of disadvantage, exclusion, marginalization, discrimination, etc.) related to that institution, calls out another social institution and another participant’s name, and tosses the yarn ball to the next person.
It is important that the yarn ball is thrown across the circle (rather than to someone standing right beside the thrower), and everyone must continue to hold the yard after it’s been thrown to them. In this way, the group will work together to create a web of yarn representing a web of social oppression. As the yarn ball is tossed back and forth across the circle, the participants continue to hold their place on the yarn while taking turns calling out an institution and responding with an example of institutional disadvantage, exclusion, marginalization, or discrimination.
As the participants feel they are running out of names of social institutions, they can do a second turn on institutions named earlier. The process continues until everyone in the circle has caught the yarn ball, named an example, and tossed it to someone else. The participants continue to hold their end of the yarn, and the yarn ball gets smaller and smaller with each successive toss.
By the end of the activity, an intricate web of yarn will link all of the participants in the circle and represent the web of all the various instances of oppression and institutions that have been identified. This web, reproduced and maintained in social institutions, visualizes the complexity of the interlocking of forms of oppression within all  institutional life, and it grounds the otherwise overly abstract concept of social system or culture—which is, in effect, what gets reproduced at the multi-systemic level.

Examples for Facilitator to Use with this Activity

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: The success of this activity depends largely on the participants having sufficient information to provide examples of institutional oppression—from readings, films and videos, discussions, observation, their own experiences, etc.—to generate examples quickly. The facilitator should have examples in mind to contribute if the participants have no examples and in order to keep the process going.

It is important to stop and observe how tangled up the group is in this seemingly unending yarn that binds on the basis of advantage and disadvantage. It serves as an experiential metaphor for the way a system can “feel” when someone is disadvantaged financially (housing, car, jobs) or by gender and/or sexuality and/or gender expression (excluded from jobs because the person is “not the look we want representing our company”). Police profiling is targeted at people of color or trans people who “look suspicious.” Health care is not alerted to needs of transgender or disabled people or is too expensive for those who do not have the financial means. Effective legal help is not available. The processing of this activity, with all the participants entangled with yarn, indicates the cumulative force of seemingly minor disadvantages. Those who are not able to stand for the duration of the activity may need to sit.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students: It is important that the participants have experienced a lecture, activity, or reading assignment in which examples of institutional oppression have been clarified with specific examples.

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator: None

Name(s) to credit for this activity: 

• Updated by Ximena Zúñiga, Itza Martinez and Rani Varghese from: 
• Adapted by Maurianne Adams (2015) from Adams, M., & Joshi, K. Y. (2007). Religious oppression curriculum design (Chapter 11, Appendix 11T: Institutional and cultural “web” of religious oppression: Examples). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 255–284). Routledge.

¹If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Name of Activity: Unweaving the Web of Oppression, Quadrant 3, Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:
6. Exploring cultural- or societal-level oppression
7. Exploring internalized oppression, internalized messages, or implicit bias
9. Exploring liberation and social action
14. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to envision policies and practices that can be enacted to challenge or resist institutional and cultural oppression.

Learning Outcomes: Participants will be able to understand some of the intersectional ways in which policies and practices can contribute to challenging the systems of institutional and cultural oppression.

Time Needed: 10-15 minutes

Materials Needed: Ball of yarn, scissors (optional), and examples of policies and practices that can be enacted to challenge or resist oppression at the individual/interpersonal, institutional, and cultural or societal level; examples noted on index car or a digital platform that visualizes the web

Degree of Risk: Medium-to- Low-risk

Procedure¹: This activity immediately follows the Web of Oppression activity. After everyone has called out an institution and an example of oppression, the person left holding the end of the yarn begins to unwind the web. The person holding the end of the yarn names an example of oppression and then walks with the end of the yarn to the person who threw (or handed) it to them. This person takes the yarn and imagines a way in which the example named could be changed, resisted, or somehow resolved. Then, they name another example of oppression and walk the yarn back to the person who originally threw it to them. That person takes the yarn and imagines a way in which the example named could be changed, resisted, or somehow resolved. Another option is to cut the yarn as a way of illustrating the web of resistance.
This goes on until all have participated and the yarn is no longer a web. The examples named can be new examples or examples borrowed from when the web was first constructed. Note that this activity can inform the “visioning” activity of Quadrant 4.
Examples:

• Police racial profiling →Police racially profiling is a demerit on an officer’s promotion record.
• Counselors turn working-poor students away from elite colleges → Counselors seek out working-poor students to present the opportunities that are currently available.
• Health care workers insist on giving pregnancy tests to women identified individuals regardless of their sexuality  → Health care workers inquire about an individual's sexuality, likelihood or unlikelihood of pregnancy, and work on the issue that brought these individuals to the clinic.
• Christian evangelists insist their children should be taught creationism only → School boards agree that children may have “religious education” during after-school hours but must learn the assigned content in their scholarly biology texts, including evolution.

Once the web of yarn has been unwoven, the facilitator should highlight the power of individual agency and briefly debrief the activity. Ask the participants how they felt unweaving the web, how the activity shaped their understanding of institutional oppression and change, what they are taking away from the activity, etc. If this activity is done as one of the closing activities on the last day of a workshop or course, the facilitator might consider bringing scissors and having the participants cut the yarn into bracelets. This can serve as a reminder for the participants to remember their agency to challenge systems of oppression.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: The facilitator needs to be prepared to assist with naming examples of how to challenge oppression. If the participants are struggling, they can also work together to brainstorm examples as a group. In that case, facilitators can connect their struggles in the activity to the larger pattern of our socialization into oppression and away from critical thinking and liberatory consciousness. Those who are not able to stand for the duration of the activity may need to sit.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Participants: None

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator: None

Name(s) to credit for this activity
Maurianne Adams, University of Massachusetts Amherst

¹If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Name of Activity: Closing Activity, Quadrant 3, Chapter 4 

Instructional Purpose Category:

1. Icebreakers

3. Tone setting / developing group guidelines

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to bring a component of the session to a close before transitioning to a different component or topic, taking a break, or ending a session.

Learning Outcomes: Participants will be able to understand how to transition between and in a session.

Time Needed: 5-10 minutes

Materials Needed: None

Degree of Risk: Varies depending on session and group

Procedure¹: Thank the participants for their engagement, participation, risk-taking, and sharing during the session or activity. Explain that the group will be doing a brief closing round where everyone is invited to share before closing the space. Use one of the following prompts or create your own:

• Share one feeling or thought about today’s session/activity.
• Pose one question you will continue to think about.
• Name one thing you learned that really touched you or made you think.
• Say one thing you appreciate about the group or workshop.

Advise the participants to speak openly, since this encourages active listening and reflection. Prompt the participants to share in round-robin style or by going around the circle in order, depending on preference and time. The participants may “pass” until the rest of the group has shared if they need more time to think. The facilitator is advised to participate in the closing round and may role model by sharing first if there are no volunteers.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: While these share-outs are meant to serve as a closing round, the participants may share meaningful and profound information. Due to time limitations, the group may not have time to process or debrief what is shared. In this situation, the facilitator may want to thank the participants for their openness and acknowledge the value of what was shared. If necessary, the facilitator may check in one-on-one with the participants who bring up anything of immediate concern. The facilitator may also use any information from the closing round to frame the next activity or session.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students: None

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
brown, a.m. (2021). Holding Change The way of emergent strategy facilitation and mediation. A.K. Press.

Lakey, G. (2020). Facilitating Group Learning: Strategies for success with adult learners. (2nd edition). PM Press.

Name(s) to credit for this activity: 

• Adapted by Itza D. Martínez & Ximena Zúñiga (2021) from:
• McDonald, J., and Zúñiga, X. (2015). Closing Activity. Teaching for diversity and social justice companion website (3rd.,  ed.). Routledge.
• Zúñiga, X. (2021). EDUC 202: Exploring social/cultural difference and commonalities intergroup dialogue curriculum. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

¹If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Name of Activity: Frameworks for Creating Change – Option A: Developing a Liberatory Consciousness and the Four A’s in Quadrant 4 for Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:

4. Exploring institutional-level oppression
5. Exploring individual/interpersonal-level oppression
9. 9. Exploring liberation and social action
14. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose:The purpose of this activity is to identify actions for navigating systems of oppression with intentionality.

Learning Outcomes:After this activity participants will be able to identify and apply The Four “A’s of Liberatory Consciousness – awareness, analysis, action and accountability (Love, 2018) to their personal and professional lives.

Time Needed:45 minutes

Materials Needed: Provide participants with printed The Four A’s of Liberatory handout or a digital link to this document

Degree of Risk: Low risk

Procedure¹: The participants should read, as an assigned homework reading assignment, Barbara Love’s  “Developing Liberatory Consciousness”  (see recommended readings below). Review the four A’s as a whole group. Invite participants to share their thoughts on the readings as well. Next, explain to the participants that together, there will be time in small groups to delve more deeply into each of the four A’s. The small groups should be triads or quartets to think together on the four A’s and generate examples using “The Four “A’s” of Liberatory Consciousness” Handout. Facilitators can distribute this printed or through a digital link. Ask each group to generate personal examples for each of the four A’s on a newsprint or digital platform.  Float among groups to provide support and give time checks as necessary. Once the groups complete the task, ask each group to post their newsprint and share out to the class for five minutes or have each small group share their screen from their digital notes. Once all groups have shared, summarize themes and praise and share gratitude to the groups for their contributions.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: Developing a liberatory consciousness through the lens of the four A’s of Liberatory Consciousness is a relatively easy conceptual framework to understand, yet it is more difficult to apply to our daily lives. Having the opportunity to generate specific examples and hear fellow participants' examples can be very valuable for participants.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Participants:
Harro, B. (2018). Cycle of Liberation. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 627-634). Routledge.

Love, B. (2018). Developing a Liberatory Consciousness. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, D. C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 610-615). Routledge.

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Harro, B. (2018). Cycle of Liberation. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, C. J. Catalano, K. Dejong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 627-634). Routledge.

Love, B. (2018). Developing a Liberatory Consciousness. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, D. C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 610-615). Routledge.

Lyiscott, J. (2019). Vision driven justice. Black Appetite. White Food.: Issues of Race, Voice, and Justice Within and Beyond the Classroom. (pp. 11- 19). Routledge.

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

• Ximena Zúñiga & Itza D. Martínez (2021) adapted from:
• Hardiman, R., Jackson, B., & Griffin, P. (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education (Chapter 3: Appendix 3F: Cycle of Liberation). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge.
• Zúñiga, X., & Cytron-Walker, A. (2003). Exploring differences and common ground intergroup dialogue curriculum. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

¹If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Name of Handout: The Four “A’s” of Liberatory Consciousness for Quadrant 4 in Chapter 4

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

• Jayna Tavarez, Itza D. Martínez, & Ximena Zúñiga (2021) from:
• Love, B. (2018). Developing a Liberatory Consciousness. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, D. C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 610-615). Routledge.

Name of Activity: Frameworks for Creating Change – Option B: Cycle of Liberation in Quadrant 4 for Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:

9. Exploring liberation and social action
10. Developing action plans

14. Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to identify actions for personal and social change at the interpersonal and institutional level.

Learning Outcomes: After this activity participants will be able to identify actions for personal and social change at the interpersonal and institutional level.

Time Needed: 45 minutes

Materials Needed: Provide participants with printed copies of the The Cycle of Liberation handout and Cycle of Liberation Discussion Questions or a digital link to these documents.

Degree of Risk: Low risk

Procedure¹: The participants should read, as an assigned homework reading assignment, Bobbie Harro’s “The Cycle of Liberation” (see recommended readings below). Invite the participants to share their main takeaways from the reading. Then explain that the group will now be going a little more in depth with the concepts. Pass out the “Cycle of Liberation” handout. Spend 5–10 minutes reviewing the Cycle of Liberation, clarifying key concepts and providing examples. Highlight the three stages that will be used to structure the activity: Empowerment of self, building community with others, and transforming institutions and organizations.

Divide the class into three groups and assign each group one of the stages of the Cycle of Liberation. Explain that they will have eight minutes to brainstorm examples of actions they could take at their level and what kind of support they would need to be successful. They will have a handout with discussion questions to help them do this. Explain that they will make notes on their newsprint to share with the class.
Pass out the discussion questions handout and tell them to begin. Float among groups to provide support and give time checks as necessary. Once the brainstorming period is complete, ask each group to post their newsprint and share out to the class for five minutes. Once all groups have shared, praise the groups for their contributions and summarize the themes.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: The Cycle of Liberation can be a fairly complex concept for some participants to comprehend in such a short amount of time. Having a variety of relatable examples on hand is helpful.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Participants:
Harro, B. (2018). Cycle of Liberation. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 627-634). Routledge.

Lyiscott, J. (2019) Critical Hope in the Context of Crisis. Black Appetite. White Food. Issues of Race, Voice, and Justice Within and Beyond the Classroom. (pp. 67-80). Routledge.

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Harro, B. (2018). Cycle of Liberation. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, C. J. Catalano, K. Dejong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 627-634). Routledge.

Lyiscott, J. (2019). Vision driven justice. Black Appetite. White Food: Issues of Race, Voice, and Justice Within and Beyond the Classroom. (pp. 11- 19). Routledge.

Love, B. (2010). Developing a Liberatory Consciousness. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, R. Castañeda, H. Hackman, M. Peters, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp.599-603). Routledge.

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

• Itza D. Martínez and Ximena Zúñiga (2021) adapted from:
• Hardiman, R., Jackson, B., & Griffin, P. (2007). Conceptual foundations for social justice education (Chapter 3: Appendix 3F: Cycle of Liberation). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 35–66). Routledge.
• Zúñiga, X., & Cytron-Walker, A. (2003). Exploring differences and common ground intergroup dialogue curriculum. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

¹If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Name of Handout: Cycle of Liberation, Quadrant 4 in Chapter 4

Name(s) to credit for this activity
Harro, B. (2018). The cycle of liberation. In Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W. J., Catalano, D.C.J., DeJong, K. S., Hackman, H. W., Hopkins, L. E., Love, B.J., Peters, M. L., Shlasko, D., & Zúñiga, X. (2018). Readings for diversity and social justice (pp. 627 - 634). Routledge.

Name of Activity: Cycle of Liberation – Discussion Questions in Quadrant 4 for Chapter 4

Empowerment of Self

• What actions can I take to empower myself to work for social justice?
• How can I become more self-aware and educate myself?
• How can I feel more inspired to take action?
• What kind of information do I need to develop a more complete understanding of the causes of social injustice?
• What kind of information do I need to develop a more complete understanding of the causes of social injustice?

Building Community

• What actions can I take to work more closely with people “like” me (i.e., people with similar social identities) in order to bring about social justice?
• What actions can I take to work more closely with people “different” from me (i.e., people with different social identities) in order to bring about social justice?
• How can I build coalitions?

Transforming Institutional Policies and Practices

• What actions can I take, individually and with others, to (1) challenge and transform institutions, and (2) influence policy, in order to bring about social justice?
• What can I do individually?
• What can I do with my peers?
• What can I do with my co-workers?
• What can I do on campus and in student life?
• What can I do in the local community?

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

• Zúñiga, X., & Cytron-Walker, A. (2003). EDUC 395Z: Exploring differences and common ground intergroup dialogue curriculum. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts - Amherst.

Name of Activity: Taking Action Terminology in Quadrant 4 for Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:
9. Exploring liberation and social action

• Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to introduce participants to selected terminology and help the group develop a glossary of working definitions for shared language.

Learning Outcomes: After this activity participants will be able to develop, recognize, and utilize working definitions of terminology related to action, allyship, and social change.

Time Needed: 25 minutes

Materials Needed: “Taking Action Terminology” handout - printed  or digital link to this document

Degree of Risk: Low Risk

Procedure¹: Explain to the participants that they are now going to complete a matching activity to learn more about terminology commonly used when discussing and pursuing action, allyship, building solidarity and forging coalitions and social change. Pass out the handouts (without the answer key). Explain to the participants that they will first spend five minutes trying to match the definitions individually, then they will pair up with someone else to compare their answers and deliberate accordingly in order to establish a consensus between the two. After the pairs decide on their joint responses, the groups return to a large circle. The participants go around the circle and share their answers for the matching activity. The facilitator shares the answer key and responds to questions about terminology throughout the process.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: For accessibility purposes, it may be helpful to provide definitions and terms to participants beforehand.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students: None

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator: None

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

• Adapted by Erika Lala and Ximena Zúñiga (2021) based on:
• McDonald, J. (2016). Taking Action Terminology. Teaching for diversity and social justice companion website (3rd. ed.). Routledge.

¹If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Name of Handout: Taking Action Terminology in Quadrant 4 for Chapter 4

Directions: Match the definition to the term listed.
____ 1. Action Continuum
____ 2. Solidarity
____ 3. Ally
____ 4. Mutual Aid
____ 5. Collusion
____ 6. Coalition
____ 7. Spheres of Influence
____ 8. Power over/with/from within
____ 9. Empowerment
____ 10. Liberatory consciousness
____ 11. Advocacy
____ 12. Cycle of Liberation
____ 13. Agency
____ 14. Co-Conspirators
____ 15. Solidarity

• These are areas over which one has control, where one can work for change. This may include one’s personal network of family and friends, family and co-workers, community, or local institutions (Tatum, 1997).
• A collection of people from different cultural and/or social groups who come together to work toward a common goal; “. . . works with, but does not ignore, differences and conflicts of interest” (Crowfoot & Chesler, 1996, p. 204). Examples include several civil rights and social movement organizations such as the organization for Human Immigrant Rights in Los Angeles, CA; the National Women Coalition against Violence and Exploitation; and the Southern Coalition for Social Justice.
• A spectrum of ways that people can respond to injustice; ranges from actions that support prejudice, divisiveness, and social injustice to actions that promote prejudice reduction, coalitional work, and social justice (adapted from McClintock, 2001).
• Someone who actively supports marginalized individuals or groups, “using the privilege [they] have to refute oppression” (Singh, 2019, p. 169).
• Actively or passively supporting harassment, discrimination, and other forms of differential or unequal treatment by failing to confront one’s own biases or discriminatory behaviors, or by actively supporting or participating in organized efforts to keep disadvantaged individuals or social groups from gaining equality. Examples include people who object to renovations that make buildings more accessible to people with disabilities, who remain silent when they hear a racially prejudiced remark, or who “look the other way” when hate crimes are committed (adapted from Griffin, 1997; and Wijeyesinghe, Griffin, & Love, 1997).
• Realizing the value of aligning oneself with the aims and values of social justice movements across multiple social identities, social locations, and social positions. For example: Taking a stand in support of the struggle for social justice of different groups.
• “(T)he process through which people gain the power and resources necessary to shape their worlds and reach full human potential” (Schriver, 2004, p. 27). Empowered individuals, organizations, communities, and social groups believe in their capacity to act and take action (Irwin, 1996).
• A concept that can be deployed in a number of ways, including hierarchical dominance, a non-hierarchical and collaborative process for mutual benefit and self-determination, or an internal source of energy (Irwin, 1996; Kreisberg, 1992).
• The capacity to make choices and influence events, individually or collectively. Individuals can act on their own behalf (take action to achieve their own goals) or act on behalf of someone else’s goals. People can also act collectively in the form of social movements (Hewson, 2010).
• Organized efforts of individuals or groups to change policies, practices, and cultural climates within institutional contexts (i.e., a hospital, school, corporation, etc.)
• A cyclical pattern of events and processes that are common to successful efforts to create critical transformation and social change, including intrapersonal awareness, interpersonal community-building, and systemic change (Harro, 2013).
• A tool that enables us to maintain an awareness of the dynamics of oppression without giving into despair and hopelessness; an awareness of the roles played by each individual in the maintenance of that system without blaming them for the roles they play; the ability to live outside of the patterns of thought and behavior learned through an oppressive socialization process in order to be intentional about our role in working toward transformation (Love, 2013).
• Someone who actively works toward greater equity via “direct challenge to or subversion of” (Singh, 2019, p. 184) oppressive systems – thereby being closer to the actual building of a social movement.
• “[A] form of political participation in which people take responsibility for caring for one another and changing political conditions, not just through symbolic acts or putting pressure on their representatives in government but by actually building new social relations that are more survivable” (Spade, 2020, p. 136)
• “[C]ollectively meeting our own needs rather than relying on harmful institutions, making decisions by consensus rather than by following authority, or sharing things rather than hoarding and protecting private property” (Spade, 2020, p. 133)

Answer Key:

1. C
2. F
3. D
4. N
5. E
6. B
7. A
8. H
9. G
10. L
11. J
12. K
13. M
14. I

References:
Crowfoot, J. E., & Chesler, M. A. (1996). White men’s roles in multicultural coalitions. In B. Bowser
& R. G. Hunt (Eds.), Impacts of racism on white Americans (2nd ed.). Sage.

Goodman, D. & Schapiro, S. (1997). Sexism curriculum design. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P.
Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice: A sourcebook (1st ed., pp. 110–140).
Routledge.

Griffin, P. (1997). Introductory module for a single-issue course. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin
(Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice: A sourcebook (1st ed., pp. 61–81). Routledge.

Hewson, M. (2010). Agency. In A. Mills, G. Durepos, & E. Wiebe (Eds.), Encyclopedia of case study
Research. (pp. 13–17). Sage.

Irwin, J. W. (1996). Empowering ourselves and transforming our schools. SUNY Press.

Kaye/Kantrowitz, M. (1992). The issue is power: Essays on women, Jews, violence and resistance. Aunt Lute Books.

Kreisberg, S. (1992). Transforming power. SUNY Press.

Love, B. (2018). Developing a Liberatory Consciousness. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, D. C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 610-615). Routledge.

Mclintock, M. (2000). How to interrupt oppressive behavior. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, R.
Castañeda, H. W. Hackman, M. L. Peters, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (pp. 483–485). Routledge.

Schriver, J. M. (2004). Human behavior and the social environment: Shifting paradigms in essential knowledge for social work practice (4th ed.). Pearson.

Singh, A. (2019). The racial healing handbook: Practical Activities to help you challenge privilege, confront systemic racism & engage in collective healing. New Harbinger. 

Spade, D. (2020). Solidarity not charity: Mutual aid for mobilization and survival. Social Text 143, 38(1), pp. 131-151. DOI: 10.1215/01642472-7971139

Tatum, B. D. (2018). Why are all the black kids sitting together in the cafeteria and other conversations about race (20th Anniversary Edition). Basic Books.

Wijeyesinghe, C. L, Griffin, P., & Love, B. (1997). Racism curriculum design. In M. Adams, L. A.
Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice: A sourcebook (1st ed., pp. 82–109). Routledge.

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

• Adapted by Erika Lala and Ximena Zúñiga (2021) based on:
• McDonald, J. (2016). Taking Action Terminology Teaching for diversity and social justice companion website (3rd.  ed.).  Routledge.

Name of Activity: Action Continuum and Spheres of Influence in Quadrant 4 for Chapter 4

Instructional Purpose Category:

11.  Developing action plans

• Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to encourage the participants to reflect on their place in or position relative to the action continuum and think about possible steps they could take to address social justice issues and create change in their personal lives, workplace and within their communities.

Learning Outcomes: After this activity participants will understand action as a relative term and will have practiced identifying where specific actions fall on the continuum. After reflecting on their current placements on the continuum, participants will have brainstormed opportunities to advance their work on the continuum and in their personal commitments to social change.

Time Needed: 20 minutes

Materials Needed: Action Continuum and Spheres of Influence Handouts  - printed or digital link to these two documents.

Degree of Risk: Low-to-Medium Risk

Procedure¹: Introduce the “Action Continuum” model to the participants. As the facilitator or facilitators are going over the model, be sure to reference and connect some of the actions mentioned previously during the session to the continuum. Invite additional examples from the participants as much as possible. Acknowledge and affirm the wide variety of action possibilities. Note that participants may find their experiences on multiple parts of the continuum, and that their position on the continuum may change over time and across different issues. Explain that the group is now going to think about the areas of impact that these actions fall within and where in their spheres of influence they want to have the most impact or anticipate the greatest risks.

Using a visual, present the “Spheres of Influence” model. Note that each participant has several spheres of influence where they can extend their own learning and that of others. Ask the participants to think about their own interests and activity at home and on campus. For example, in the sphere of self, a person could read a book, follow an activist on social media, or attend a workshop that pushes their learning edge a little further. In the sphere of work, a person could join a committee, hire a consultant, or dedicate a staff meeting to assessing their office’s environment and culture relative to its stated values, policies, and the experiences of marginalized groups.

Solicit a few examples and invite conversation about how each action may carry a different level of risk that may vary considering each person’s circumstances. Pushing back on an offensive comment may seem easier with friends but riskier with a supervisor. Often, we have to weigh these risks with our potential to make an impact and decide when it is most effective to take action.

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: Make sure to emphasize the different levels and types of actions one can take. Generate some examples prior to this session so that the participants can see a range in which actions can take place. Some participants may feel overwhelmed by the idea of “taking action,” so it is important to offer concrete examples that connect to their lives.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students:
Johnson, A. (2018). What can we do?In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 621-627). Routledge.

Johnson, A. (2018). What can we do? Privilege, power and difference (3rd ed., pp. 107-134). McGraw Hill.

Southern Poverty Law Center (2017). SPLC on campus: A guide to bystander intervention. https://www.splcenter.org/sites/default/files/soc_bystander_intervention_guide_ web_final.pdf

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Johnson, A. (2018). What can we do?In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 621-627). Routledge.

Johnson, A. (2018). What can we do? Privilege, power and difference (3rd ed., pp. 107-134). McGraw Hill.

Southern Poverty Law Center (2017). SPLC on campus: A guide to bystander intervention. https://www.splcenter.org/sites/default/files/soc_bystander_intervention_guide_ web_final.pdf

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

• Adapted by Ximena Zúñiga and Erika Lala (2021). University of Massachusetts Amherst.
• McDonald, J., and Zúñiga, X. (2015) Action Continuum and Spheres of Influence.Teaching for diversity and social justice companion website (3rd. ed.)  Routledge. and:
• Bell, L. A., & Griffin, P. (2007). Designing social justice courses (Chapter 4, Appendix 4B: Spheres of Influence). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 67–88). Routledge.
• Bell, L. A., Love, B. J., & Roberts, R. (2007). Racism and white privilege curriculum design (Chapter 6, Appendix 6H: Action Continuum). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 123–144). Routledge.
• Zúñiga, X. (2021; 2015). EDUC 202: Exploring issues in intergroup dialogue curricular guide. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

¹If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Name of Handout: The Action Continuum for Quadrant 4 in Chapter 4

THE ACTION CONTINUUM

Actively Participating: Using derogatory jokes or harmful language, intentionally avoiding marginalized group members, discriminating against marginalized group members, verbally or physically harassing marginalized group members.

Denying or Ignoring: “Business as usual attitude.” Enabling unjust behaviors, patterns, and policies by denying harm. May not be directly responsible for the action/policy in question, but contributes to it by willfully denying its harm and consequential impact.

Recognizing, No Action: Can identify harmful actions, unjust policies, and their effects but takes no action to stop them. This inaction can be the result of fear, lack of information, confusion about what to do, or other feelings of powerlessness. Those at this stage may experience discomfort at the contradiction between awareness and action.

Recognizing, Interrupting: Is aware of oppression and injustices, recognizes oppressive behaviors of self and others and takes action to challenge them

Educating Self: Taking actions to learn more about the roots of social inequities and oppression, as well as their impact on privileged and marginalized social groups. This also entails thinking about how to create affirming and healing-centered spaces. Related actions can include reading, listening to relevant news and media coverage, or participating in workshops, seminars, cultural events, and discussions.

Educating Others:  Moving beyond educating self to educating others by sharing readings, videos and podcasts, facilitating meetings and workshops, or having informal conversations with others. Rather than just interrupting an oppressive behavior or a biased comment, you are inviting people to explore what happened and engaging in a conversation to share why you objected to it while also examining the harm.

Supporting, Encouraging:  Supporting those doing advocacy, equity, inclusion and other social justice work by echoing/amplifying their words, engaging in healing-centered practices, and/or becoming an active member in a relevant task force or committee.

Dialoguing with Others:  Inviting sustained conversation in affinity or mixed groups to explore contentious issues impacting your community. Those you converse with may share your social identities, worldview, etc. - but they may not. Regardless, from these conversations, you may increase your understanding of the issues addressed and develop individual and collective plans to initiate action.

Initiating, Preventing: Working to change actions and conventions that discriminate against, disadvantage, and otherwise harm marginalized group members. This can include initiating mutual aid efforts with others, activating coalitions and alliances to promote change, and advancing more equitable policies.

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

• Adapted by Ximena Zúñiga and Erika Lala (2021) based on:
• Allies & Safe Zones, Western Illinois University (n.d.), https://sga.fsu.edu/safe_zone/PDF/Action-Continuum-for-Allies
• Wijeyesinghe, C. L., Griffin, P., and Love, B (1997). Racism curriculum design. In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice: A sourcebook (pp. 82–109). Routledge.

Name of Handout: Spheres of Influence

Spheres of Influence

• Self: Educating yourself, understanding your values and feelings, examining how you want to change.
• Close family and friends: Influencing the people closest to you
• Social, school, and work relationships: Friends and acquaintances, co-workers, neighbors, classmates, and others with whom you interact on a regular basis
• Community: People, community groups, or other organizations with whom you interact infrequently in your local community

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

• Updated by Erika Lala, Itza D. Martínez, and Ximena Zúñiga (2021) based on:
• Zúñiga, X. (2020). EDUC 202: Exploring issues in intergroup dialogue curricular guide. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst.
• Adams, M., Bell, L.A., & Griffin, P. (2007). Teaching for diversity and social justice. Routledge

Name of Activity: Action Planning: Small-Group Activity

Instructional Purpose Category:
9. Exploring liberation and social action
10. Developing action plans

• Terminology /exploring language

Instructional Purpose: This small-group activity provides participants with the opportunity to write and share an action plan aimed at creating justice-oriented change within their spheres of influence. Through individual reflection/writing and talking with others in a small group, participants will hone their action plans, considering both potential challenges and rewards.

Learning Outcomes: After this activity participants will have drafted their own action plans to create change within their spheres of influence, talked with others about their plans for creating change, and be better prepared to navigate potential challenges in the actions they intend to take.

Time Needed: 60-75 minutes

Materials Needed: Action Planning Worksheet, Action Continuum Handout, Spheres of Influence Handout  - printed or digital link to these three documents.
 
Degree of Risk: Low-to-medium risk

Procedure¹: Typically this activity occurs after the “Action Continuum and Spheres of Influence” activity. Remind the participants that they can take action in a variety of ways in different parts of their lives. Encourage them to keep the “Action Continuum” and “Spheres of Influence” handouts with them for reference during this activity.

1. Explain that the participants will now be working to create an action plan for a specific change that they want to create in their lives or communities. Distribute the Action Planning Worksheet handout and ask the participants to brainstorm some ideas that they might implement. Using one of these examples or one of your own, walk through the worksheet step-by-step, asking for the participants’ input at each step.
2. Give participants 15 minutes to fill out the Action Planning Worksheet individually. Answer questions and provide support as necessary.
3. Next, divide participants into small groups of three to four people (either randomly or based on similar topics). Provide 20-25 minutes for them to share and workshop their action plans with one another (at least 5 minutes per person). Ask them to note themes, commonalities, differences, and questions to share out with the large group related to their action plans.
4. After 25 minutes, ask the small groups to take 5 more minutes to wrap up and prepare to share out with the large group.
5. Facilitate a debriefing process by inviting each small group to share out highlights of one participants’ action plan. Ask follow-up questions to inquire about the different aspects of the Action Planning Worksheet (e.g., what resources/support might you need? What risks may be involved? What are some rewards of taking this action?).

Prompts for Small-Group Sharing:
Use the following questions as prompts to help further clarify your ideas for action planning and implementation:

• What do you hope to accomplish and how?
• What steps do you predict will be the easiest to implement? Who do you think of as your supporters/collaborators?
• What steps do you predict will be the most difficult to implement?
• What will you need to hold yourself accountable while doing this work - particularly throughout the aforementioned challenges?
• What can we take away from this sharing process? How are our action plans similar/different? What questions can we bring back to the full group?

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: To prepare, facilitators are encouraged to reflect on their own actions for creating change and jot down some notes about actions they have taken at different points along the Action Continuum. These may be useful to share as examples when introducing the activity or to support participants who may be feeling stuck as they work on their own action plans. These examples may also be helpful if the group is focusing on only one or two points on the Action Continuum.
Visual learners may find it helpful to have a large visual of the Action Continuum Handout and Spheres of Influence Handout (See Teaching for Diversity companion website) during this activity (e.g., projected as a slide or drawn on a white board). The facilitator might consider asking the participants to visually mark where on the Action Continuum and Spheres of Influence their action plans fall at some point during the activity. The group can then analyze any patterns that arise and their significance.
It might be helpful to encourage small groups to use their own timers (on their phones) to help manage their time and ensure all group members have time to share. The debrief process should focus mostly on the content of the participants’ action plans. Questions posed within one small group may be able to be answered by other groups. Encourage sharing from all members of the small groups.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students:
Johnson, A. (2018). What can we do?In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 621-627). Routledge.

Johnson, A. (2018). What can we do? Privilege, power and difference (3rd ed., pp. 107-134). McGraw Hill.

Southern Poverty Law Center (2017). SPLC on campus: A guide to bystander intervention. https://www.splcenter.org/sites/default/files/soc_bystander_intervention_guide_ web_final.pdf

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
Johnson, A. (2018). What can we do?In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, L. E. Hopkins, B. Love, M. L. Peters, D. Shlasko, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed., pp. 621-627). Routledge.

Johnson, A. (2018). What can we do?  Privilege, power and difference (3rd ed., pp. 107-134). McGraw Hill.

Southern Poverty Law Center (2017). SPLC on campus: A guide to bystander intervention. https://www.splcenter.org/sites/default/files/soc_bystander_intervention_guide_ web_final.pdf

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

• Adapted by Dave Neely (2021) based on: 
• Adams, M., & Joshi, K. Y. (2007). Religious oppression curriculum design (Chapter 11, Appendix 11X: Action planning worksheet). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 255–284). Routledge.
• McDonald, J. (2016). Action Planning Activity.Teaching for diversity and social justice companion website (3rd. ed.). Routledge.
• Zúñiga, X., Martínez, I. D., Neely, D., Crystal Norwood & E. Lala. (2021). Intergroup Dialogue Practice Labs Curriculum. Transformative Racial Justice Practices Initiative, University of Massachusetts Amherst.
• Zúñiga, X. (2021; 2015). EDUC 202: Exploring issues in intergroup dialogue curricular guide. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

¹If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials).

Name of Handout: Action Planning Worksheet in Quadrant 4 in Chapter 4

Action Planning Worksheet

The purpose of this worksheet is to help you outline in detail an action plan aimed at creating justice-oriented change within your spheres of influence. After reflecting and responding to the prompts on your own, you will share your plan and compare your notes/ideas with other participants.

1. Describe the action you want to take and what you hope to accomplish? Explain why you chose it. What do you hope will be different if this action is successful?

2. Regarding your plan/timeline:
1. What is your timeline for planning and implementing your action? Be as specific as possible for each step in the timeline.

2. Will you work “solo” or collaborate with others? What challenges do you foresee given your choice?

3. What does accountability look like for your action? What and/or who will help keep you accountable to stay the course?

3. What resources/support do you bring to support such an action? (e.g., planning skills, communication skills, organizing skills, passion, energy, time, allies, social networks).

4. What resources/support might you need to carry out such an action? (e.g. colleagues, time, information, financial).

5. What are some personal and social risks involved for you or others in carrying out this action, considering your own and others' social group memberships?

6. What are some personal or social rewards of taking this action? What might you or others gain from taking this action?

Name(s) to credit for this activity:

• Adapted by Dave Neely (2021) based on:
• Adams, M., & Joshi, K. Y. (2007). Religious oppression curriculum design (Chapter 11, Appendix 11X: Action planning worksheet). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 255–284). Routledge.
• Bell, L. A., Love, B. J., & Roberts, R. (2007). Racism and white privilege curriculum design (Chapter 6, Appendix 6I: Action planning worksheet). In M. Adams, L. A. Bell, & P. Griffin (Eds.), Teaching for diversity and social justice (2nd ed., pp. 123–144). Routledge.
• Zúñiga, X., Martinez, I., Neely, D., Crystal Norwood & E. Lala. (2021). Intergroup Dialogue Practice Labs Curriculum. Transformative Racial Justice Practices Initiative, University of Massachusetts Amherst.
• Zúñiga, X. (2021). EDUC 202: Exploring issues in intergroup dialogue curricular guide. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Name of Activity: Affirmations, Quadrant 4 in Chapter 4 

Instructional Purpose Category:
3. Tone setting / developing group guidelines
9. Exploring liberation and social action
11. Processing / debriefing the process 

Instructional Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to affirm the journey that the group has taken together and the participants’ contributions to each other’s learning.

Learning Outcomes: After this activity participants will have an understanding and experience of what it is to affirm the process/journey that occurs in a sustained group process.

Time Needed: 45 minutes

Materials Needed: Markers and decorative supplies (optional), newsprint, poster, or construction paper (one per person), music. If conducting this activity virtually,¹ the facilitators will need to prepare a digital platform such as a Jamboard, slide, or Padlet with each participants’ name at the top.

Degree of Risk: Low to medium risk

Procedure²: If in person: Instruct the participants to write their name in large print and briefly decorate their poster. The facilitators should also make posters. Depending on the way the room is set up, the participants may pass posters around in a circle or move around the room to different poster stations. Provide instructions: The goal is for the participants to write a positive comment on everyone’s poster. This may be something they appreciate, a positive memory, something they learned, etc. Begin playing upbeat music. Facilitators should participate in writing affirmations while also giving regular time checks and reminding the participants to write on everyone’s poster.

Once all the participants and facilitators have had a chance to write affirmations on each other’s boards, have the participants silently read their board. Take 5–10 minutes to debrief the activity. Invite the participants to share some highlights or themes from their boards. Thank them for their participation throughout the workshop or course and the activity. Ask them if there is anything else they would like to share about the activity or their experience together.
Debrief the activity by asking things like:

• Share a highlight from their posters- perhaps one they were touched by!
• Make some general comments about the activity to wrap up the activity
• Ask participants to share if they have anything they want to say that was brought up by the activity.
  

Facilitation Notes & Considerations: This group activity affirms the journey that the group has taken together. Affirmations are one way to show gratitude and appreciation for self and each other. Affirmations ask participants to choose to see the beauty, light, love, good, and complexities etc. in a person. Participants will have time to review the posters that facilitators have put together based on the affirmations received. Once participants have had a chance to read their poster, allow some time to debrief how participants are feeling and what’s coming up for them (mind and body).
This activity reminds participants of the humanizing quality of sustained engagement and learning within and across differences and helps the group recognize and acknowledge the unique contributions of each of the participants to this dialogue community.

It is key to plan enough time for this activity in advance since it is the last segment of a course or workshop. If passing around posters, the facilitator(s) should time how long each participant has to write per poster. Facilitators might consider providing participants with some sentence stems in advance to ease the way. If any participants have mobility needs, it may be easiest to pass posters around the circle and provide digital options for participants if conducting this activity virtually.  In closing, it is important to debrief the activity in some way since it is the final activity of the workshop or course.

Recommended Materials/Readings for Students:
brown, a.m. (2021). Holding Change The way of emergent strategy facilitation and mediation. A.K. Press.

Lakey, G. (2020). Facilitating Group Learning: Strategies for success with adult learners. (2nd edition). PM Press.

Recommended Supplementary Materials/Readings for the Facilitator:
brown, a.m. (2021). Holding Change The way of emergent strategy facilitation and mediation. A.K. Press.

Lakey, G. (2020). Facilitating Group Learning: Strategies for success with adult learners. (2nd edition). PM Press.

Name(s) to credit for this activity: 

• Adapted by Itza D. Martínez and Ximena Zúñiga (2021) based on:
• Zúñiga, X. (2021; 2015). EDUC 202: Exploring issues in intergroup dialogue curricular guide. Social Justice Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

¹If possible, collect positive affirmations prior to meeting and populate the digital “poster” beforehand for participants. One way to collect positive affirmations prior to meeting is through email or digital form or survey.

²If conducting this activity on a digital platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or other, be mindful of how the facilitator will create small breakout groups and support them (via chat or through digital access to materials)