Product Description This brief book is a groundbreaking tool for students and non-students alike to examine systems of privilege and difference in our society. Written in an accessible, conversational style, Johnson links theory with engaging examples in ways that enable readers to see the underlying nature and consequences of privilege and their connection to it. This extraordinarily successful book has been used across the country, both inside and outside the classroom, to shed light on issues of power and privilege..
. Allan Johnson has worked on issues of social inequality since receiving his Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Michigan in 1972. He has more than thirty years of teaching experience and is a frequent speaker on college and university campuses. Johnson has earned a reputation for writing that is exceptionally clear and explanations of complex ideas that are accessible to a broad audience.. . .
Hurt people- hurt people September 10, 2008 1 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book adds nothing that isn't known about problems with discrimination and does nothing to heal. the idea the author makes that we must stop wounding before we can experience healing gives me an uncomfortable feeling he's out to throw bricks through supermarket windows and to breed hate and contempt until he becomes one of privilege. I feel this book is filled with venom that will hurt and not heal. If you are a person of privilege and have no idea and are looking for a book to give you a clue into the hurt and pain that minorities feel read this book. If you want to fill yourself with rage and fuel your hatred for the privileged read this book.
It opened my eyes March 8, 2008 Dr. Johnson takes the "isms" and turns them on thier head. In doing so, he transforms the vase into two faces, and concepts that seemed alien became clear.
He masterfully illustrates why he uses the concept of privilege instead of the "isms", and explains the ramifications of this in everyday life. He shows how we perpetuate privilege in how we teach our children and how we shape our institutions. By showing how the system is complicit, he shows how none of us are to blame - and yet all of us are responsible. He even manages to make it clear how the more subtle, "reasonable" forms of privilege still have a profound impact today.
The one thing this book lacks is a discussion of what the end-goal would look like. With the more "reasonable" and subtle forms that privilege takes today it's hard to discern the motive behind the actions. Simply saying that motive is irrelevant doesn't give us an end-state to work toward.
Despite this missing element, this book is a fantastic and easy-to-read (and easy to understand) journey into a new way to look at all the "isms" that confront us today.
Compact - I dig it February 20, 2008 This was one of the texts for my English 102 course, and I loved it. It was wonderful to have such a short book be packed with so much information. The claims are well supported and it opened up new ideas to me, and I always considered myself to be pretty knowledgeable already! I've read on here that some people feel that the author was pretty hostile towards the white guys, but I really felt like he used a pretty gentle voice throughout the book. Overall peeps, it's a worth while read. It's not filled with a bunch of BS, it's a power packed book on today's world, whether you like it or not! ;)I highly recommend!
Best book on these issues! July 22, 2007 2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book is easy to read and gets to the heart of the matter where Privilege, Power, and Difference make a difference in our culture and in our quality of life. Highly recommended reading for anyone!
Great insights October 29, 2006 6 out of 6 found this review helpful
This is a great book that will ennable you to see aspects of our culture that are so interwoven in our everyday experience that we're not even aware of them. It helped me see what we take for granted and understand what we can all do to make changes in our society so that it will become a place where people are truly equal. We all need to read this book and become more aware so things can change to become a more compassionate, just society.
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