Black identity and workplace oppression

This paper is primarily aimed at counselling and psychotherapy practitioners who meet issues of workplace conflict in their practice and the resulting stress and trauma faced by their clients. I define workplace conflict as complex and enduring situations arising from diverse forms of harassment. These include bullying, scapegoating and other discriminatory and oppressive practices that affect health, esteem and work performance. This paper reports the findings from my doctoral research project which investigated and sought to understand the specific experience and nature of workplace conflict for black workers in three institutional settings: the National Health Service (NHS), education and social services. The inspiration for this research came from psychotherapy practice, where it was repeatedly observed that black workers appeared to be suffering significantly more negative and damaging effects of workplace stress and trauma than white workers. I describe these experiences as workplace oppression and differentiate them from other workplace conflicts.     

Invisible injuries and silent witnesses: The shadow of racial oppression in workplace contexts

Abstract

Internalized oppression is the primary means by which all of us hold on to, ‘agree’ and re-enact our unresolved and repressed difficulties. This paper will examine this particular phenomenon with specific regard to black and white relations in workplace contexts. The reality of prevailing external and internal issues will be fully discussed to highlight factors relating to racial oppression, capacity for resilience and their deleterious effects on black identity development.     

Disablism,Identity and Self: Discrimination as a Traumatic Assault on Subjectivity

The international disability movement has favoured a political strategy which relies on historical materialism, eschewing subjective aspects of disability. From this perspective, rehabilitationist and psychological constructions of the subjectivities of disabled people are rejected as victim‐blaming pathologisation. Recently, feminist work has begun to explore psychological aspects of the lives of disabled people, within various paradigms. Drawing loosely on ideas from psychoanalysis, this paper explores the impressions left on subjectivity by symbolic assaults often associated with the disabled identity, thus connecting intra‐psychic and socio‐political arenas. The conceptual ideas employed emerged from psychoanalytically oriented group psychotherapy with severely physically impaired adults performed by the first author. The authors argue that the ongoing nature of socially engendered trauma suffered by disabled persons perpetuates marginality, through internalization of self‐punitive psychological defences, which corrode the entitlement necessary for an assertive political movement. Surviving in a world which continually questions one's belonging, leaves little personal resources for debunking oppressive social phenomena. Material as well as discursive changes are essential if internal narratives are to be reclaimed, overcoming the subjective imprints of ongoing social trauma. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Understanding,resisting, and overcoming oppression: toward psychopolitical validity

My first objective in this paper is to synthesize, synoptically, the literature on oppression and liberation with the contributions to this special issue. To fulfil this aim I introduce a framework for understanding, resisting, and overcoming oppression. The framework consists of psychopolitical well-being; experiences, consequences, and sources of oppression; and actions toward liberation. Each of these components is subdivided into 3 domains of oppression and well-being: collective, relational, and personal. Experiences of suffering as well as resistance and agency are part of the framework. My second objective is to offer ways of closing the gap between research and action on oppression and liberation. To do so I suggest 2 types of psychopolitical validity: epistemic and transformative.     

Emancipatory responses to oppression: the template of land-use planning and the Old Order Amish of Ontario

In this paper I discuss the clash of values between the Old Order Amish community of Ontario and the dominant social paradigm in agriculture. Land-use and agricultural regulations, designed for an industrial style of agriculture, are experienced as a threat to the survival of the Old Order Amish agricultural social economy and community. The paper describes how I have worked with the Old Order Amish to respond to these challenges and to create public policies that will allow them to maintain their human and agricultural diversity and small-scale sustainable farm practices. Four case studies illuminating the oppressive land-use regulations along with the emancipatory responses to the oppression are examined. The social transformation themes include principles and processes for community psychologists, land-use planners, and community economic development practitioners to consider. The article has heuristic value for a practice-based approach to social change.     

From Social to Political Identity: A Critical Examination of Social Identity Theory

Interest in the concept of identity has grown exponentially within both the humanities and social sciences, but the discussion of identity has had less impact than might be expected on the quantitative study of political behavior in general and on political psychology more specifically. One of the approaches that holds the most promise for political psychologists is social identity theory, as reflected in the thinking of Henri Tajfel, John Turner, and colleagues. Although the theory addresses the kinds of problems of interest to political psychologists, it has had limited impact on political psychology because of social identity theorists' disinclination to examine the sources of social identity in a real world complicated by history and culture. In this review, four key issues are examined that hinder the successful application of social identity theory to political phenomena. These key issues are the existence of identity choice, the subjective meaning of identities, gradations in identity strength, and the considerable stability of many social and political identities.     

Emotional Intelligence and the Identity Negotiation of a Racial Minority Group in a Majority School Context

This article describes the possible impact of emotional intelligence on identity negotiation of a racial minority group in a majority school context. The study investigated the adjustment and functioning of racial minority groups in majority school contexts, as well as the identity negotiation associated with it, and determined whether there is a correlation between the former and the Emotional Intelligence (EI) of the participants. Participants were 16 black and 21 white learners attending two schools where they were in the minority (mean age = 16.23 years; SD = 1.49 years). The learners attended Grades 9–12. Data were first organised, after which themes and patterns were identified, and the data appraised and categorised (Creswell, 2007), after which a comparison was drawn between the identified categories of existing knowledge. Findings suggest that racial integration in both high schools actually occurred in name only; most participants chose to mingle within their own racial groups and the black participants in particular were exposed to racism, discrimination and prejudice on a regular basis. Despite the necessary steps taken and implemented by government in order to oppose racism in the country and promote racial integration in schools, it seems that the consequences of apartheid remain for the foreseeable future.     

The legacies of systemic and internalized oppression: Experiences of microaggressions,imposter phenomenon,and stereotype threat on historically marginalized groups

Previous literature has described how people of historically marginalized groups (namely people of color, women, queer and transgender people, people living with disabilities, immigrants, and people of religious minority groups) are likely to internalize negative, oppressive feelings about their identities (David, 2014; David, Schroeder, & Femandez, 2019). For example, studies have found that many women and people of color (and women of color, in particular) experience what has been labeled as imposter phenomenon, or the notion that they are not intelligent or adequate enough, despite evidence that confirms their success or worth. Similarly, people of color and people from other historically marginalized groups are known to experience stereotype threat, or anxiety about performance or behaviors that could confirm biases about a social group they belong to. Finally, previous literature shows that people of historically marginalized groups navigate various types of microaggressions, or subtle or covert biased statements and behaviors that negatively impact their self-esteem, academic performance, mental health, and physical health. While the terms microaggressions, stereotype threat, and imposter phenomenon have been discussed thoroughly in academic literature, less is written about the connections between these concepts. Utilizing intersectionality theory, the current paper will propose an interactional model between these constructs and aims to describe how cumulative effects of microaggressions exacerbate and contribute to internalized oppression. Based on this model, this paper will also provide recommendations for future directions in psychological research and practice.     

The Relationship Between Racial Identity and Perceived Significance of the Election of President Barack Obama Among African American Mothers

African American women’s racial identity is a major determinant for how they interpret the world around them, yet there is little research examining how specific aspects of racial identity are linked with attitudes about an event that has been highly significant for African Americans: the election of President Barack Obama. The present study examines the relationship between African American mothers’ racial identity and their perceived significance of the election of President Barack Obama as an indicator of reduced systemic and actual racism for African Americans, using a sample of 110 African American mothers residing in a Northeastern metropolitan area. Results revealed that racial centrality and assimilation positively predicted perceived significance of President Obama’s election for diminishing racism. Implications and future directions are discussed.     

Inclusionary Discrimination: Pigmentocracy and Patriotism in the Dominican Republic

This study explored the nature of racial hierarchy and the connection between racial identity and Dominican patriotism using a questionnaire given to an in situ sample in the Dominican Republic. The analyses compared the contradictory expectations of the "racial democracy" (or "Iberian exceptionalism") thesis and social dominance theory. Results showed that despite the very high level of racial intermarriage in the Dominican Republic, there was strong evidence of a "pigmentocracy," or group-based social hierarchy based largely on skin color. Furthermore, despite a slight tendency for people to give slightly higher status ratings to their own "racial" category than were given to them by members of other "racial" categories, this pigmentocracy was highly consensual across the racial hierarchy. These results were consistent with the expectations of social dominance theory. However, in contrast to similar analyses in the United States and Israel, these Dominican findings showed no evidence that members of different "racial" categories had different levels of patriotic attachment to the nation. Also in contrast to recent American findings, there was no evidence that Dominican patriotism was positively associated with anti-black racism, social dominance orientation, negative affect toward other racial groups, or ethnocentrism, regardless of the "racial" category one belonged to. These latter results were consistent with the racial democracy thesis. The theoretical implications of these somewhat conflicting findings are discussed.     

Harun al-Rashid and the Terrorists: Identity Concealed, Identity Revealed

The assumption of false identities is a frequent theme in history, fiction, and current events. Spies and criminals are among those who pretend to be other than they are, although the strategy is not restricted to them. Harun al-Rashid, medieval Caliph of Baghdad, was described in the Thousand and One Nights as disguising himself in order to detect and punish evildoers. One distinctive feature of his adventures is that at some point he threw off the disguise and revealed his true identity. This paper recounts similar self-exposures by spies and terrorists (including those of 9/11) in situations where such an act could spell disaster for them. It further explores a number of explanations for the "Harun al-Rashid motive," suggests a way to measure it, and discusses ways in which counterterrorism agencies could build upon it for their own purposes.     

Identity Processes and Environmental Threat: the Effects of Nationalism and Local Identity upon Perception of Beach Pollution

This study examines the importance of local and national identity processes in predicting the perception of a threat to the local environment: pollution of British beaches defined in terms of European Union (EU) regulations concerning cleanliness. Place identity and social identity theories would predict that English people would exhibit positive discrimination when evaluating both their local and national beaches and would allow ingroup preferences to influence their estimates of beach pollution. The study involved administering questionnaires to 347 English students drawn from secondary schools in six seaside resorts (three with ‘polluted’ beaches, and three with ‘unpolluted’ beaches according to the EU criteria). It was hypothesized that degree of both local and national identification would predict variance in perceived levels of pollution independently of either the EU categorization or the physical evidence of pollution available. On the whole, results confirmed this main hypothesis: subjects who were more attached to their town or their nation tended to perceive their local and national beaches as less polluted. Traditional predictors of environmental evaluation (such as socio-demographic variables, environmental concern, use of the environment) did not play an important role in predicting beach pollution perception. Denial of physical assessments of pollution was interpreted as a strategy used to cope with the threat to place identity posed by the labelling of local beaches by a powerful outgroup (the EU).     

Identity Politics and Politicized Identities: Identity Processes and the Dynamics of Protest

Over the last decades, the concept of identity has become increasingly central in the social psychology of protest. Collective identity, politicized collective identity, dual identity, and multiple identities are concepts that help to understand and describe the social psychological dynamics of protest. In this article, I theorize about identity processes in the context of protest participation: how group identification establishes the link between social identity and collective identity, how multiple identities and dual identities influence protest participation, and how collective identity politicizes and radicalizes. I will illustrate my argument with results from research into collective action participation among farmers in the Netherlands and Spain, Turkish, and Moroccan immigrants in the Netherlands and New York, South African citizens, and participants in street demonstrations conducted by my research group at VU‐University.     

Searching for the Self: An Identity Control Theory Approach to Triggers of Occupational Exploration

Identity control theory researchers have found evidence for two processes of identity development (identity defense and identity change) and have theorized a third process (identity exploration). College students (N = 123) self-rated as high or low in occupational identity certainty and importance received self-discrepant feedback to induce identity disturbance, and dependent measures of identity defense, identity change, and identity exploration were obtained. As predicted, high certainty about identity standards led to identity defense, while low certainty led to identity change. Although an interaction between certainty and importance was hypothesized to predict identity exploration, results showed that the two operated independently. Low certainty predicted exploration of additional occupational areas, whereas high importance predicted exploration of self, environment, and additional occupational areas.     

认同整合——自我和谐之路

认同整合(Identity integration)是认同研究领域的一个新的研究思路。认同整合是一个特质性的概念, 用于测量同时具有两(多)重不同身份认同者如何看待他们的两(多)重身份之间的关系的个体差异。个体可能认为他们所拥有的两(多)重身份是和谐统一的, 也可能认为这两(多)种身份之间是相互对立, 相互分离, 或者彼此冲突的。认同整合的概念已经被用于文化、种族和性别等领域的研究, 并被证明对文化适应、心理健康和创造性等有积极作用。但作为新概念, 需要深入探讨其作用机制及对其他相关领域的贡献, 尤其是探讨如何在中国背景下应用该概念来解决实际问题。     

全球化时代的国家认同：认同内容及其对群际行为的影响

随着全球化进程的不断推进, 国家认同再次成为社会心理学的研究热点。全球化到底是削弱国家认同还是增强国家认同, 不仅与国家认同的具体内容有关, 还受国家的全球化水平影响。同时, 个体对外群体的态度, 不仅受到群体规模的影响, 国家认同内容也起着调节作用。人们越是基于语言、宗教、文化等族群特质来界定国家身份, 对外群体的态度越消极; 越是基于公民特质来界定国家身份, 对外群体的态度越积极。今后应该整合国家认同的内容、厘清国家认同的发展轨迹、拓展国家认同的研究方法以及开展中国化研究。     

The formation and development of individual and ethnic identity: insights from psychiatry and psychoanalytic theory

This paper describes the concept of identity formation, examining the historical development of identity, particularly ethnic identity. The author distinguishes the normative developmental achievement of self and group identity with pathological identity diffusion due to an earlier attachment disorder. The clinical case of a young male’s experience of his Persian family’s immigration to a new host country details the challenges encountered in ethnic identity formation and its interference in consolidating this ongoing process. The complicated task of self identity formation during this phase of development in the face of parental unresolved and ambivalent attitudes toward their own sense of threatened self and group identity diffusion is discussed. Parental intrapsychic conflict combined with environmental conflict such as racism, prejudice, and more recent paranoia toward Middle Eastern immigrant families interferes further with the normal identity formation process. The paper elaborates the compromised bicultural identity of a youngster who struggles through his developmental life phases.Mali A. Mann, M. D., is Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA and Faculty Member, San Francisco Psychoanalytic Institute.     

Shaping EU Attitudes Through Identity Leadership: Investigating Pro-EU and EU-Skeptic Identity Narratives

The European Union (EU) faces many challenges. Chief among them are (1) the growing electoral appeal of EU-skeptic parties, (2) the prevalence of negative narratives about the EU, and (3) frequent marginalization of government leaders openly advocating EU membership. It is hence unsurprising that the EU attitude literature focuses heavily on ways in which leaders undermine (rather than bolster) confidence in the EU. The aim of this conceptual article is to fill this void and to shine a spotlight on how leaders seek to restore confidence in the EU. Rather than to merely describe what pro-EU leaders say in public, we propose a conceptual model that combines older EU attitude research (into “nested” social identities and perceived identity compatibility), with more recent social psychology research (into “identity mobilization” and “identity leadership”). By combining insights from both fields, our framework enables us to gain a deeper understanding of why certain pro-EU narratives can be expected to “take hold” and instill faith in the EU among the public at large. The discussion focuses on the implications for EU leadership.     

Revisiting Group Attachment: Ethnic and National Identity

The study of ethnic and national identity, owing to the complex interaction between individuals, groups, and systems, has not remained confined to traditional disciplinary boundaries. In particular, a branch of social-psychological research has provided insight into the most fundamental aspect of this phenomenon, subjective bonds between individuals and groups. Here, data derived from a Q-methodological study of Basque national identity are used to show that claims advanced within the existing literature appear to be restricted in their ability to explain subjective attachment to the nation; that is, they cannot adequately account for the types of bonds that emerged from the Basque case study. Primarily through Q methodology, an alternative explanation and method for uncovering the ties between individuals and groups is offered. In the place of previously vague and restrictive a priori categories of collective attachment, Q is shown to offer a means by which to explore the subjective nature of ethnic and national identification.     

宗教与认同:宗教对自我认同发展的作用分析

对自我的研究是宗教心理学研究的重要领域。宗教是青少年自我认同发展的重要源泉。文章对宗教在自我认同发展过程中的作用进行了深入的分析后认为,从宏观角度上看,宗教是青少年认同发展的意识形态基础;宗教为青少年提供社会化的社会环境;宗教还是青少年认同发展的重要精神背景。文章还以仪式和祈祷为例,从微观角度分析了宗教崇拜对青少年认同发展的作用和意义。