RACE AND OPPRESSION: PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUES IN VOLUNTARY OPPRESSION

Abstract

In my dissertation I discuss voluntary racial oppression. In my view coercion is not required for all oppressive situations. The psychologically oppressed, internalizes the expectation of inferiority and becomes one's own oppressor. This theory of oppression can best explain the situation of racial minorities in the United States. There are no laws discriminating against racial minorities. So, their oppression is not externally inflicted. I provide Sally Haslanger's theory of race. I believe in this theory of race, passing people are also victim of oppression. I discuss three harms of oppression: violence, economic oppression and stereotyping, and show that they can be both voluntarily and involuntarily inflicted. Although passing people are not victims of direct harm, they internalize the negative stereotypes and become their own oppressors. So, in order to end racial oppression, we ought to address both the political aspects of having rights and bringing everyone to the threshold level of functioning of capabilities.