Macro-level oppression is the unjust treatment of the society towards groups of people. People within a social identity group are systematically mistreated through the support and enforcement from the society and its institutions. This level of oppression is profoundly based on the membership of a particular person in a given social identity group. Macro level oppression occurrence stems from the establishment of laws, customs and practices that systematically reflect and produce inequities whose basis is an individual’s membership to a targeted social identity group. When consequences of oppression are accrued to outlaid institutional laws, the institution is deemed oppressive without considering whether or not, the individuals maintaining such practices have oppressive intentions (Van et al, 2007, pg.42). Macro-level oppression leads to the creation of a system of invisible barriers that limit people based on their membership in un-favored groups in the society. These barriers are usually visible to only the affected individuals while they are “seemingly” not visible to the unaffected groups. The practice of macro level oppression originates from the belief in characteristic superiority and is a matter of results regardless of the intention. A number of factors have been known to promote macro level oppression; these factors include stereotypes and prejudice. Stereotypes are widespread and socially sanctioned beliefs about the target group. Stereotypes promote macro level oppression by apparently validating misinformation and beliefs. Prejudice is usually a misinformed opinion or a feeling towards a group or individual based on a single experience. Prejudice encourages macro level oppression by creating misinformed opinions on certain groups in the society. Examples of macro level oppression include instructing of sales personnel to watch black people in the store for fear of robbery and the forced sterilization of poor black, native American and Hispanic women by the government of the United States.
Bibliography
Van, W. K. S., Besthorn, F. H., & Keefe, T. (2007). Human behavior and the social environment, macro level: Groups, communities, and organizations. New York: Oxford University Press.
