Thursday, October 22, 2009

thoughts on 'allyship'


Not only can the privileged be an ally to the oppressed, but the oppressed can be an ally to the privileged, at least where the privileged's privilege isn't enough to effect change against existing power structures. Specifically, for example, one might help organize immigrant labor for the economic benefit of the immigrant community as well as to counteract existing wealth entrenchment and power. If one also includes environmental imperatives as environment justice, so much the better.

A three-part system: Well-meaning progressives (privileged environmentalists/social liberals) intervening on behalf of an oppressed population for the sake of their empowerment and also for the sake of liberal ideals re: the environment. An alignment of interests.

1 comment:

Matt said...

though this sounds a bit lawrence-of-arabia-esque...