Integrating Theory and Practice

Posted: December 21st, 2022

Integrating Theory and Practice

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Integrating Theory and Practice

Empowerment is essential in social work. Social workers put effort to empower people so they can triumph personal problems such as eating disorders, substance abuse, family illness, and the emotional problems emanating from death of a loved one, abuse, or divorce. Nonetheless, social work does not only pay attention to individuals, but also seeks to empower communities and groups, especially those with histories of marginalization and oppression (Leonardsen, 2006). Social work can and should entail advocating for regulations and policies that encourage enhanced equity and social justice. Social workers often rely on guidelines that they believe will steer their practices such as the empowerment theory, which entails utilizing intervention techniques to guide individuals towards attaining a feeling of control. People may feel neglected or helpless due to various factors, but empowerment theory pays considerable attention to how oppression adds to the awful experience (Torronen et al., 2013). The theory pays attention to helping marginalized and oppressed individuals to advance their livelihoods and well-being (Torronen et al., 2013). Thus, the empowerment theory serves as the theoretical framework for completing this study that examines the manifestation and effects of colorism in multiple mediums. The topic in this scenario focuses on the discrimination or prejudice against individuals with darker skin, often among individuals belonging to the same racial or ethnic background. Colorism is rampant and can be witnessed in various mediums and settings. Consequently, the study will examine the topic while considering its historical, ecological, ethclass, cultural, feminist, global, and critical perspectives. The wider approach of examining the matter provides a comprehensive view into the subject that impacts on individuals, communities, and societies.

Historical View

Colorism in the U.S. emerged when the enslavement was rampant. Those in charge of the enslavement process often offered preferential treatment to enslaved individuals with fairer skin complexion. While dark-skinned enslaved individuals worked outdoor performing hard labor, their fairer counterparts were assigned indoor tasks that were much lighter and less demanding. Those in charge of enslavement were more lenient to people with fairer complexion because they were usually family members (Nittle, 2021). They also forced enslaved women into sexual acts, and the fair-skinned offspring of enslaved people were the evident indications of these sexual violations. While enslavers did not formally acknowledge their mixed-race children, they enjoyed benefits and privileges that darker-skinned enslaved individuals were not privileged to enjoy. Consequently, fair skin came to be perceived as a privilege and an asset. The concept of colorism developed further moving into the mid-20^th century, especially among the Blacks who believed that those with lighter skin had a better chance to be part of a social group, and even to secure a job (Nittle, 2021). Colorism was also evident among the Latinos where light-skinned Latinos got an opportunity to serve at workstations that they could earn more than their darker counterparts. Today, colorism remains a major concern with the issue becoming serious to an extent that some people use lightening creams and chemicals to lighten their skin. The increased urge to turn one’s skin color in an attempt to enjoy the alleged benefits of being fairer has caused some Mexican-American women in various states such as Texas, California, and Arizona to encounter poisoning in an attempt to turn their complexion (Nittle, 2021). The untold suffering many people undergo could be attributed to the fear of being prejudiced or discriminated against.

Ecological View

The idea of empowerment theory comes into play in trying to understand how people cope with the realities of colorism as manifested in multiple mediums. Education at different levels and continuous encouragement has helped people to accept their complexion and at the same time urging everyone to desist from criticizing others based on their skin color (Monk, 2021). People, especially those who are at risk of becoming victims of colorism have learned the importance of developing their self-efficacy, which is the belief and confidence in oneself that they can transform their condition (Monk, 2021). Moreover, people cope with the problem by continuously gaining information and awareness that help to overcome the negative thinking associated with darker skin (Monk, 2021). People have also become more open in the way they discuss the matter and view this approach as a possible alternative for mitigating the problem that could amount to discrimination. These approaches together with others help affected individuals to cope with the realities of colorism.

It is imperative to acknowledge that power dynamics impact significantly on the relationship between people with fair and darker skins within the same community. The existing imbalance could partly be attributed to colorism as exhibited in multiple mediums because leaders sometimes fail to create policies that guide the relationship between people regardless of their background, or fail to ensure that people adhere to existing regulations (Reece, 2019). Moreover, the existence of colorism further suggest that leaders do not offer adequate guidance on how to relate to each other, and do not show concern for the potential adverse effects of a relationship where people with fairer complexion get an upper hand while those with dark skin color are discriminated against (Hunter, 2007). Consequently, leaders should be part of mitigating the problem and possibly follow the empowerment theory in their coming up with mitigation approaches.

Ethclass Perspective

Colorism as manifested in multiple media has close connection with class, ethnicity, and race. Often it is believed that those with darker skin belong to an inferior race or ethnicity. For example, in the U.S. the contention has always existed between White and Black Americans primarily due to skin color. Overall, Whites feel that their race is superior to Blacks, a belief that determined how people accessed resources and opportunities back then. For instance, Blacks, because of their color and perceived inferior race, were supposed to surrender their space to a White passenger in case the latter boards a public means of transport that was full (Alderman et al., 2012). The racial segregation resulted in the Montgomery bus boycott, which was both a social and political protest against the rule of racial discrimination and segregation that engulfed the public transport system in Montgomery (Shultziner, 2013). Even though the modern society has increasingly embraced diversity, some still link darker skin color with inferior races. Besides, darker complexion is associated with low social class. The connection between low class and dark color is evident in various contexts including, in print and digital media. It is common to see how common dark complexion is associated with low social class in films that engage characters from diverse ethnical backgrounds. For example, in People Like Us: Social Class in America (2001), Louis Alvarez and Andy Kolker examine the class system in the U.S. and the factors that contribute towards social stratification. The filmmakers show a significant relationship between social class and colorism. Furthermore, it is possible to see how colorism relate with social class in real life scenario in the way people serve in various sectors based on their complexion. Therefore, it is apparent that colorism as exemplified in various aspects has significant relationship with class, ethnicity, and race.  

Cultural Perspective

The issue of colorism as presented in various mediums intersects with culture in various ways. The practice relates with culture in the sense that particular populations tend to pay more attention to alienating people based on their skin color while others do not seem to pay much attention to this area. The effects of colorism are likely to be stronger on individuals in cultures where the form of segregation is more evident in various forms, including the way people interact with each other, media sources, literature, and other cultural practices such as marriage (Crutchfield et al., 2012). Therefore, the ideas, social behavior, and customs of a particular society or people contribute significantly towards determining whether colorism thrives and impacts on individual or groups. The adverse effects colorism has on affected individuals have compelled some cultures to develop norms, regulations, and etiquettes that determine how people relate to each other, and any violation could be deemed as acting contrary to cultural or social expectation (Keyes et al., 2020). Such frameworks contribute significantly towards preventing serious confrontations that could arise when an individual or some people think that they are being alienated because of their skin color.

Feminist Perspective

The effects of colorism impact on males and females alike. A person cannot change their complexion because they are either black or white. Consequently, one could face criticism or alienation for being darker whether they are male or female. However, there are exemptions when either a male or male would experience more or lesser segregation for being darker. Overall, women are less defensive than men are likely to become victims of criticism based on colorism (Bullitt & Farber, 2022). However, women could be more favorable in certain conditions even if they have darker complexions compared to men. For example, women are more likely to be picked to offer nursing services or to perform particular household chores regardless of their skin color. Similarly, men may be selected to perform certain duties without considering their color on the virtue of their gender. For example, whether black or white, men have a higher chance of being picked to clear a parcel of land in a group that comprises of women of different complexions. Therefore, colorism has some influence on individuals based on their gender.

Global Perspective

Colorism is not only a concern in the U.S., but also in other countries. The similarity with how the phenomenon happens in the U.S. and in other nations is that the segregation is usually targeted towards people with darker color, and appears to belong to an inferior race or social class (Wilson et al., 2021). The other similarity in the way colorism takes effect in the U.S. and in other places is that those who are likely to become victims of the segregation tend to use particular defensive mechanisms to safeguard themselves against attackers. However, whereas the African Americans and the Latinos are the major victims of colorism in the U.S. because of their evidently darker color, the practice is more apparent among people of the same race in other countries where some individuals may be darker or lighter because of their genetic composition (Craddock et al., 2018). Despite these variations it is apparent colorism happens globally.

Critical Perspective

I feel that the issue of colorism is still present in the present society and may rekindle past memories if nothing happens to salvage the issue. I feel that allowing the practice to thrive put some people at risk of being discriminated against because of their color yet it is beyond their limit to transform their complexion. Consequently, the most suitable way to prevent adverse eventualities that could occur in future is to embrace measures that would remind people that every person deserves an opportunity regardless of their skin color (Matthews & Johnson, 2015). I think that the issue of colorism deserves more attention because many people have missed valuable opportunities that would transform their lives and that of their loved ones because of their skin color. However, disregarding the call and creating room for colorism to prevail could be allowing trouble to creep in the society.  

Conclusion

Colorism is a major social concern because it prioritizes people who have fairer skin color to those with darker skin. Colorism that developed during slavery contributes towards racism and social stratification. Victims of colorism adopt various approaches as prescribed in empowerment theory to avert and cope with criticism and segregation. The analysis shows that colorism has significant connection with culture, and tend to have adverse effects in cultures that lack regulations to determine how people relate to each other regardless of their complexion. Overall, it is imperative to recognize that colorism is a major concern that requires effective mitigation to allow everyone enjoy equal chances regardless of their skin color.

References

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Toward an empathetic pedagogy of the civil rights movement. The Professional Geographer, 65(1), 171-186. doi:10.1080/00330124.2012.658728

Alvarez, L., & Kolker, A. (2001). People like us: Social class in America. USA: Center for New America Media.

Bullitt, C., & Farber, B. (2022). Gender differences in defensive style. The Journal of American Academy of Psychoanalysis, 30(1), 35-51. doi:10.1521/jaap.30.1.35.21978

Craddock, N., Dlova, N., & Diedrichs, P. (2018). Colourism: a global adolescent health concern. Current Opinion in Pediatrics, 30(4), 472-477. doi:10.1097/MOP.0000000000000638

Crutchfield, J., Keyes, L., Williams, M., & Eugene, D. (2012). A scoping review of colorism in schools: Academic, social, and emotional experiences of students of color. Social Sciences, 11(15), https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11010015

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Monk, E. (2021). The Unceasing Significance of Colorism: Skin Tone Stratification in the United States. Dædalus, the Journal of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, 150(2), 76-90. https://doi.org/10.1162/DAED_a_01847

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