preview

Summary Of Beverly Tatum's Argument

Decent Essays

Beverly Tatum’s Argument Beverly Tatum’s argument about the multiple identities and how many people define their self is one of the most notorious articles I've ever read. She's arguing how the areas where a person is a member of the dominant or advantaged social group, the category is usually not mentioned. That element of their identity is so taken for granted by them that it goes without comment. For example she talks about when she asked her students of color to complete the sentence “I am ….” how many of them mention their race, “I am Black, Puerto Rican, and Korean American”. But, when she asked white students to complete the sentence they rarely bring up their race. Some may ask why is it that the white students didn't bring up their race? That’s because through out the world and especially in America whites are the dominant group so they don't …show more content…

She uses her examples perfectly, and backed it up very well, they fall right into what she's trying to inform us on. People often forget about and not talk about how we are dominant in some categories but always remember how we are subordinates as you can see. The Dominant groups, by definition, set the parameters within which the subordinates operate. The dominant group holds the power and authority in society relative to the subordinates and determines how that power and authority may be acceptably used. “Miller points out that dominant groups generally do not like to be reminded of the existence of inequality. Because rationalizations have been created to justify the social arrangements, it is easy to believe everything is as it should be”(Tatum 3). Subordinates groups often find their selves trying to live above and go beyond the bar that the dominant group has set for us, and break the stereotypical thoughts that they have of

Get Access