5 Assignment 08

In “Learning from the Outsider Within: The Sociological Significance of Black Feminist Thought,” Patricia Hill Collins argues that oppression fostered a double consciousness in African American women in which they identify their roles as servants imposed by the oppressive structure, but at the same time, African American women developed a hidden consciousness about themselves that separated  from the external definition of who they are as human beings. African American women possess the characteristics of a “stranger”, and observant participant that is detached from within the group, and that detachment provides them with the framework of analysis to explain relations of power.

Black feminist consciousness and culture raises from their opposition to their imposed roles as servants. They identify  oppression, patriarchy, and tension on socially constructed definitions of race, gender, and social class. The thought of black feminist women denotes activism in itself, which rejects the definitions that subjugate their identities as women. Black women are outsiders because they do not want to conform to socially defined norms. They self protect their hidden “true self” identities, which are different from the objectified other.  Black women self -valuate their womanhood, the roles in the family, the churches and creative expression, which produces knowledge and  redefines culture within the “outsider” group.

However, the framework of analysis that black feminist posses is provided by their resistance to oppression, from the inheritance of their past as a subordinated group that was excluded from political right, deprived  from social participation in women’s movements, denied of economic freedom, and impeded intellectual development. Black feminist groups and their stand point reveal an important criticism to our culture and to the Sociology Science because privileged male have dominated the production of true, knowledge and reality, but the standpoint of the white privilege “insiders” is the standpoint of those who have the power. Nevertheless, the black feminist paradigm is a resource to any subordinated group to measure power relations and to identify its effects in society.

Patricia Hill Collins describes how “outsiders” contribute to society and culture. She points out an interesting view about people having “outsider within” status. According to Collins, experience of black women as outsiders, highlights tension in a powerful insider community. Living in “outsider within status” is a brutal form of existence. On one level, that status gave benefits to black women. They were seen as domestic, nurturing and caring. Therefore, in positive views, they could gain self-affirmation in white families. However, on the other hand, there were invisible walls between white families and black women, and they could never belong to them. They suffered from dilemma in self, family, society issues and the reality was often obscured by orthodox. It is shown that somehow they were in both “outside in” and “inside out” status and experienced nearness and remoteness at the same time. In her article, it shows that it is not only black women that were suffering from “outsider within” status. White women were also treated as inferior in homes. However, according to the article, if white women were considered as dogs to their male members of the house, black women were considered as mules. The oppression was in different forms for each group, but they were both treated as subordinate and dehumanized. Also, black men were fighting for their rights as they were suffering from discriminated in society. However, they shared some space with white men because they had commonality as having “manhood.” Black women were in the bottom of the hierarchy because they could not be in the same category as white males, who dominated the society. Therefore black feminism was for both racial and sexual equality. By Collins’s article, it could be inferred that multifaceted oppression that inferior insiders went through has obscure marginality. Any member of society could be inside that group in some sense. However, as black feminist thoughts express that by creating their own self-definition and self-valuation, they should be able to gain denied authority back.

African American women’s role as domestic workers for wealthy, elite, white families has provided them with a significant “outsider” viewpoint for culture, society and race, according to Patricia Hill Collins. Her essay, “Learning from the Outsider Within: The Sociological Significance of Black Feminist Thought,” examines the ways in which black feminists authors use the role of the outsider to examine the world from a sociological standpoint.

Collins uses Georg Simmel’s essay on the role of the outsider in sociology to provide a basic understanding of the benefits of being an outsider. According to Simmel, outsiders have a special type of objectivity, which allows them to be near and far, concerning and indifferent. Besides their objectivity, outsiders are also more trusted when someone needs to confide, meaning that they often have access to information that people within the group may not. Lastly, outsiders can use their objectivity to see patterns or situations that people immersed in the group are unable to see.

Black feminist scholars, according to Collins, are one group of “marginal intellectuals” that have the ability to promote further sociological discussions because of their unique perspective. The unique position that black women have as outsiders gives them a more complex understanding of race and class, and allows the black feminist to develop unique ideas. As outsiders, black women often see and hear things that their partners or spouses or even children would not experience, giving them a type of wiseness in regard to life. Due to their role as outsiders, black feminists promote a discourse that engages all audiences and racial groups, as well as engages sociological discussions regarding race, class, and assimilation. Black women are often discredited for their work, but they never fail to achieve academic greatness and inspiration to others. Collins essay provides an understandable context to the position of an outsider, especially regarding black women who are domestic workers.

Patricia Hill Collins uses the ideologies of Black feminist thought to prove that “outsiders” can positively contribute to the field of sociology and our understanding of society and culture. She speaks about the benefits of having “outsiders” while studying the world and different cultures within it. She says that “outsiders” have objectivity instead of subjectivity, therefore they are not biased in thought or action. In society, we tend to confide in and trust those on the outside who have no ties to people on the inside. They have no emotional ties and therefore remain indifferent in their opinions. Lastly, an “outsider’s” objectivity helps them see things people immersed on the inside would not. (Like the idea of seeing something from above to get a different view. Or talking a walk in someone else’s shoes.)

The fact that “outsiders” tend to self-valuate and self-define — which challenges defined and controlling images — helps them to resist oppression and stereotypes. Collins explains that this refusal to accept assigned roles and status as the “other” challenges societal “norms” and the reason for the domination in the first place. By describing the idea of the “interlocking nature of oppression”, Collins shows that those who deal with multiple forms of oppression (gender, race and class; therefore being female, Black and poor) have a clearer view of oppression because they are so far on the outside. They see clearly how society is organized in a specific hierarchical “norm” where whites rule Blacks, males dominate females, facts over opinions, subjects rule objects, and so on (S21).

Sociologists’ goals are to look beyond personal experiences and into the larger political, social and economic issues that affect the lives of others in our society. In order to do this, they need to immerse themselves from the outside to the inside of a strange every day life. Using an “outsider” point of view while trusting their own history and biographies makes the best researchers and helps sociologists understand society and culture in a more complete fashion.

Who are the “outsiders”? The outsiders are people specifically black women as stated in the work of Patricia Hill Collins who have faced various forms of oppression. The oppression they are subjected too has given them the ability to see the world through a different perspective. It has also granted them with knowledge that those who have never been subjected to oppression lack. The oppressive experiences held by many black women has greatly contributed to various fields of sociology, psychology, culture, and society. My response will focus on the oppression of black women.

The maltreatment of the “outsiders” has resulted in many black women banding together. Throughout the history of the world many African Americans have been mistreated by other groups, exploited, and ostracized. The unfair treatment they received from others brought many blacks closer together because not only were they all that they had but if they worked together it helped their chances of survival. Social mistreatment made strangers who only shared the same skin tone family and allies (Collins, 1986). Through a sociological perspective it is fascinating to see how in the face of hardship people band together and seek each other for comfort. Another reason many black women joined together was for psychological purposes (Collins, 1986). Many whites attempted to dehumanize blacks but their interactions with each other helped to reinforce that they were indeed humans. Just having someone be there for you helps to keep you mentally sane. The effects of sisterhood during this time contributed so much to psychology (Collins, 1986).

As their oppression continued the connection between many African Americans grew so strong that they became a community. A certain knowledge spread amongst them that they could stand against this oppression and if they stood against it with each other they would be strong. Again, this greatly contributed to sociology because many blacks saw the difficulties they faced in society and they developed themselves to combat these struggles. This is an example of how humans respond to society and this is what sociology is about. The sense of community between black women also helped them in their fight for their rights. They were excluded from many feminist movements held by white women (Collins, 1986). However, this did not stop them because they banded together in great numbers and created a loud voice that showed their oppressors that they are human and deserve human rights. Actions like this contribute to their culture.

The hardships African Americans have been subjected to has influenced and helped to create black culture. They are knowledgeable and saw how their oppression was unfair so they acted in different ways. Presently, you still hear in their music the activism against their abuse. Music is a way that they can speak to an array of people belonging to different groups and help to open their eyes to the injustices they are blind to. Another way is how they hit the streets to campaign against discrimination. They help us to better understand how society can influence the actions of people and how what we face in society can help create a culture. The “outsiders” have shown sociologists that when facing difficult times people seek the comfort of those they experience it with even if they did not know them before (Collins, 1986). They show sociologist that when faced with a common issue in society people band together to help make change in a society. The “outsiders” show psychologist that human interactions are extremely important and can even help someone survive. Lastly, the outsiders show us that a culture can be created through the shared experiences of people, the common goal they possess to make change, and through their strength.

Collins, P. H. (1986). Learning from the Outsider Within: The Sociological

Significance of Black Feminist Thought. University of California Press.

According to Collins in her essay “Learning from the Outsider Within: The Sociological Significance of Black Feminist Thought,” Black women have decrease White power by working in the households of White families as domestic workers. Black women have made an ingenious use of their “marginality” by using their outsider within status to formulate their own standpoint. Collins points out three key points: Black women’s self-definition and self-valuation, the interlocking nature of oppression, and importance of African American culture.

Black feminist thought describes and explains different observations and understanding about Afro-American womanhood. Black women’s image is associated with many stereotypes, usually negative, which form part of their self-definition and self-evaluation work to replace that stereotypical image with authentic Black female images. Self-definition and self-valuation is very important for Black women can value their own standpoint and to break down the psychological oppression imposed by white people.

Black women suffer a double oppression: for being women and for being Black. Sojourner Truth explains that even when Black men get their freedom and their rights does not mean that Black women can enjoy the same privileges because they will be still oppressed by Black men. It is this oppression that makes their standpoint essential in creating Black Feminist theory and understanding their reality. Collins also speaks the sexist and racist ideologies that predominate in treating dominated groups (the “others”), when they compare or see Black women as obstinate mules, which make the harder work and get beat for their masters, and white women as obedient dogs, which are closer to the master and he let them stay in the house. Finally, studying Afro-American women’s culture result very interesting because there is a kind of sisterhood between them that reinforces their unit as a group that have suffered discriminations, abuses and oppression for a long time.

Outsiders contribute to our understanding of society and culture through a perspective only possible when one is given access to somewhere, all parties involved understand, you don’t belong. Sociologically, outsiders maintain an objective impossible for someone personally invested and because the outsider is not usually considered a potential threat they are often granted a different kind of confidence, with a clear view of insider privilege. When specifically looking at the Black woman’s perspective we also consider the myriad of stereotypes associated with Black women, both positive and negative, and remember that all Black women are aware of these images every day of their lives. Arguing that all people are stereotyped would downplay the dehumanizing effect of the Black woman stereotypes and the efforts she must engage in to achieve self-value when surrounded by people who might easily replace you with another ‘other’. The act of self-definition is as much of a rejection of the status quo as it is a necessary assertion of human autonomy that anchors the Black female survival.

The stigma attached to Black femaleness provides a direct line to inescapable oppressive attitudes. Collectively self-redefining the values of Black women’s culture provides a creative multilayer expression of class, race and gender in the face of oppression. The importance of the interpersonal relationships of Black women with each other, their children and community work are examples of social and cultural structures that assist in relieving some of the pressure of oppression. The activism in the form of daily behavior encouragingly rejecting objectification is significant and provides an analytical response to perceptions of political and economic choice that seem out of reach for reasons outside of your control. In the field of Sociology this translates into an ability to see ‘normal’ for the anomaly it is and provides more meaningful and critical observations for social theory regarding generalizations.

In her essay, “Learning from the Outsider Within: The Sociological Significance of Black Feminist Thought,” Patricia Hill Collins argues that, “Black women’s experiences highlight the tension experienced by any group of less powerful outsiders encountering the paradigmatic thought of a more powerful insider community.” She attempts to explain this by exploring the sociological significance of three characteristic themes. She explores the themes of Black women’s self-definition and self-valuation; the interlocking nature of oppression; and the importance of Afro-American women’s culture. I shall be discussing the themes of Black women’s self-definition and self-valuation. Black women’s attempts at self-definition have led to many stereotypical views of them. Collins in her text says that Black women’s assertiveness in resisting oppression has been a threat to the status quo. In doing this, Black women have been attributed with externally defining negative traits meant to control assertive Black female behavior. The “crazy Black woman” stereotype is an example of this. These stereotypes of Black women come from distorted renderings of Black female behavior seen as most frightening to white patriarchy. Collins states that aggressive Afro-American women are feared because they challenge the white patriarchal created stereotype of femininity. Feminine traits are ways of behaving that our culture usually associates with being a girl or woman. Some words commonly used to describe femininity are dependent, emotional, passive, sensitive, quiet, graceful, innocent, weak, flirtatious, nurturing, self-critical, soft, sexually submissive, or accepting. With many black women these kinds of traits are not at all correct and masculine traits are more commonly used to describe them. Some of these would be independent, aggressive, tough-skinned, competitive, strong, self-confident, and rebellious. This way of acting in African American women scares white supremacists as it goes against the stigma for women they have created. To combat this they draw attention to the negative aspects of this outspokenness to paint African American women in a bad light, leading to the many stereotypes attributed to them that we know of today.

Thanks to the previous ways of racial domesticity, many african american women have had poignant ways of looking at white life and household realities. Working extremely closely, and sometimes living with white families while still not being part of the family was cause for an understanding that could have only come from black women of the time. Many black women were responsible for their employer’s domestic duties around the home such as cooking and cleaning, and were often considered second mothers to the white children they had such significant parts in raising. However, regardless of their hard work and importance in these households, black women were often disrespected, ignored and discriminated against, and therefore left to feel a harsh distinction between themselves and their employers. This dichotomy of physically being a firsthand witness into the daily home lives of these families, while still not being accepted and held to the same regard as white society gave black women very important and unique sociological insight on this insider/outsider way of life. It was this very up-close and personal position that made it clear to black women that blacks and whites were not separated due to intellect, intelligence, class, or anything having to do with merit. The separation was solidified as pure racism, discrimination and oppression. This not only gave african american women grounds to reject the status quo, but granted many a much stronger sense of inner strength and self-value.

This particular insight is incredibly important to the way scholars and contemporaries of modern times look back on this time period of racism because of the time period’s strong favoring of white, male ideals and interests. Both women and black people of the time were so often silenced, oppressed and denied of their voices. Therefore, this exclusive insight was crucial in the further liberation of black women.

Black women that worked for white households were able to see the differences that separated the “insiders” and the “outsiders” since they would do domestic work such as cleaning, cooking, and even taking care of the white families’ children. However, they were never considered part of the family and sometimes even ignored which made them “outsiders”. Since they were able to experience both of these worlds, it allowed black women to look at the oppression they were experiencing objectively. This lead to black women setting their own ideas about who they were and being able to see what was really oppressing them and how, which is important so that other black women could identify with something that they could relate too, such as a culture, that wasn’t seen as completely negative. These ideas helped contribute to sociology and our understanding of culture because this objective standpoint black women had allowed them to pinpoint what were actual problems that that were oppressing them in society. For example, Sojourner Truth pointed out that even if black men get their rights, black women would still be oppressed by the black men if they don’t also get theirs. Black women have a better understanding of oppression because they experience it from multiple sides instead of contradictory sides. They experience being oppressed as a woman and being oppressed as a black person,  whereas a black man might only experience being oppressed as a black person since men in general are still seen as superior. This also questions things that might not have been brought up or talked about as much such as the “white male insiderism” which fits a lot of people, including black women, into a society where the world, cultures, and how certain people and genders should act, are viewed through a white male standpoint, instead of one that represents multiple races, genders, and classes.