Invisible Knapsacks
Overview
This activity uses independent reflection and small-group discussion to guide students in understanding white privilege as a concept and recognizing the ways their relationship to whiteness benefits or disadvantages them and impacts daily life. Students will also examine characteristics of white supremacy culture, examining the link between white privilege and white supremacy. If you as an instructor need a refresher or introduction to privilege before leading this activity, please review “An Instructor’s Guide to Understanding Privilege.” If you have not yet facilitated the “Examining Privilege Lists” activity, please consider it as an introductory activity before engaging in this activity.
Peggy McIntosh defines her white privilege “as an invisible package of unearned assets that I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I was ‘meant’ to remain oblivious. White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools and blank checks.” Layla F. Saad describes the relationship between white privilege and white supremacy – white privilege is the “reward that white and white-passing people receive in exchange for participating in the system of white supremacy […] voluntarily or involuntarily.” White persons cannot escape the benefits of white privilege and must be able to name and understand the benefits that such privilege confers to do any meaningful work in dismantling the systems of oppression that benefit whites and disadvantage Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC). This Invisible Knapsacks activity is an introductory activity in which white people can begin to do the work of addressing white privilege and its connection to white supremacy.
Activity Goals:
- To help students understand the concept of white privilege and how white privilege in the context of white supremacy benefits white people while harming BIPOC people.
- To prompt students to recognize and reflect on their own relationship to whiteness and by the end of the activity, be able to identify how white privilege influences daily life, offering examples from their own experiences.
- To begin to illuminate the larger impact of privilege on daily life and how it relates to oppression as well as have a greater understanding of the need for individuals to engage in allyhood behaviors.
Anti-Racist Pedagogy Principles:
The following anti-racist pedagogy principles are incorporated into this resource guide. For a review of the principles, visit our Practicing Anti-Racist Pedagogy homepage.
- Principle 2: Anti-racist pedagogy centers both structural and personal manifestations of racism
- This activity has students think about white privilege and white supremacy on an individual and institutional level by discussing their experiences at U-M.
- This activity has students think about white privilege and white supremacy on an individual and institutional level by discussing their experiences at U-M.
- Principle 3: Anti-racist pedagogy disrupts racism whenever/wherever it occurs
- Discussing and reflecting on white privilege and white supremacy is an important step in engaging in anti-racism. Acknowledging their existence and how they operate in different spaces is a key component to engaging in disruptive practices.
- Discussing and reflecting on white privilege and white supremacy is an important step in engaging in anti-racism. Acknowledging their existence and how they operate in different spaces is a key component to engaging in disruptive practices.
- Principle 4: Anti-racist pedagogy seeks change within and beyond the classroom
- Although this activity takes place within a classroom setting, the discussions and reflection extend beyond the classroom. This activity provides an opportunity to practice reflexivity and examine positionalities as instructors and students. Students also discuss how white privilege and white supremacy show up on campus.
- Although this activity takes place within a classroom setting, the discussions and reflection extend beyond the classroom. This activity provides an opportunity to practice reflexivity and examine positionalities as instructors and students. Students also discuss how white privilege and white supremacy show up on campus.
- Principle 6: Anti-racist pedagogy focuses on the importance of process over time
- This activity is not intended to be a one-off lesson. As mentioned in the Implementation section, revisiting this activity throughout the semester is encouraged. Revisiting this activity will help students make additional connections to how white privilege and white supremacy show up in and outside of the classroom.
Application in a STEM Course:
Research has shown that exposure to diverse perspectives and meaningful engagement with peers from different backgrounds can broaden a student’s community and perspective. In this activity, discussing different types of privilege acts as a driver to opening up student perspectives. Taking the time to discuss privilege in a STEM course can highlight the disparities that exist between groups within the STEM field and can foster inclusivity of perspectives from all students.
