Disclaimer
While the creative team behind this guide occupies some of the marginalized identities referenced, we do not occupy all of them. We have worked together to provide quality resources that are relevant to anti-oppression education and work, but we are not immune to the limits of our own biases, privileges, and perspectives.
We recognize that a large part of anti-oppression work is being willing to respectfully listen to the perspectives and experiences of others, and we welcome any feedback on the guide, especially from those who identify as a member of one of the marginalized communities listed.
Library Technical Assistant
Library Technical Assistant
Anti-Oppression Books in Odum Library
Introduction
"Anti-Oppression is a commitment to dismantle systematic violence inflicted on marginalized communities, often benefiting the powerful. This violence may be emotional, economic, physical, environmental, psychological, or generational."
This guide provides resources to those who wish to learn about and combat oppression of various kinds in our society by embracing diversity, equality, and inclusion, and rejecting social constructs that discriminate and oppress. This isn't a comprehensive document, but rather a starting place for finding information about these topics. Each tab contains a variety of resources, from peer-reviewed academic works to the lived experiences of people from the represented communities. Much like issues of oppression and social justice, this guide isn't static and will evolve over time in order to reflect changes in our society.
Anti-oppression work does not happen alone: this guide would not be possible without Robert Griggs-Taylor, Amanda Broyles, Danielle Costello, Michael Holt, Crystal Miller, and Jessie Whitten. If there are resources you would like to recommend for the guide or if there are resources that are problematic, please contact Crystal Miller or Amanda Broyles.
Land Acknowledgement:
Valdosta State University is located on the ancestral lands of the Creek/Muskogee Tribe. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/creek-indians/
Resources at VSU
- Civil Rights Digital LibraryThe Civil Rights Digital Library covers the history of this movement from 1954-1970 through the use of the three following features: a digital archive of 30 hours of historical news film drawn from two television stations and television archives held by the University of GA, a virtual library of material on the movement drawn from the collections of 75 libraries and organizations around the U.S., and instructional materials to aid teachers in using this material.
- LGBTQ+ RightsThis collection consists of materials relating to the gay rights movement in America from 1950 until present day, including an interactive timeline, as well as subject-coded court cases, scholarly articles, books, pamphlets, reports, and more.
- Race Relations AbstractsArticles that focus on the relationship between races (ethnic studies, discrimination, immigration studies, etc.)
Part of the Database Offerings in GALILEO, Georgia’s Virtual Library - SocINDEX with Full TextScholarly full-text articles in multiple subdisciplines of sociology, including abortion, criminology & criminal justice, demography, ethnic & racial studies, gender studies, marriage & family, political sociology, religion, rural & urban sociology, social development, social psychology, social structure, social work, socio-cultural anthropology, sociological history, sociological research, sociological theory, substance abuse & other addictions, violence, and many others.
Part of the Database Offerings in GALILEO, Georgia’s Virtual Library. - Sociological CollectionArticles within the sociology field. The database provides information on all areas of sociology, including social behavior, human tendencies, interaction, relationships, community development, culture, and social structure.
Part of the Database Offerings in GALILEO, Georgia’s Virtual Library. - Sociology DatabaseArticles in the sociology and social services fields.
Part of the Database Offerings in GALILEO, Georgia’s Virtual Library - Southeastern Native American DocumentsContains approximately 2,000 documents and images relating to the Native American population of the Southeastern United States.
Part of the Database Offerings in GALILEO, Georgia’s Virtual Library.
All links will take you to BlazerLink:
This list may be incomplete. If there is a campus organization that should be included please email Amanda Broyles or Crystal Miller.
Additional Resources
Ableism: discrimination or prejudice against individuals with disabilities
Activism: a doctrine or practice that emphasizes direct vigorous action especially in support of or opposition to one side of a controversial issue
Addiction: a compulsive, chronic, physiological or psychological need for a habit-forming substance, behavior, or activity having harmful physical, psychological, or social effects and typically causing well-defined symptoms (such as anxiety, irritability, tremors, or nausea) upon withdrawal or abstinence; the state of being addicted
Ageism: prejudice or discrimination against a particular age-group and especially the elderly
Ally: one that is associated with another as a helper : a person or group that provides assistance and support in an ongoing effort, activity, or struggle; often now used specifically of a person who is not a member of a marginalized or mistreated group but who expresses or gives support to that group
Classism: a belief that a person's social or economic station in society determines their value in that society; prejudice or discrimination based on class; the systemic oppression of the lower class and middle class to the advantage of the upper class
Diversity: the condition of having or being composed of differing elements; the inclusion of people of different races, cultures, etc. in a group or organization
Equity: justice according to natural law or rights, specifically freedom from bias or favoritism
Inclusion: the act of including; the state of being included; the act or practice of including and accommodating people who have historically been excluded (as because of their race, gender, sexuality, or ability)
Intersectionality: the complex, cumulative way in which the effects of multiple forms of discrimination (such as racism, sexism, and classism) combine, overlap, or intersect especially in the experiences of marginalized individuals or groups
Microaggression: a comment or action that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalized group (such as a racial minority)
Oppression: unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power; a sense of being weighed down in body or mind
Pedagogy: the art, science, or profession of teaching
Queerphobia: (or homophobia) a systemized discrimination or antagonism directed against queer/LGBTQAIP+ persons
Salem State University Anti-Oppression Libguide
Racism: a belief that race is a fundamental determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race; behavior or attitudes that reflect and foster this belief
Reproductive Justice: the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities
SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective
Sanism: (also called mentalism or neuro-discrimination) a systematized discrimination, antagonism, or exclusion directed against neurodivergent people based on the belief that neurotypical cognition is superior
Salem State University Anti-Oppression Libguide
Sexism: prejudice or discrimination based on sex, especially discrimination against women; behavior, conditions, or attitudes that foster stereotypes of social roles based on sex
Sizeism: discrimination or prejudice directed against people because of their size and especially because of their weight
Transphobia: irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against transgender people
Xenophobia: fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners or of anything that is strange or foreign
What is Privilege?
Looking for even more resources? Check out our Additional Anti-Oppression Resources page.
