White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. How would you define privilege? Can you think of examples from your own life or observations in which privilege was evident?

Teaching Suggestion: You might begin a discussion about the concept of privilege by asking students to share their understanding of the term. Encourage them to think about different forms of privilege (racial, gender, socioeconomic, etc.) and how these might manifest in everyday life. This will help prepare them for the themes discussed in McIntosh’s essay.

• The article “What Is White Privilege, Really?” from the Southern Poverty Law Center provides a clear explanation of privilege, particularly white privilege. Because it is a somewhat lengthy article, you might assign sections to individual groups or pairs and then ask them to share a summary with the class.
• The “Diversity Toolkit: A Guide to Discussing Identity, Power and Privilege” from the University of Southern California provides a detailed curriculum with activities and discussions for exploring privilege in various settings. This toolkit is intended for groups of 10 to 60 people and covers a wide range of topics from identity to power and privilege, and it can be adapted to fit the needs of different groups.