Which term describes actions or beliefs targeting a group because they are perceived as inferior?

Which term describes actions or beliefs targeting a group because they are perceived as inferior?

• A. External oppression
• B. Oppression
• C. Cultural oppression
• D. Systemic/institutional oppression

Answer: (A)

The concept here is oppression that comes from outside the targeted group—outward actions or beliefs aimed at a group because they are seen as inferior. External oppression describes when individuals or society impose discriminatory attitudes, harassment, or unequal treatment on a group, often justifying it with the belief that the group is inferior. This fits the prompt because it emphasizes deliberate or recognizable acts and ideas directed at others by those in contact with them or in positions of influence. This is more specific than oppression in general, which can include broader or less observable forms; it’s also distinct from cultural oppression, which is rooted in cultural norms and values, and from systemic/institutional oppression, which is embedded in laws, institutions, and policies. The term in focus centers on the direct, exterior expressions of bias toward the group.

The concept here is oppression that comes from outside the targeted group—outward actions or beliefs aimed at a group because they are seen as inferior. External oppression describes when individuals or society impose discriminatory attitudes, harassment, or unequal treatment on a group, often justifying it with the belief that the group is inferior. This fits the prompt because it emphasizes deliberate or recognizable acts and ideas directed at others by those in contact with them or in positions of influence.

This is more specific than oppression in general, which can include broader or less observable forms; it’s also distinct from cultural oppression, which is rooted in cultural norms and values, and from systemic/institutional oppression, which is embedded in laws, institutions, and policies. The term in focus centers on the direct, exterior expressions of bias toward the group.