Sum Blog 4

       So this week in class we discussed the old and new models of the matrix of domination and reviewed a few of the pros and cons of each view. Previous to Patricia Hill Collins, the matrix of domination model could be said to have had a point system based on classifications of people’s characteristics. At the peak of privilege sat the youthful, educated, heterosexual, protestant, married, financially stable, white, male (speaking in generalities of course).  These pinnacle traits varied place to place, culture to culture and etc. but say for our sake the traits mentioned are the highest one can ascribe/achieve. Any other trait whether skin color, disability, personal beliefs, etc. that don’t align with the ‘ideal’ then they were viewed as a handicap in a sense. Now this view of rank isn’t something specifically tangible that can be ordered with a set point system necessarily, but rather just understanding that when asking the average American who they would rather have babysit their kids; choosing between a gay, black, female, wiccan and a straight, white, protestant, male that the majority of the answers probably don’t come with a pentagram. This old model is pretty basic in this sense and doesn’t sink into the details of any situation.

The new model conceived by Patricia Hill Collins goes into more depth than the previous model. Recognizing how ideal traits weren’t all universal she based the new model off of the surrounding environment. A gay person in San Francisco wouldn’t be viewed the same as they would, if they were in the deep south, to use an example from our class. She said that all traits overlap and are interconnected. There’s blended relationship between a person’s characteristics and their environment that gives them their ‘standing’ or their ‘rank’ in society, if you will. Which is why I think aspects of both models are true, with the way people always have to classify things I would bet my life that there will always be a ranking order in traits. Patricia’s new model is just more accurate when looking at the details of what gets ranked the highest and why.