Sophia Magazine vol.7 / SUMMER 2018

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CHRONICLESOF RESEARCHERS AT SOPHIA MAKIKODEGUCHIAssociate Professor, Department of English Studies#14to teaching as a Japanese in Japan. In the US, as an Asian instructor she would have to always establish her credibility with her students first before bringing up white privilege in order to avoid being seen as someone who is biased against whites. “As I and most Japanese students are members of a dominant race, most of them assume what I say is impor-tant and valid.” She explains that Japanese students have not thought deeply about this issue, resulting in little resistance. They discover the concept of privilege and can accept that there are unearned privileges.Deguchi defines privilege as unearned advantages based on social group membership. “You do not fight for it. You do not work for it. It is automatically given to you because you hap-pen to be born, say, white, male, heterosexual, or upper class.”She says being a member of a dominant group gives one privileges like not appearing threatening, not having to rep-resent her racial identity, and being seen as an individual. “I live my life without having to worry about so many things. That gives me the freedom to do things. It frees up my mind for less worrying. That is privilege.”She is not an advocate of diversity and inclusion that re-quires both the dominant and subordinate groups to find a compromise. Deguchi contends that it is the majority group-that has to change, as it is the oppressor. This conviction has inspired her to teach her course. “We all think they [minority groups] should be like us, and we can all get along once they become like us. But people should be able to be themselves, and to be themselves the dominant group has to change.” Once the dominant group recognizes that they have privi-leges, they have to let go of some of these and consciously make room for other people, she explains.Deguchi says the #MeToo movement has not caught on, Why the #MeToo Movement Has Not Caught on in Japan15Research