soppressi

Soppressi is an Italian term that can function as a noun or an adjective meaning “the oppressed” or “the suppressed.” It is the masculine plural form of the past participle of sopprimere, used to describe people or groups subjected to domination, coercion, or suppression. The feminine plural would be soppresse, while the singular masculine is soppresso and the singular feminine is soppressa.

In social and political contexts, soppressi denotes individuals or communities who experience oppression due to power imbalances, including class, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or political status. The concept of oppression is often analyzed as a structural condition embedded in institutions, laws, and social norms rather than simply as a series of individual acts. Scholars examine how systems of power produce and reproduce disadvantages such as limited access to resources, representation, or autonomy.

Historically, oppressed groups have included peasant classes in feudal and colonial societies, enslaved peoples, racial and ethnic minorities, indigenous populations, political dissidents, and others who face systematic marginalization. In contemporary discourse, the term appears in debates on civil rights, social justice, and human rights, sometimes alongside or interchangeably with the related Italian term oppressi, which is more common in many texts.

Notable related works include Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed, translated into Italian as Pedagogia degli oppressi, illustrating how oppression informs education and emancipation. See also oppression, suppression, and social justice.