Looking at the World Through the Lens of Social Justice

When we look at issues in this class, I want you to look at them through the lens of social justice.  What is this lens?

Participatory Democracy

Access - open and available to all

Access is the gateway to inclusion and participation. It hinders or enables an individual or group to take part. As teachers, we recognize the inherent socially just nature of the public education system and strongly voice our concerns to ensure that all students have real access

to all programs and educational opportunities. Institutions only open to a privileged or select few have a high social injustice quotient. Restricted societies close off opportunities.

Transformative Practice

Agency - intension to effect change

Agency means that individuals know their rights. They have the capacity and the ability to voice their concerns and to take actions that create change for the better. Learning how to think critically about the world is a key strategy to develop their agency. In conjunction, a social justice education is imperative for developing socially responsible, democratic participation in a civil society.

Civil Society

Solidarity Action - collectively working for change

Solidarity action refers to working with others to act for the collective betterment. It requires us to recognize injustice, to work across differences to find a common ground, and to achieve equity. Solidarity action requires coalition building within a group and networking with other groups. Examples of skills that help to achieve solidarity action can include empathy, co-operation, coalition building, and effective mediation and conflict-resolution skills.

Systemic Change

Advocacy - skills to effect change

Advocacy is a deliberate process of influencing outcomes so that change can occur. It requires a set of skills that allows a person to understand a problem and effect change using varied strategies and tactics. Developing the skills to successfully advocate for oneself or on behalf of others involves awareness (knowing what’s happening), analysis (seeing the different parts, their impact, and the importance to the whole), and action plans (knowing what to do and how to do it). Action plans include a purpose, a message, a way to express the message, and an audience. Advocacy can be done individually or in groups.

Invoking these concepts, we challenge the control of elites, whether they are ruling classes in society or the power structures in our work places. We also must look inside to examine how our own privilege affects our values and actions. These are some ways we choose to do socially just work and the means by which we will achieve greater equity.

Here is a checklist that you can use to assess whether programs, resources, events, and so forth meet the criteria of the social justice lens. If not, you may want to identify alternatives that do satisfy these criteria. Note that some criteria may not apply to the specific item you are evaluating. 

Access

❏ values a welcoming and inclusive approach to all people equally

❏ values openness to the ideas and opinions of others as equal participants

❏ teaches the value of multiple perspectives

❏ demonstrates respect for democratic processes and civil society

❏ values community and co- operation

❏ responsive to all others equally

Agency

❏ develops understanding of one’s right to create change

❏ encourages belief in one’s ability to affect one’s own reality

❏ nurtures action and empowerment of everyone equally

❏ develops ability to think critically about social problems

❏ develops leadership skills

❏ values recognition and respect for the agency of others

❏ actively encourages leadership in working towards positive change that benefits everyone

❏ encourages people to find their own voice

❏ empowers people 

❏ values participatory democracy 

❏ contributes to the development of ability to participate in the world 

❏ contributes to the development of ability to change the world

Advocacy

❏ builds skills needed to effect systemic change using various strategies

❏ develops an understanding of one’s position and privilege in society

❏ develops awareness of social realities

❏ develops analytical ability 

❏ develops awareness of how to respond to make change 

❏ develops voice and agency to enhance the ability to influence outcomes

❏ empowers the voice of disenfranchised and minorities

Solidarity action

❏ promotes transformative work for the betterment of others

❏ nurtures an understanding that an injury to one is an injury to all

❏ values co-operation and coalition-building

❏ works across differences to find common ground

❏ advocates broad interconnections and common goal-setting and actions

❏ shows recognition of the strength in unity

❏ shows effectiveness in mediating and resolving conflict to build alliances

❏ encourages collaboration with disenfranchised or minorities

❏ nurtures ability to take action with empathy

Let's look at a simple example:  How is education in our school?