Within your assigned small peer group, have a meaningful discussion about the de

Within your assigned small peer group, have a meaningful discussion about the definitions/usages of “social justice” To earn full credit, each student must post at least once and meaningfully engage with at least one other student’s definitions. “Meaningful engagement” means at least 150-200 words, demonstrating thoughtfulness, careful reading of another person’s work, clear writing, and evidence that required course materials (required readings, lectures) are contributing to your developing knowledge.
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What is social justice?
Similarly to our “human rights” definition exercise, I uncovered comparable obstacles to the broad term of “social justice.” When we consider the term “social justice,” we automatically align our thoughts with a society in which individuals are granted human rights, fairness, and equality; however, it defining social justice is not that simple. Many factors play a role in the definition and operation of social justice such as culture and politics.
The first article I read studied social justice in the context of educational psychology. The authors largely referred to “social justice” as an agenda, thus insinuating that social justice is a concept still underway. During their study, researchers noticed that participants were having “conflicting opinions as to whether social justice should be perceived as a vision or a set of values” (Schulze et al., 2019, p. 386). This is worrisome because a vision indicates a passive thought whereas a set of values is an active, and livable concept. The way in which individuals define the ideology of social justice, such as a vision or set of values, demonstrates how social justice is approached in the world.
Cammaerts article described the abormalization of social justice in the UK. This article was very enlightening as it lead me to discover the political weaponization of social justice and “woke culture.” Cammaerts states “this abnormalisation is achieved by strategically instigating moral panics and creating a false sense of crisis with a view of bedeviling social justice struggles as politically deviant, dangerous, sinister, insidious, evil and an imminent danger to British society” (Cammaerts, 2022). In this context, we see how social justice can be weaponized by certain parties to induce fear mongering. As we saw in our research to define human rights, governments are in a position to politicize social justice and control the operation of the agenda. This is dangerous, as some parties are ignorant in their refusal to acknowledge the validity of social injustices.
Finally, the most creative concept of social justice I studied was in Washington’s article regarding the integration of rap music and social justice counseling. The author suggests that using Elligan’s rap therapy is a innovative way to engage with the younger population therapeutically regarding their social injustices. Washington states “through Hip-Hop culture and rap music, social justice counselors could examine, for example, how converging social and political apparatuses- the disproportionate impact of zero-tolerance pre-K-12 disciplinary policies, the hyper-policing of Black neighborhoods, the school-to-prison pipeline, the prison industrial complex, and mass incarceration- impinge on the life chances of Black males (2018, p. 100). This article highlighted the way music can inform the public on social injustices as well as function as a form of comforting therapy to those who are marginalized.
Overall, all of these definitions and contexts relay that there is no solid, global understanding of the term “social justice.” Social justice can be altered depending on cultural or political backgrounds. While each of these definitions attempt to explain the importance of advocacy and equality, there is international format on how to achieve “social justice.”
References
Cammaerts. (2022). The abnormalisation of social justice: The “anti-woke culture war” discourse in the UK. Discourse & Society, 33(6), 730–743. https://doi.org/10.1177/09579265221095407Links to an external site.
Schulze, J., Winter, L. A., Woods, K., & Tyldsley, K. (2019). An International Social Justice Agenda in School Psychology? Exploring Educational Psychologists’ Social Justice Interest and Practice in England. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 29(4), 377–400. https://doi.org/10.1080/10474412.2018.1531765Links to an external site.
Washington. (2018). Integrating Hip‐Hop Culture and Rap Music Into Social Justice Counseling With Black Males. Journal of Counseling and Development, 96(1), 97–105. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.12181Links to an external site.