Social Justice

Social Justice has been described as both a process and a goal.1

ISCOPES is oriented towards social justice as disparities in access to health information and care persist in our community. It is our responsibility as health care providers, educators, and administrators to address these disparities and take steps in our daily practice towards building a healthier community. Various factors may contribute to health inequities, and it is important to consider how issues of social justice might be involved as factors.

Common descriptions of the goals of social justice include visions of society where all members experience:1
        - equitable distribution of resources
        - physical and psychological security    
        - self-determination in balance with social responsibility
                                   
The process of social justice involves:1
        - democracy
        - inclusiveness
        - collaboration to create change
The process of social justice can be described as requiring a “power with” rather than “power over” mentality.2 The difference between “with” and “over” is vast.  “Power with” consists of building a coalition and joining together for a common goal that results in greater power. In a service context, this means that the service provider and service recipient are working side by side to effect change. On the contrary, “power over” indicates that there is an unequal dynamic where an individual, group, or organization in power has a say over another.

Learning about and taking action toward social justice requires creating and understanding theories of behavior and attitudes that shape the way we classify ourselves and how we interact with each other across these classifications. As Jones describes in her allegory, “The Gardener’s Tale,” racism can happen on internal, individual and institutional levels. Social justice involves recognizing the belief system that causes marginalization of some groups and the societal factors that perpetuate discrimination.3

In his work, “Pedogogy of the Oppressed,” Paulo Freire describes a way of thinking about social justice that applies to work in the community. Freire describes the concept of ‘praxis,’ which is “informed action [that is] linked to certain values.”4 In developing this idea, Freire sees the purpose of dialogue as a way not only to gain understanding, but also to build social capital, enhance cooperation in a community and foster mutual respect.4

Social Justice is included in the ISCOPES curriculum to help participants become aware of how issues of social justice affect the health care setting and how they may cause or perpetuate health inequities. Students are encouraged to consider how their projects and their work can address issues of social justice related to the population served by their community organization.

References

1Adams, M; Bell, LA; Griffin, P. eds. (2007) Teaching for diversity and social justice, Second Edition. New York: Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group. 

2Kreisberg, S. (1992). Transforming power: Domination, empowerment, and education.  Albany, New York: State University of New York Press.

3Jones, CP. (2000). Level’s of Racism: A Theoretic Framework and a Gardener’s Tale. Am J Public Health; 90:1212-1215.

4 Freire, P. (1972) Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Harmondsworth: Penguin.