Privileged Pursuits of Social Justice: Exploring Privileged College Students' Motivation for Engaging in Social Justice

Abstract

The author of this article explores the motivation factors that lead privileged college students to be involved in social justice efforts. The students participating in this study identified multiple reasons for their initial and continued involvement in social justice work, but all students identified three main sources of motivation: responding to guilt, understanding self as a resource, and being rewarded for social justice work. The students held various attitudes, feelings, beliefs, and understandings about these motivational sources that indicated self-interest was a key component of motivation for their support of social justice. Following a mutual perspective of self-interest, the students disrupted the notion that doing what benefits self must come at a cost to others.