Social Justice Movements Research Articles

Tricontinental Reverberations: Anti-Imperialist Solidarity in the International War Crimes Tribunal on Vietnam

Abstract In 1967, amid the U.S. war in Vietnam, distinguished leftist intellectuals and activists gathered in Sweden and Denmark to establish the first citizens’ tribunal. Initiated by the philosopher Bertrand Russell, the purpose of the International War Crimes Tribunal (iwct) was to put the U.S. government on trial for its military actions in Southeast Asia. This article has two objectives. First, it argues that this activist endeavour was embedded in a larger internationalist movement against Western imperialism, namely Tricontinentalism, of which the war in Vietnam was a connecting factor. Second, the article investigates the tribunal as a manifestation of the solidarity that the New Left in the West maintained with revolutionary movements in the Third World. It aims to show the utility of the theoretical concept of political solidarity, most thoroughly elaborated by Sally J. Scholz, for the global history analysis of social justice movements. At the same time, it contends the necessity of additional parameters when studying manifestations of political solidarity in a post- and settler-colonial context, drawing on new scholarship on colonial-sensitive solidarity. By carving out the specificities of this case of activism on the theoretical ground, this investigation also highlights the importance, advantages, and pitfalls of political anti-imperialist solidarity.

Social justice movements in the expansion of the Afro-Brazilian fashion market

Fashion in the twenty-first century has been heavily impacted by social justice movements. Given this scenario, this article aims to discuss the reflexes that the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement caused in the global fashion industry from the year 2020, especially in Brazil. From the analysis of the events that motivated this movement, as well as a critical reading of the Brazilian historical-social formation context, I seek to present the emerging brands of racialized creators that are being highlighted at São Paulo Fashion Week, one of the most important fashion events in the country and Latin America.

Surfacing solidarity praxis in transdisciplinary research for blue justice

ABSTRACT In this article, we centre the knowledge and contributions of environmental justice social movements towards transformations for sustainability in Transdisciplinary Research. Scholar activists within research teams can help bridge networks of scholars with social movement networks to build strongly engaged and relational transdisciplinary research. We draw on reflections and learnings from the Coastal Justice Network, a scholar activist network working in solidarity with small-scale fishers and other blue justice movements in South Africa. We discuss some of the alignments, possibilities, and tensions inherent in this mode of TD research. Lastly, we suggest approaches for bridging the academic-activist divide within TD ocean research, including the inclusion of scholar activists who have established relationships with social movements in TD teams; ensuring adequate time and learning spaces for developing relational capacities such as reflexivity and solidarity; and embracing and learning from the messy politics of alliance building.

The racial economy of Instagram

AbstractThis paper explores the mechanisms of white supremacy within digital spaces in relation to the body/embodiment, social justice movements, and the nature and expression of contemporary feminism. New digital political economies work through social media such as Instagram to colonise, disempower and obscure the work of Black feminists in the sphere of fat liberation (re‐framed as ‘body positivity’), and in terms of imperatives for self‐care, which have been co‐opted by an emerging online wellness industry. I call to account the pervasiveness of neoliberal logics which are re‐shaping (post)feminism and re‐inscribing white supremacy onto bodies online and offline through ‘disciplined whiteness’.

‘Ahí fuimos jalando gente’: transnational Latina mothers’ enactments of navigation and resistance in hyper-gentrified dual-language schools

This study explores the experiences of middle-class transnational Latina mothers whose children are enrolled in gentrified dual-language ­programs. Drawing upon the theory of differential consciousness, I explored how these mothers’ own complex identities informed their navigation of conflicting discourses that position dual-language education on one hand as part of an anti-racist, social justice movement, and conversely as a neoliberal enrichment tool that confers a competitive social advantage for privileged children. Ultimately, this paper highlights how mothers engaged differential consciousness to shift between these ideologies strategically, centering community and working to expand access to these programs to other Spanish-speaking and transnational families. In doing so, they increased racial and linguistic diversity—but not socioeconomic diversity—in these programs. This study argues for the importance of considering multiple dimensions of parent identity in dual-language programs, and for continually acknowledging the key role social class plays in families’ experiences of and access to these programs.

The Atlantic Slave Trade: Forced Migration and Its Lasting Impact

"The Atlantic Slave Trade: Forced Migration and Its Lasting Impact" delves into the profound and lasting repercussions of this historical tragedy. Spanning over four centuries, the Atlantic Slave Trade forcibly relocated millions of Africans to the Americas, reshaping societies on both sides of the Atlantic. This research investigates the historical context, economic motives, and mechanisms that fueled this trade, while examining its devastating consequences on African societies, including demographic disruption, economic upheaval, and cultural transformation. Furthermore, it explores how enslaved Africans in the Americas played pivotal roles in shaping the New World's industries, culture, and social structures. The study delves into abolition movements, the end of the trade, and the enduring legacies of slavery, including racial disparities, systemic racism, and contemporary social justice movements. Through case studies and comprehensive analysis, this research underscores the ongoing relevance of the Atlantic Slave Trade, emphasizing the critical need to acknowledge and address its profound and enduring impact on the present-day social, economic, and cultural landscapes.

Answerability in computer-assisted language learning: a critical examination of social justice research from a decolonial perspective

Abstract In this conceptual article, the author introduces decolonization as an alternative to social justice frameworks. As stakeholders in second language (L2) teaching, the author stresses decolonization as a means for L2 researchers to work against colonial practices in educational research, which negatively impact historically disenfranchised communities. Specifically, Patel’s (Patel, Leigh. 2016. Decolonizing educational research: From ownership to answerability. New York: Routledge) answerability framework is introduced as a practical method to support decolonization in L2 research. The article is made up of four main sections. The first section explains the concept of settler colonialism and highlights how it is ingrained in educational research. In the second section, the author defines decolonization and distinguishes it from the more popular social justice movement. In the third section, the author summarizes four computer-assisted language learning (CALL) papers which were featured in a recent special issue on the topic of social justice. The author then provides a critical analysis of the reviewed studies from a decolonial perspective in the fourth and final section, while also suggesting ways in which researchers and educators can re-orient their work towards decolonization.

Glued on for the grandkids: The gendered politics of care in the global environmental movement

AbstractThis paper explores the gendered politics of care in global environmental activism. Drawing on interviews with 96 Extinction Rebellion activists worldwide and a close analysis of 10 older women within this dataset, we contend that ‘care’ both replicated and contradicted the patriarchal order. Older women in Extinction Rebellion have often been relied upon to take on much of the caring labour involved in the maintenance of the movement at local and national levels. However, care also involved these women undertaking powerful—and empowering—forms of political action, often grounded in their knowledge and experience of organising social justice movements over decades. In contrast to prior research in the area, we found that women's participation in leadership roles within the movement against climate change appears to have increased over time. Using Sara Ahmed's (2004) concept of affective economies, we argue that the emotion of care came to be accumulated and attached to older women within Extinction Rebellion, producing inequalities in expectations for who would ‘care for the movement’ while also opening up opportunities for empowerment.

How and why to use ‘vulnerability’: an interdisciplinary analysis of disease risk, indeterminacy and normality

In recent years, ‘vulnerability’ has been getting more traction in theoretical, professional and popular spaces as an alternative or complement to the concept of risk. As a group of science...

Social movements in defense of public water services: the case of Spain

In several cities and regions in Spain there has been a fight against privatization of water supply in the past decade. Some cities have decided to re-municipalise water supply and debates about implementing the human right to water and sanitation have been held in many parts of Spain, following the success of the Right2Water European Citizens' Initiative. This paper examines how the European “Right2Water” movement influenced struggles for access to and control over water in Spain from a political ecology perspective. It explores how “Right2Water” fuelled the debate on privatization and remunicipalization of water services and what heritage it has left in Spain. We unfold relationships with and between water movements in Spain—like the Red Agua Publica—and relationships with other networks—like the indignados movement and subsequently how water protests converged with austerity protests. In different places these struggles took different shapes. By deploying five case studies (Madrid, Valladolid, Terrassa, Barcelona, and Andalucía), we look at how the human right to water and sanitation framework served as a tool for social and water justice movements. Struggles for water justice in Spain are ongoing and we seek to identify the temporarily outcomes of these struggles, and whether power balances in Spain's water services provision have shifted in the past decade.

Radical Feminist Rhetoric and Terrorism: The May 19th Communist Organization

Scholars have historically focused on explaining terrorist groups by reference to a variety of external factors believed to prompt politically motivated acts of violence. This essay seeks to extend and sharpen these insights. First, members of the May 19th Communist Organization were alienated by contemporary social justice movements. The members developed strong affective bonds with revolutionary figures which created a sense of differential belonging. Second, their commitment to a Marxist-Leninist utopian ideal functioned as an encyclopedic myth. These two elements provided them with a specific sense of agency, and established a rationale for violence. Several implications follow from these observations.

Midwifing Social Movements: How Movement Chaplains Practice Pastoral Theology Through Accessible, Critical, and Collective Spiritual Care

ABSTRACT In recent years, individuals of myriad religious and spiritual persuasions have volunteered to serve as chaplains to social justice movements. Drawing on a thematic qualitative text analysis of online materials, I argue that movement chaplains enact the work of pastoral theology when they render spiritual care more accessible, critical, and collective. I delineate two resources that an analysis of movement chaplaincy contributes to pastoral theology. First, movement chaplains model the integration of the ethics of care and spiritual care practices. Second, they offer a generative metaphor for the work of pastoral theology: that of accompanying midwife. As the field grapples with the implications of a changing religious landscape, movement chaplaincy challenges us to develop a pastoral theology that cares for souls across a plurality of religious (dis)affiliations and that accompanies those souls as they endeavor to birth spiritual lives that nourish and sustain.

Exploring Women’s Marathon Participation in the United States, 1980-2019

Over 45 percent of participants in U.S. marathon events identify as women (World’s Largest, n.d.), a noteworthy development considering women comprised just 11% of participants in 1980 (Ryder, 2013). Most U.S. women competing in marathon events also identify as white and middle class, indicating significant racial and socio-economic divisions in this growth in participation. The rise in U.S. women’s marathoning is linked to historical changes in the late twentieth century, particularly the passage of Title IX, movements for social justice and women’s liberation, and the commercialization and marketization of running events. How does the increase in women’s participation relate to performance rates in organized marathon events? To better understand the historical and sociocultural factors associated with U.S. women’s engagement in marathoning, this article examines the performance statistics and demographics of the top U.S. women marathon runners from 1980 to 2019 in three major marathon events in the country: New York City, Boston, and Chicago. Results demonstrate the age of high performing female marathon runners has increased significantly during the period, while race time has decreased significantly, and top performers have been largely white. These findings are discussed and contextualized with respect to historical and sociocultural factors surrounding the growth in U.S. women’s marathon participation.

Reporting on Black Lives Matter in 2020: How Digital Black Press Outlets Covered the Racial Uprisings

George Floyd’s fatal police encounter sparked the largest social justice movement in American history. Black press journalists in the United States found themselves documenting and coping with Black trauma as they performed their duties in pandemic-mandated isolation. Through semi-structured interviews with digital Black press journalists, this study, which was conducted between 2020 and 2021, explores the reporting and personal strategies these journalists deployed during tumultuous times. We found they (1) provided humanizing and ongoing social justice coverage; (2) relied on Black experts, activists, and their readers as sources; (3) created social media content that appealed to Black and non-Black audiences; and (4) cared for each other and readers to build intracultural support. Our findings illuminate how the digital Black press practiced “movement journalism,” an approach that centers oppressed people and counters protest paradigm-style coverage.

A case study of three communities – Indigenous Women, jurisprudence and Climate Justice

abstract The women of the Ogoni Tribe in Nigeria, those of the Dongria Kondh tribe in India, and the Ogiek women from Kenya could perhaps not be more distant geographically. However, the underlying threads of courage, the determination to fight for social justice and the resistance to depredation and attacks on their ways of life weave them together. These economically vulnerable communities have been systematically discriminated against by the state and neglected by the larger society. Furthermore, their lands and livelihoods have been increasingly subject to unrelenting attacks from the ever pervasive “development”. Their resilience in the face of systematic oppression may hold relevance and important lessons for us too, as the world around becomes more complex and vulnerable, due largely to economic greed and social inequality; the effects of which are seen in and in turn hastened by climate change and environmental degradation. This article attempts to identify the common threads in the struggles of these communities and the lessons that their experiences of social and political mobilisation offer to us. Specifically, the article will focus on the role women have played and will also look to underpin these struggles and responses theoretically so their exemplary successes may be replicated to inspire similar movements across the world. In essence, the authors study commonalities intertwined between climate and social justice movements spearheaded by vulnerable women in the global South to understand and highlight their contribution to the jurisprudence of evolving movements across the world.

Palimpsests of trans rights: trans-positive stickers and the contestations of transphobia in public space

In recent years, the rights of trans people in the United Kingdom and elsewhere have been increasingly under scrutiny. This paper considers forms of resistance to Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminism (TERF) and neo-fascist gender conservative movements in Edinburgh, Scotland through an analysis of trans-positive stickers in public space. Using an archive of 461 images of trans-rights-related stickers photographed in Edinburgh between August 2018 and May 2022, we explore how trans-positive activism is publicly (en)countering transphobic politics and discourses. Our analysis begins by examining palimpsests of conflict, or the layerings of trans-positive and transphobic stickers – removed, written on, or covered up – in the materiality of public space. We then turn to the transformative potential of stickers as materials of resistance, arguing that trans-positive stickers can undermine transnormative, TERF and neo-fascist gender conservative ideologies and political tactics. Stickers offer public expressions of allyship, communicate political solidarity across social justice movements and marginalised communities, and also provide representations of non-normative trans identities and embodiments. Through this analysis, we present the political potential of stickers as important materials of public resistance that intervene in transphobic political and cultural discourses to produce trans-affirming encounters in public space.

Business and human rights, free speech, surveillance, and illiberalism: Contextualizing academic freedom as a constitutional right and an emerging freedom under international law

AbstractWith special focus on free speech, as well as on classroom surveillance (proliferating in the Covid-pandemic digital learning environment), the paper aims to identify contextual dimensions for academic freedom as a matured legal concept – and one to be assessed via a business and human rights approach, due to its peculiar position between the public and private spheres. The project is triggered by the fact that despite its widespread usage in international documents and domestic constitutions, academic freedom remains underdeveloped in terms of conceptual tools, operationalizing mechanisms, monitoring methods and benchmarking schemes. There are also competing notions on how to best conceptualize it: as an individual right, a set of requirements for autonomous institutional design, a field to be regulated for market service providers or public commodities, a tool for international policy making, or academic ranking – not to mention the challenge of how to incorporate challenges brought by social justice movements. These considerations all require different policy tools and adjacent legal targeting.

Social Justice Movements: Fighting for a better tomorrow

Social justice movements are an essential factor in driving change and ensuring equity for everyone. Globally, there are several issues prevailing that do not receive adequate attention, which causes victims to suffer. Social justice implies the idea that everyone deserves equal rights and access to good health. Unified societal efforts have the potential to tackle large-scale problems across the globe. This infographic aims to raise awareness regarding some of the issues the world is facing and presents society-driven movements as a way of calling attention to the problems and finding pathways to solutions. Examples of successful movements are mentioned in this infographic, and statistics shown prove that collective efforts are needed to ensure a safe space for everyone. This infographic also provides vital information regarding the funds raised for three movements and the number of individuals taking part in fighting for the cause.

REPERTOIRES OF CARE AND ACTIVIST SUSTAINABILITY IN U.S. SOCIAL JUSTICE ORGANIZING

Sociologists have a longstanding interest in how movements survive and how individuals persist in their activism over time (e.g., McAdam 1986; Downton and Wehr 1998; Corrigall-Brown 2011; Bunnage 2014). The role of care in activist sustainability stands out as a neglected domain for a better understanding of how movements maintain the human labor they need to survive. Some social theorists and on-the-ground activists have warned about the potentially individualizing and depoliticizing effects of “self-care” on movement culture. However, social justice movements, particularly racial justice movements, increasingly emphasize the role of healing, care, and the body in movement survival. Drawing on all 128 episodes of the Irresistible podcast (formerly the Healing Justice Podcast), its problematic founder, and its ultimate demise, I use a Black feminist framework that holds the tensions within political care to understand the conditional relationship between the functions and hazards of care within activism. Following and complementing Charles Tilly’s (1977) repertoires of contention, I develop this “repertoire of care” analytitoto better situate proliferating discourses of movement care within broader theoretical conversations around persistent activism and movement survival.

Why We Speak Up: The Effect of Preconceived Cause of Sexual Orientation on Heterosexual Engagement in the Homosexual Movement for Social Equality

Despite the increasing societal acceptance of homosexual individuals, the perception of homosexuality by heterosexual individuals is polluted by personal bias. My study observed the interaction between 422 heterosexuals and the homosexual community. First, my subjects self reported their beliefs on the determinant of sexual orientation (genetic or lifestyle). Next, they took the Activism Orientation (AO) and Sexual Prejudice (SP) Scales as a baseline measure of their relationship with members homosexual community. Subjects were randomly assigned to listen to an interview of two fictional homosexual individuals that spoke of life experience which either supported or contradicted the subjects’ self reported beliefs. Additionally, subjects were assigned to a high or low empathy condition toward the interviewee. After listening to the interview, subjects were given the choice to allocate $0 - $8,000 in support of a pro - LGBT charity. Subjects then retook the AO and SP scales to measure for significant changes in perception of homsexuals after the fictional scenario. Results indicated a significant decrease in the AO of subjects that viewed interviews that contradicted their beliefs. Additionally, subjects assigned to the low empathy condition donated significantly larger amounts. The present study has two main implications: Heterosexual individuals’ generalize their advocacy toward the LGBT community based on the actions of a singular homosexual. Furthermore, many activists naturally approach issues regarding social justice from a place of empathy, it is more sustainable to approach social justice movements from a logical perspective to allow for more meaningful and long term participation in a social justice movement.