Social Justice Values Research Articles

The Specifics of Political Modernization in Modern India: Between Progress and Regression

This article examines significant changes in the landscape of political life in India under the influence of the attitude towards the formation of a new India, proposed by the BJP. Criticism of the activities of the BJP and personally of the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi regarding the implementation of the policy of religious nationalism in the country is presented. The essence of the resonant statements of intellectuals that influenced the social and political life of modern India is outlined. The article focuses on the discussions that unfold around the themes of language, religion and the country's historical heritage, various interpretations of the strengthening of Indian identity. The uniqueness of the political model of India is noted, in which, as before, special attention is paid to the protection of precisely group rights, which determined and determines the behavior of politicians. The general influence of the factors of Hinduism (politicization of religion) and Casteism (politicization of a social institution) on the political life of India is revealed. It is concluded that the Indians make a choice in favor of building a national model of democracy and religious nationalism, therefore, the BJP Hindu nationalism is opposed to the secular nationalism of the INC. However, through the dismantling of the state based on the principles of equality in favor of the Hindu majority, Indians indicate that the main value is now development. Indians expect BJP and Narendra Modi to accelerate their development. Indians are ready to sacrifice the values of social equality and justice proposed earlier by M. Gandhi as the basic elements of the formation of the Indian nation. The search for the true Hindu roots of national identity in the ideological space is carried out along with the implementation of large-scale reforms aimed at forming the foundation for India's strategic leadership in the 21st century.

URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISM: SEEKING SYNERGIES

The article is devoted to the analysis of urban environmental movements in Odessa in the context of practical philosophy and the ideas of an ecological society and the ‘right to a city’. The so-called grassroots activism is developing and gaining strength in Ukrainian cities. The nature of activism is rooted in a heightened sense of justice, so caring citizens are often not limited to solving a local problem. The protest ceases to be the prerogative of politically colored movements. It turns out that even apolitical citizens, starting to improve their own and neighboring living conditions, become involved in the protest movement, which one way or another merges into a big political protest or comes down to it.As the progressive world community developed in the coordinate system to improve economic, social and environmental trends, Ukraine focused on addressing mainly economic problems. If it comes to the future, then following the economy, as intended by most Ukrainian politicians, social policy should improve. The absence of environmental policy in the country also explains the long-standing inertia of society in solving environmental problems. Extremely low is the level of environmental education, environmental awareness and culture not only of the population, but also of the heads of enterprises, government organizations.For Ukraine affected by the Chornobyl disaster, a structural transformation of the economy is now required, and it is very important to ensure sustained growth, without increasing the environmental risks. Such a concept of development is commonly called ‘green economy’ or ‘green democracy’. Green Democracy is based on the values of participatory democracy, gender equality, environmentalism and social justice.

Clinical Legal Education and the Replication of Hierarchy

Clinical legal education is now a significant and widely touted feature of every law schools’ curriculum. The 2008 recession, which resulted in fewer law jobs and fewer applicants, spurred law schools to beef up their experiential offerings, both in response to the call for “practice ready” graduates and to enhance law schools’ appeal to potential applicants. This essay explores two aspects of collateral damage that have resulted from the growth and institutionalization of clinical education. They both stem from the replication of hierarchies that have long existed in law school faculties and in the legal profession in general. First, the expansion of clinical offerings has not resulted in more clinical tenure-track positions—their number has steadily decreased. Instead, hiring has been largely through short-term fellowship, visitor or staff attorney appointments, or at best long-term contract eligible positions, without voting rights on the issues that shape the future of the institution—appointments and tenure. Thus, instead of increased integration of clinical education into the academy, a new underclass has been created within faculties, without job security or long-term academic prospects. Second, the growth of clinical education has not been consistent with its original programmatic goals of serving under-represented groups with critical legal needs. Instead, clinical education has succumbed to the popular demand for more “glamourous” practices settings, as seen by the huge growth of start-up, entrepreneurial and intellectual property clinics and the reduction in housing, government benefits and family law offerings. Thus, clinical education is replicating the legal practice hierarchies that leave poverty law at the bottom. This essay ends with recommendations to ensure that clinics are staffed in a non- exploitative manner that respects the career aspirations of junior colleagues and that clinical curricular decisions keep as a priority instilling the social justice values that have been the hallmark of clinical education.

Rethinking Civic Education in Tunisia: a Focus on School Curricula and Teacher Training

The paper explores the status of civic education in Tunisian public schools. It calls for seizing the opportunities offered by Tunisia’s transition to democracy to improve the teaching and learning of civic education. Before 2011, the Tunisian educational system was not very concerned with raising young generations on the principles and values of civic engagement, participatory citizenship, democratic participation, and social justice. Decision makers did not seem to be aware of the opportunities that young generations may enjoy inside and outside the classroom to learn about these values, and to be more actively committed to other issues, such as human rights, economic development, and the rule of law. However, the Tunisian youth have always used modern technology to keep updated about National and world affairs, and the recent huge developments in the domains of social media and citizen journalism have deepened their awareness about the lack of social justice and human rights in the country. The paper focuses on the importance of civic education in the Tunisian educational system to critically reconsider its potential role in educating the young generations on the values and principles of democracy. This is achieved through a review of two major components of the teaching/learning of civic education, namely how the subject is being taught and how the teachers are being prepared.

Toward a psychotherapy science for all: Conducting ethical and socially just research.

Much has been written in recent years regarding the integration of social justice values with psychology and psychotherapy; however, the discourse surrounding social justice perspectives related to conducting psychotherapy research is scant. Psychotherapy researchers are beholden to various professional ethical standards, laws, and policies; however, adhering to these rules and guidelines may make research ethical, but not necessarily socially or politically just. In this article, the authors build on previous work from community, feminist, positive, and multicultural psychology perspectives as well as their own experiences as psychotherapy researchers, to propose a framework for approaching psychotherapy research from an ethical and socially just position. Examples from the authors' experiences conducting psychotherapy research with incarcerated individuals, community- and school-based research with youth, and research with sexual/gender minorities are provided to illustrate theoretical principles and provide practical recommendations. Barriers to implementing such a framework to psychotherapy research, as well as strategies to manage these challenges are also discussed. In addition, the authors propose a model that can be used to develop and evaluate the social justice process and content dimensions of a research study. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Building a Social Justice Narrative for Public Health.

Public health is the place where science, policy, politics, and activism converge. Each public health issue is a snapshot where we can see the unfolding of the collective processes that define who we are, what we believe, and what we value as a society. Our professional strength is our commitment to community and social justice values, but we are challenged to effectively communicate these values in an individualistic, market-dominated society. It is this language of community, and the values it represents, that must be the core of the narrative animating a more just and healthier society. A public health perspective characterized by social justice argues that public health problems are primarily socially generated and can be predicted based on the level of injustice and inequality in a society. Thus, the solutions to such problems must be through progressive social and public health policies and are best understood as a collective responsibility shared across the various levels of society. When we can develop a narrative that effectively communicates the social justice values that are the foundation of this perspective, ours will be a society that better understands the meaning of public health and responds more appropriately to its challenges. We will then be collectively more effective in better translating our values into caring, and more effective, public policy. This will not be easy, but it will be necessary.

Finding The New Concept Of Social Justice Farm Income in Indonesia

This research aims to construct the farm income concept by considering the value of justice both social and religious. The research was conducted based on Islamic Paradigm using Kuntowijoyo’s Theory of Islamic Prophetic Social in understanding the social reality of sugar cane farmer. This research is a qualitative research method of analyzing Islamic prophetic social theory through the pillars of humanization, liberation, and transcendence. As the results of the sugar cane farmer, the study found spiritual values. The values are honesty, belief, Hablum minallah, and Hablum minannas. They are used in the formulations of justice peasants' profits by incorporating elements of Social Justice Value in to Net Farm Income formulation. This research ultimately proposes the new formulation and contributes to developing sharia agricultural accounting practices for making policies on agricultural accounting standards.

Positioning Social Justice: Reclaiming Social Work’s Organising Value

Abstract This article explores the value of social justice as a shared ethical ground for social workers worldwide. Constructions and interpretations of social justice are deeply affected by different perspectives, contested positions and unequal power dynamics. As societies become ever more diversified, these may hinder the centrality of social justice as a core value. Drawing on data collected from participants in a binational interprofessional seminar on social justice in multi-cultural societies, this qualitative study is based on interviews and visual analysis with 16 American and 15 Israeli social workers and social work students. Findings suggest that social justice remains a core value although it is both an organising and disorganising, unifying and dividing concept. The study explores the positive contribution of positionality to help gain a broader understanding of social justice and navigate challenges in implementation, practice and education in diverse and conflicted settings. Practical implications for social work practice and education are discussed.

Examining the Intersection of Social Justice and State Standards with Elementary Preservice Teachers

ABSTRACT This investigation considered the social justice perspectives and coursework of 19 preservice teachers enrolled in an elementary education program. An elementary education course required students to complete a social justice project on a current issue in education and design a lesson for their future classrooms that met a state standard. Upon completion of the project, students completed a personal reflection and engaged in a class discussion on social justice education. Three categories of projects were identified through an inductive and deductive thematic analysis. Some participants created lesson plans on their topic but ignored social justice; some participants created lesson plans infused with social justice that contradicted their personal views, and some participants created social justice lesson plans that aligned with their personal views. The analysis exposed gaps between participants’ perceptions of themselves and how they would integrate social justice topics into their classrooms. Most participants viewed themselves as social justice educators, but their social justice values did not translate into anticipated actions. Implications for teacher education are discussed.

"Spinning Their Wheels … "-Influences That Shape How Nurse Educators Teach Social Justice.

Despite institutional claims that social justice is a core professional nursing value, efforts to fulfill this claim remain uneven. The purpose of this study was to examine the circumstances that shape nursing educators' approaches to social justice. In-depth semi-structured interviews with 28 educators teaching theory courses in baccalaureate nursing programs shed light upon the influences that shape how educators integrate social justice. These include formative experiences, institutional factors, and curricular opportunities. Formative experiences include upbringing, educational background, and preparation to teach. Institutional factors consist of the type of institution, geographic location, and the specter of retention, promotion, and tenure. Finally, curricular opportunities and fit include the positioning of Community Health Nursing, fragmentation and tension between "content and context," and the "driving force" of the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX). Findings indicate that the capacity to uphold the value of social justice is shaped by experiences across the lifespan, institutional policies, and practices related to faculty hiring, development, career advancement, as well as curricular vision. This study calls for a concerted effort to enact social justice nursing education.

Theorizing a Sustainable-Holistic-Interconnected-Partnership Development Model with Feminist, Activist Lenses: Best Practices from a Community-University Service-Learning Partnership in Asian American Studies

Mindfully engaging with one another on collaborative projects and relationship building is critical for sustaining partnerships of trust and reciprocity between community-based organizations (CBOs) and institutions of higher education. This resource paper presents the Sustainable-Holistic-Interconnected-Partnership (SHIP) Development Model based on a study theorizing the organizational evolution of the ten- year community-university service-learning partnership between the Youth Education Program of the Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance and the Asian American Studies Program at California State University, Fullerton. The authors conducted a self- study intersecting their lenses as feminist activists of color and their use of qualitative methods. They found that they sustained their partnership by intentionally grounding their norms and practice in the values of democracy, equity, social justice, and liberation. The SHIP model has diverse implications for community-university partnerships and the fields of Asian American studies (AAS) and service learning.

Bioethics and Universal Vulnerability: Exploring the Ethics and Practices of Research Participation.

In this article, we advocate the adoption of universal vulnerability as a core value in bioethics. We argue that understanding vulnerability as the universal human condition-and rejecting the labelling of particular individuals or groups as vulnerable-would benefit bioethics and the research it governs. Bioethics first engaged with vulnerability in the context of participation in research and this continues to define how the value is typically understood. Thus, vulnerability is generally deployed to describe individuals (or populations), where real or perceived deficiencies limit the ability to function and to protect themselves from risks. Revisiting this initial context and the participation in research of people living with dementia, we note that the bioethical position of excluding the 'vulnerable' from research has led to major gaps in evidence and knowledge to inform care and support. Turning to universal vulnerability, we consider the research design and practices that the approach would mandate. We emphasise the importance of inclusive design and mechanisms of institutional support that enable participation. We argue that these positively impact on the scientific value of research and address social justice concerns around social inclusion. Our aim is to provoke a fundamental reassessment of how vulnerability is conceived of in bioethics.

The role of critical social work education in improving ethical practice with refugees and asylum seekers

ABSTRACTThis paper uses critical reflection as its primary methodology to research one Master of Social Work student’s former practice experiences as an Australian immigration officer. The paper contextualizes the study by offering a critical analysis of hegemonic constructions of asylum seekers in Australia, which are reflected in Australian law and policy, as well as potentially influencing social work practice. Critical reflection on one of the author’s practice provides a rich case study that reveals the tensions of government-employed social workers in restrictive environments, and the espoused social justice values of the profession. The findings hold implications for both social work education and practice, suggesting that critical social work education, and in particular, the use of critical analysis and reflection, can improve ethical practice with refugees and asylum seekers.

‘One step closer’: Acceptability of a programme of plasma donation for fractionation from men who have sex with men

Background and objectivesIn Canada, Héma‐Québec is considering the possibility of allowing men who have sex with men (MSM) to donate plasma for fractionation combined with a mandatory quarantine period. This study aims to assess the acceptability and operational feasibility of the programme in the targeted population.Materials and methodsSeven focus groups with MSM (N = 47) were conducted in Montréal, regarding their beliefs underlying attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control relating to intention to participate in a programme of plasma donation for fractionation. A theoretical thematic content analysis was realized.ResultsParticipants brought up benefits of the programme. Some are altruistic (help others, save lives, contribute as citizens), while others are linked to what it could bring to their community (progress, opportunity to include MSM in blood donation programmes, acknowledgement of MSM's contributions to the well‐being of others). However, even if the programme is in accordance with their altruistic values, it clashes with their values of equality and social justice. Many disadvantages were raised (discrimination and stigmatization of MSM, the fact that their blood is presented as being not as good as the blood of others). Facilitating factors and barriers to participation were put forward in terms of programme characteristics and sites where donations would be made.ConclusionThe findings suggest some interest in the programme of plasma donation for fractionation, but this is significantly tempered by the fact that differential treatment for MSM would continue and that their demands regarding access to whole blood donation are still unmet.

Technicist education: paving the way for the rise of the social work robots?

This article seeks to explicate one form of technical rationality (ie the technological development of robotics) in social work education and practice. As advances in robotics evolve, questions are raised about the role of technicist education in reducing social work practice to a set of tasks that are repeatable, formulaic and linear (ie tasks that robots are capable of performing). We conduct a critical synthesis of the literature to explore how these parallel processes potentially create a seamless transition for social robots to replace the human social work workforce. Our analysis suggests that social workers need to reclaim a broader understanding of social work education and practice if we intend to retain human social work practitioners into the future. We argue that this is vital because critical social work practitioners are more capable than robots of meeting the espoused social justice values of social work.

Social Justice in Counseling Psychology: Then, Now, and Looking Forward

In this article, a diverse group of early, mid, and advanced career scholars call for counseling psychology to continue to evolve in our integration of social justice action in our field. In doing so, we first consider our history as proponents and enactors of social justice, highlighting the ways in which counseling psychologists have served as social justice leaders in psychology. We then discuss our field’s contemporary challenges to, and opportunities for, social justice progress as we work toward equity and justice. Finally, we offer recommendations for counseling psychologists individually and as a field to move forward in our social justice action. Given our longstanding social justice values and our unique training as counseling psychologists, if we aim with intentionality to use our skills toward systems change, counseling psychologists are poised to have a strong and proactive role as social change agents within psychology and society at large.

Death of Philosophy or the Death of Postmodernism: How Far We Can Liberate the Human Mind?

As postmodernism emerges as the reaction against modernism, it doubts on deeply rooted truths. Truth does not always exist, which is changing and ever changing. It supports death of discipline, death of author, death of doctrines and death of god. Modernism is a concept of enlightenment and rationality whereas postmodernism is reaction against it. Furthermore, modernism rejects traditional values, ethics, and system for development but postmodernism argues that modernism exploits people in the name of development and construction and is fit mere with slogan. Postmodernism in law rejects all traditional philosophy and supports indeterminacy in law. It rejects all western meta-narratives i.e. liberalism, capitalism and communism. There are bureaucratization, centralization and manipulation in modernism which are not acceptable to postmodern activists. Yet, this concept is adopted for super-emancipation of people from any school of thought. It endorses an exhilarating movement of rapture with kaleidoscopic and hedonistic concept. Truth may be established only in one period of time; not for whole history of mankind. Conversely, modernist criticizes postmodernism as a young conservatism which cannot show any alternatives and plan of actions. They argue that there is no existence of postmodernism movement because of their nearsightedness in contemporary time. Conversely, postmodernism follows the tradition to accept any alternatives and mutual tolerance to liberate human mind and thinking pattern. Death of philosophy, death of author, death of God concept of postmodernism has led to new dimension of critical thinking which recommends making fresh start in thinking pattern. Despite the growing relevance postmodernism couldn’t be widely accepted by academic domain because of the absence of sustained plan of actions to liberate human mind and social values. Yet, it rejects bureaucratic hierarchy, absolute truths and any form of domination which supports to maintain social justice and human values for all. This postmodern movement is based on the assumptions of J.F. Loytard, Michel Foucult, Jackes Derrida, Martin Heidegger, Frederic Neitzsche, Richard Rorty etc. Balkin, Santos, and R.M. Unger applied it in legal philosophy in their own context with their method of reconstruction.

Mission and teacher identity: a case for relationships

Eight Catholic school communities across Australia nominated teacher identity characteristics aligned with an understanding of Catholic school mission from a local community perspective. A data mining process (Leximancer Manual in https://www.leximancer.com. Version 2.23, 2017) of the collated narratives from focus groups (n = 73) highlighted the mission concept, ‘School’, with a frequency of 295 appearances. An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) of the concept revealed characteristics of tradition, integration and participation and characterised their essence as ‘a shared sacred mission’. Participant utterances that referenced teacher characteristics and frequencies within the narrative focused on: Community (38), Faith (13), and Life (9). Community utterances identified teacher ‘connections with students’, ‘staff relationships’, ‘associations with the broader community’ and ‘involvement in the life of the school’. Faith was expressed in teacher ‘leadership’, ‘Gospel values’, ‘spiritual growth’, ‘experience of church and connection with the charism of the Religious Institute.’ Life involved teachers advancing student ‘welfare’, ‘service’, ‘tradition’ and ‘advocacy’. Overall, teacher identity characteristics integral to mission were discussed as Relational Agency, Equity and Authenticity. Relational Agency entailed facilitation of student capabilities; Relational Equity enacted social justice values of inclusion and respect; and Relational Authenticity advanced and witnessed a foundational meaning system aligned with Catholic school tradition. The implications of the findings identified a case for relationships as being pertinent to mission for all teachers in Catholic schools, but teachers of Religious Education in particular.

Values and women-led social entrepreneurship

Purpose This paper aims to identify and categorise the values expressed in women-led social entrepreneurship based on a typology of universal values. It explores the influence of gender and religious faith on the values that inspire social entrepreneurial organisations to engage in positive social change. Design/methodology/approach Inductive multiple case study research investigates the values manifest in five social entrepreneurial organisations founded and led by women in three Southeast Asian countries. Findings Organisations and their women-leaders express values related to benevolence, universalism, self-direction and security. Gender and religious faith are found to be mediators that influence approaches to social transformation. Research limitations/implications Purposive sampling and interpretive research design favour rich description but limit the generalisability of the findings. Further enquiry is needed into the gender-values-religion nexus in social entrepreneurship. Practical implications Social entrepreneurship is shown to be a process embedded in and motivated by prosocial values of benevolence and social justice and other values of self-direction and security. Findings provide evidence for the critical but often overlooked influence of gender and religious faith on the values foundation of social entrepreneurship. Social implications Social entrepreneurial organisations led by women contribute to positive social change through the values they incorporate and express. Originality/value Research on the link between gender, values and religious faith in social entrepreneurship is virtually non-existent.

Book Review: Research for Social Justice

Research for Social Justice: A Community-Based ApproachAuthor: Adje van de Sande & Karen SchwartzPublished: 2011Published By: Fernwood Publishing, Nova Scotia, CanadaPaperback ISBN: 978-1-55266-441-4Number of Pages: 190
 In recognition of the limited amount of social work research literature that is congruent with social work’s social justice values, van de Sande and Schwartz published Research for Social Justice: A Community-Based Approach. As professors at the Carleton University School of Social Work located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, the authors built on their classroom teaching experiences in order to develop this engaging, illustrative, and practical text. The book provides a concise guide to the structural approach to community-based research aimed toward a target audience of social work students, social work practitioners, and other learners in the social sciences disciplines.