Social Justice Values Research Articles

Global Citizenship Education in Pre-Service Teacher Education: Status and Implementation

The National Education Policy 2020 champions the cause of Global Citizenship Education at all stages of education. This will naturally entail a big shift in the curriculum so as to include the development of cognitive, behavioural and social-emotional domains of future global citizens .This education shall include the development of attitudes, values and skill sets that prevail upon in developing societies that are peaceful, tolerant and inclusive. In order to evolve as global citizens, students at the tertiary stage of education firstly need to be empowered in understanding the need and relevance of multicultural education which teaches them to respect diversity and inclusion. Secondly the learners need to be equipped as ambassadors of protection of human rights who uphold the values of social justice, equality and equity in all walks of life. This in turn shall go a long way in ensuring their civic participation. Thirdly it is important that as responsible and responsive citizens they contribute to economic development too .This would mean mastering the twenty first century skills including developing an entrepreneurial mindset. For societies to be tolerant and peaceful it is a pre-requisite to manage resources judiciously .GCED therefore shall also include a discourse on environmental conservation and sustainable development in order to sensitise students towards the need for environmental protection. In order to reflect on the modalities of implementation of the mandate of integrating GCED in the higher education curriculum this paper examines the different subjects and pedagogical strategies that may be adopted at the under graduate and post graduate level of pre service teacher education programmes in India. The focus of implementation this paper examined is keeping in mind the development of future teachers, teacher educators, curriculum developers, policy planners and administrators in the field of education who are well equipped as global citizens.

Introduction to the Special Section on Critical Pedagogy

The seven articles that constitute this Special Section relate to the area of critical pedagogy. Since Graham Crookes’s anniversary article on critical language pedagogy (2021) the number of submissions concerning this topic has increased exponentially. Given their common theme, I thought it would be a good idea to gather the submissions in a Special Section. Special Sections, unlike Special Issues, are not curated by guest editors and do not aim to be exhaustive representations of the field, but simply draw together studies that contribute in different ways to a certain area, and what follows is a very simple introduction to the area of critical pedagogy. Critical pedagogy is an approach to teaching that aims to develop students’ critical understanding of the world and is based on values of social justice. In fact, most people would say that critical pedagogy is ‘teaching for social justice’. In this approach, teachers are not merely teaching skills, but are engaged in the political and social context and make this relevant for their students. Therefore, the role of the teacher is to raise critical questions, pose problems and facilitate students in addressing the issues that are relevant to them. Classroom content, teaching priorities, and curricula are negotiated anew between the students and the teacher, in a dialogue that is participatory and places the students at the centre.

The phenomenon of traditional philanthropy through the voluntary sector in shaping community identity

The role of the state is needed to suppress illegal philanthropic practices, how the state can make Pancasila a "civic religion". Pancasila as the basis and pillar of society's civility as well as the "social glue" where sanctified spaces and symbols become markers of social identification that connect individuals in a common bond. The purpose of this research is to discuss the phenomenon of traditional philanthropy through the voluntary sector in shaping community identity. This research uses qualitative research methods, with the research design using a descriptive approach research design. In this study, the author conducts library research, then describes the phenomenon of traditional philanthropy through the voluntary sector in shaping community identity. The results show that philanthropy develops along with the development of human life itself. Voluntary sector refers to organizations whose primary goal is to create social impact rather than profit. This is often called the third sector, civil society or the nonprofit sector. The value of social justice and community welfare, especially in developing community identity empowerment, such as health services for poor families, economic empowerment, scholarships, job training, capital provision for middle to lower traders and others aimed at empowering community identity through philanthropy.

Internalization of Nationalism Values as A Pattern of Communication in Balinese Hindus' Religiosity

The aim of the present analysis of the internalization of nationalism values as a pattern of communication in Balinese Hindus' religiosity is to identify the understanding and appreciation of Balinese Hindus towards Nationalism through state symbols in their religious practices a medium of worship to God Almighty. The data for this study were obtained through observation, interviews, and literature study using primary data sources from 15 informants as well as secondary data sources. The approach herein focuses on the communication paradigm by interpreting the meaning of the phenomenon of society using symbols. The Symbolic Interaction Theory, the Theory of Religion, and the Theory of Symbiosis Mutualism as the analysis tools. Data analysis concluded that Hindus in Bali highly uphold the values of Nationalism through transcendental communication and religious communication with various religious attitudes and state symbols as a medium of worship to God, who has blessed their struggle to achieve independence. For this reason, Hinduism and the State formed a symbiosis mutualism because they complement and reinforce religious values, human values, unity, consensus deliberation, and values of social justice.

Internalization of Nationalism Values as A Pattern of Communication in Balinese Hindus' Religiosity

The aim of the present analysis of the internalization of nationalism values as a pattern of communication in Balinese Hindus' religiosity is to identify the understanding and appreciation of Balinese Hindus towards Nationalism through state symbols in their religious practices a medium of worship to God Almighty. The data for this study were obtained through observation, interviews, and literature study using primary data sources from 15 informants as well as secondary data sources. The approach herein focuses on the communication paradigm by interpreting the meaning of the phenomenon of society using symbols. The Symbolic Interaction Theory, the Theory of Religion, and the Theory of Symbiosis Mutualism as the analysis tools. Data analysis concluded that Hindus in Bali highly uphold the values of Nationalism through transcendental communication and religious communication with various religious attitudes and state symbols as a medium of worship to God, who has blessed their struggle to achieve independence. For this reason, Hinduism and the State formed a symbiosis mutualism because they complement and reinforce religious values, human values, unity, consensus deliberation, and values of social justice.

Pancasila Revitalization for the Enforcement of Non-Discriminatory Principle of Global Business Competition to Small Entrepreneurs

Pancasila, in the 5th precept, is social justice for all Indonesians. This means that justice that is the ideal of the Indonesian nation is justice that is socially just. The revitalization of Pancasila is the key to restoring and growing social justice in business competition in the global era for small business actors. The implementation of Pancasila revitalization of small business actors in global business competition can be done by making waivers to the Ministerial Conference to follow up on the non-discriminatory principle of business competition against small business actors to get exemptions, so that the value of social justice contained in Pancasila can be realized, especially for small business actors. The existence of the non-discriminatory principle on the implementation of Pancasila revitalization of global business competition to small entrepreneurs is still recognized for its existence, considering that there is no follow-up to the disharmony of regulations in the WTO and business competition law in Indonesia, especially regarding the application of non-discriminatory principles to business competition specifically for small business actors. The method used in this study is normative juridical with a problem approach that has the purpose and purpose of reviewing applicable laws and regulations as well as literature with a theoretical concept, then connected with the problems that are the subject of discussion discussed in this research writing.
 Keywords: Pancasila, non-discriminatory principles, global business competition, small/medium enterprises

Legal implications of placement illegal Indonesian migrants

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the legal implications associated with the illegal placement of Indonesian migrant workers in the context of human rights protection and the Indonesian government’s role in addressing the illegal placement of migrant workers and protecting human rights. Research methodology: The research method used in this study is a normative legal research method involving analysis of legal materials in the form of legal regulations, international conventions, policies, and legal instruments related to the illegal placement of Indonesian migrant workers. Results: The results showed that the legal implications related to the illegal placement of Indonesian migrant workers differed from the upheld values of social justice, legal protection, humanity, equality, and equality in Pancasila. Contribution: The government and the legal system must play active roles in ensuring equal human rights protection for migrant workers, preventing illegal placements, strengthening law enforcement, and ensuring fair access to legal services and protection for Indonesian migrant workers. The Indonesian government plays an important role in addressing the illegal placement of migrant workers and in protecting their human rights. Responsiveness to problems, responsibility for protection, responsiveness to diversity, collaborative governance, and prioritization of public values, governments strive to respond effectively and fairly to issues faced by illegal migrant workers and ensure equal protection of their human rights.

Revealing the Hidden Clerkship Curriculum: A Qualitative Analysis.

Family medicine (FM) clerkships have learning objectives to define what students should learn by the end of their clerkship, but how do we know what larger lessons students are taking away? This study aimed to explore the FM clerkship explicit and hidden curriculum. Students were asked to list their top five take-home points at the end of their FM clerkship at two institutions. A total of 668 written reflections were qualitatively analyzed. Thirteen code categories emerged: scope of practice, health care systems, role of FM in the system, traits of a family doctor, values of FM, cultural competency and social justice, challenges of FM care, evidence-based medicine, clinical skills for a student, personal impact, life skills and tips, patient centeredness, and clinical pearls. Prominent subcategories included prevention, team-based care, doctor-patient relationship, and continuity of care. When compared to the FM clerkship learning objectives at both institutions, four code categories emerged that were not part of the explicit objectives: traits of a family doctor, challenges in FM care, personal impact, and life skills and tips. Conversely, some nuances of the learning objective of FM in the health care system regarding decreasing cost and improving health outcomes and equity were not represented in the coded categories of student responses. These findings could potentially help FM clerkships nationally define ways to improve messaging around challenges in FM care and help the 25 x 2030 initiative to produce more family physicians in the United States.

Teaching English in challenging situations: interviews with those in the trenches

ABSTRACT The conviction that language education should serve as a means to promote equity, inclusion, and diversity has spread around educators worldwide. In this light, even though humanistic approaches to language teaching are not new (Stevick 1990), the past two decades have shown a growing interest in such approaches as they offer the possibility to articulate the teaching of linguistic competence with social justice values, interculturality, and with ways of enhancing the wellbeing of individuals and communities (e.g. Glynn, Wesely, and Wassell 2014; Gregersen, MacIntyre, and Meza 2016; Hastings and Jacob 2016; Oxford et al. 2021). Teaching languages through a social justice lens is of paramount significance in extremely challenging situations, including areas affected by war. This article is based on interviews done to Nick Bilbrough and Chris Sowton about their influential work associated with the teaching of English in challenging contexts. The article presents the interviews and makes reference to important themes that include the difficulty to implement pedagogies that favour equity, inclusion, and diversity in the language classroom due to the prevailing instrumental view of language education worldwide; humanistic, intercultural teaching approaches that should be favoured in the language classroom; and the importance of teacher wellbeing to support learner wellbeing.

THE FOUNDATION OF PANCASILA IN THE FORMATION OF LEGISLATION USING THE OMNIBUS LAW METHOD

This article will try to provide an analysis of the role of Pancasila in the formation of legislation using the omnibus law method. The Omnibus Law is a new method in Indonesia and has experienced various polemics in society. The research results show that Pancasila is the source of all sources of law in Indonesia. This fact has emphasized that the formation of laws and regulations in Indonesia must not conflict with the values contained in Pancasila. In addition, Pancasila is a guiding principle in national legal politics so that no regulation can contradict the values of divinity and civilization, and no regulation can contradict human values. No regulation can be born that has the potential to damage the integrity of the ideology and territory of the nation and state of Indonesia. There should be no regulations that violate the principle of popular sovereignty, and the most important thing is that these regulations do not violate the principle of popular sovereignty. The most important thing is that these regulations do not violate the values of social justice.

Legal Reasoning of the Constitutional Court Verdict Number 25/PUU-XX/2022 on the State Capital Law According to Social Justice Value

ABSTRACT Purpose of the study: This study analyzes the legal reasoning of the Constitutional Court judges in deciding the judicial review Number 25/PUU-XX/2022 against Law Number 3 of 2022 concerning the State Capital (Undang-Undang Ibu Kota Negara/State Capital Law), as well as analyzed based on social justice theory. Methodology: This study uses a juridical-normative method through a statute approach and case studies. The method of analysis is carried out qualitatively, while the method of collecting legal materials is through documentary research. Results: An analysis of the Constitutional Court verdict concluded that the panel of judges considered that the State Capital Law was declared constitutional to the Constitution and rejected the review of the State Capital Law. The plaintiffs also did not have strong legal standing in the process of forming the State Capital Law. The judges had the opinion that all processes for establishing the State Capital Law met the formal and material requirements. Unfortunately, the Constitutional Court verdict has not fully met the value of social justice for society. Applications of this study: This research is expected to provide a contribution to constitutional law and provide scientific recommendations for the public in cases of judicial review at the Constitutional Court. Novelty/Originality of this study: The Constitutional Court’s verdict is final and binding, whether it fulfills the value of social justice or not. However, the constitutional value should be directly proportional to the value of justice for society. The Constitutional Court verdicts should have an equal proportion of justice for society and the government. Keywords: Constitutional Court Verdict; Constitutional; Legal Reasoning; Social Justice; State Capital Law. ABSTRAK Tujuan: Kajian ini menganalisis pertimbangan hukum hakim konstitusi dalam memutus uji materil Nomor 25/PUU-XX/2022 terhadap Undang-Undang Nomor 3 Tahun 2022 tentang Ibu Kota Negara, serta dianalisis berdasarkan teori keadilan sosial. Metodologi: Penelitian ini menggunakan metode yuridis-normatif melalui pendekatan undang-undang dan studi kasus. Metode analisis dilakukan secara kualitatif, sedangkan metode pengumpulan bahan hukum melalui penelitian dokumenter. Hasil: Analisis putusan Mahkamah Konstitusi menyimpulkan bahwa majelis hakim menilai UU Ibukota Negara dinyatakan konstitusional terhadap UUD dan menolak pengujian UU Ibukota Negara. Para penggugat juga tidak memiliki legal standing yang kuat dalam proses pembentukan UU Ibukota Negara. Majelis hakim berpendapat bahwa semua proses pembentukan UU Ibukota Negara telah memenuhi syarat formil dan materil. Sayangnya, putusan MK belum sepenuhnya memenuhi nilai keadilan sosial bagi masyarakat. Aplikasi penelitian ini: Penelitian ini diharapkan dapat memberikan kontribusi terhadap hukum tata negara dan memberikan rekomendasi ilmiah bagi masyarakat dalam perkara uji materil di Mahkamah Konstitusi. Kebaruan/Orisinalitas: Putusan Mahkamah Konstitusi bersifat final dan mengikat, apakah memenuhi nilai keadilan sosial atau tidak. Namun, nilai konstitusi harus berbanding lurus dengan nilai keadilan bagi masyarakat. Putusan Mahkamah Konstitusi harus memiliki proporsi keadilan yang sama bagi masyarakat dan pemerintah. Kata kunci: Putusan Mahkamah Konstitusi; Konstitusional; Penalaran Hukum; Keadilan sosial; Ibu kota Negara.

Anti-Transgender Policies and Practices in Social Work Education, Accreditation, and Licensing: A Call for Change

The social work profession is guided by the values of social justice and the dignity and worth of the person. The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics requires that all social workers act in a professional manner consistent with these values. These values mandate that social workers “challenge social injustice on behalf of and in concert with vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups.” Yet, historically, and contemporarily, the social work profession and national professional organizations (i.e., NASW, the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), Associate of Social Work Boards (ASWB), Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR), and the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare (AASW) have failed to advocate for and work in solidarity with transgender and gender expansive (TGE) individuals and groups to advance social justice. This commentary will examine how the social work profession and its national professional organizations have not followed the NASW Code of Ethics as it relates to T E communities. Specifically, the article ill (1) unpack the ways in which explicit and implicit social work curriculum and standards in accredited US social work programs do little to equip students to effectively serve transgender clients and communities upon graduation, (2) discuss the lack of advocacy for and solidarity with TGE communities from professional social work organizations, and (3) review policies governing the licensure of social work practitioners related to culturally responsive social work practice with TGE clients and communities. This commentary provides a set of recommendations for countering and reducing transphobia in the social work profession in the areas education, practice, and policy. We conclude with a call for change for the social work profession that achieves the values of social justice and dignity and worth of TGE individuals, groups, and communities.

The Social Message of John Paul II’s Encyclicals in the Implementation of Horizontal Principles in EU Projects

As it is indicated by the analysis of source documents and literature of the subject, John Paul II can be considered a proponent of human rights, which has been expressed in particular in his numerous works. During his pontificate, Pope John Paul II issued many encyclicals and other documents in which he discussed the issues ad naturam of human rights in many aspects (not only in the context of the teaching of the Catholic Church), including pointing to the essential social and individual value of human dignity, freedom and social justice for a particular man. The issue of social values is at the same time the essence of horizontal principles, which should be implemented for the benefit of society in connection with the implementation of projects co-financed from European Union funds. Although the strategic documents of the EU, which specify the concept of “horizontal principles”, do not directly indicate the inspiration of the achievements of John Paul II’s social thought, in the opinion of the authors, the requirement to implement horizontal principles in EU projects is part of the essence of the message of papal encyclicals.

CONTESTATION OF ISLAMISM OVER THE QUR’ANIC INTERPRETATION: A STUDY ON AL-TAFSIR AL-TAUHIDI OF HASAN AL-TURABI

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between Islamist ideology and the birth of a tafsir. Hasan al-Turabi, an Islamic ideologue in Sudan, has a basic view of the Qur'an and his own method of interpretation in al-Tafsir al-Tauhidi. This study discovered that Islamism was perceived as a unified Islamic view based on historical dialectical perspectives and an effective historical analysis. Islamism is defined as a form of application of all Islamic values and principles, particularly in advancing social justice values, based on the perspective that the Qur'an teaches tauhid and that every verse is united. From an effective historical perspective, al-Turabi's pattern of interpretation offers methodological-material criticism of the classical and modern tafsir. His model of interpretation emphasizes the excavation of message elements and is used as a guide for living today. The Qur'an is a set of guidelines not only for faith and worship, but also for all aspects of life. As a result, Qur'anic interpretation must be consistent and founded on Qur'anic fundamental values. The presence of al-Tafsir al-Tauhidi demonstrates that al-Turabi's pattern interpretation is not independent from his intellectual, ideological, and political context in Sudan.

Qualities of transformative leaders in WASH: A study of gender-transformative leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic

IntroductionEqual access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) for all requires leadership that prioritises and drives inclusion. Inclusive WASH also presents opportunities to advance equality more widely, with WASH a pathway to meaningful participation and empowerment for diverse groups. The concept of gender-transformative leadership-which connects ideas of leadership to transformative models of gender equality in development theory that challenge prevailing power structures-is a relevant lens for exploring inclusive WASH. This article shares findings and reflections from a positive deviance study that aimed to investigate gender-transformative leadership in the WASH sector to explore (i) the factors shaping gender-transformative leadership and the characteristics of gender-transformative leaders; (ii) actions taken by gender-transformative leaders; (iii) the types of outcomes achieved; and (iv) ways to strengthen gender-transformative leadership.MethodsThe study was undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic and consisted of interviews with 19 leaders in Bhutan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, and Nepal. We developed a conceptual framework which considers leaders' (i) personal values and traits; (ii) leadership styles; (iii) actions; and (iv) outcomes, influenced by a range of (v) enabling factors and barriers.ResultsLeaders' personal values and traits included a strong learning orientation, social justice values, humility, courage, and altruism. Leadership styles were primarily empathetic, with leaders guided by a mission to lead by example and pursue equality in their professional and personal lives. Exploration of actions and outcomes revealed a range of inclusion-oriented WASH activities responding to pandemic-related challenges, with associated potential outcomes in shifting norms. However, validation of outcomes was not possible due to the study timeframe and complexity of tracing complex social change in a positive deviance study reliant on self-reporting. Analysis of enablers and barriers to gender-transformative leadership respectively emphasized the importance of educational opportunities and the persistence of traditional gender norms.ConclusionFindings contribute to the body of knowledge on gender-transformative leadership, being the first study to connect this concept to WASH. Future research could build further evidence by applying the conceptual framework to analyze additional contexts or sectors, and by more fully articulating and validating outcomes in terms of their potential for gender-transformative leadership to drive equality both in and beyond WASH.

Pemenuhan Kebijakan Sektor UMKM dan Pedagang Kaki Lima sebagai Pekerja Sektor Informal dalam Peningkatan Kegiatan Perekonomian Pasca Pandemi Covid-19

The deadly Covid-19 pandemic has spread to all corners of the world, causing the downgrade of the health sector, and economic sector, including Indonesia. Government appeals such as physical distancing, social distancing, and stay at home make people's needs decrease and cause economic turbulence, especially for MSMEs and street vendors; they are pillars of income for Indonesia. Considering that MSMEs that survive and experience an increase during the pandemic are those who can connect to the digital ecosystem, MSMEs and street vendors, together with the government, are obliged to carry out sustainable economic transformations such as innovation with the introduction of digitalization to facilitate transactions even though sellers and buyers do not meet up. Therefore as the rule of law, the government has provided convenience related to electronic business licensing for MSMEs and Street Vendors. The steps are followed with regulatory objectives Act Number 6 of 2018 about Health Quarantine although Government decree Number 21 of 2020 about Large-Scale Social Restrictions in the context of Accelerating the Handling of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) must prioritize health protocols even though it has entered the era of Adaptation of New Habits after soaring cases of covid-19. The government also presents MSME PEN Program as MSME Economic Recovery; nevertheless, policy effectiveness for affected MSMEs is more needed during this New Normal Period. Adoption of MSME Effective Restorative Policy is needed now because of the Ultra Micro Assistance movement, Love Local Products, and the Synergy of one MSME Data which is expected to be able to assist the government in implementing policy efficiency following with the realization of the value of Pancasila social justice for the whole of the people of Indonesia in the MSME Effective Restorative Policy.

The Strengths Approach in Practice: How it Changes Lives Avril Bellinger and Deirdre Ford

In their chapter on a strengths approach to student learning, the authors of this fascinating book comment on how it can be challenging, in a neoliberal environment, to enable students to become critically reflective, social justice-oriented professionals. To be such professionals is a challenge for all of us, and for the organisations we work in, and we need all the help we can get. What Avril Bellinger and Deirdre Ford are offering us here is an account of a response to this challenge, with a strengths approach at its centre, made by one organisation and the students, service users, volunteers and professionals who are part of it. Based in Plymouth, START—Students and Refugees Together—has been providing support for refugees and learning opportunities to students—the mutuality involved in this is a fundamental aspect of the strengths approach of the organisation—for over twenty years. Avril Bellinger is START’s founder, and as she says in her preface, the book ‘is not an instruction manual, but rather a collection of stories that illustrate the strengths approach in action’. This is an important distinction, as its title might suggest—at least, it did to me initially—that the book is an introduction to the strengths approach, or the strengths perspective as it is often called, and the practice models subsumed under this umbrella. There are relatively brief mentions of such models, including narrative practice and, somewhat idiosyncratically in my view, the Human Givens, whereas others, such as solution-focused practice and asset-based community development (ABCD) are bypassed almost altogether. ABCD is actually given short shrift as a neoliberal approach, mainly on the basis of one critical article. I am not sure this is entirely fair, and responses to this article by the main proponents of ABCD are not mentioned. However, this does reflect the firm, uncompromising even, vision of the strengths approach that emerges in these pages. Not a strengths-based approach, which can be added piecemeal to a service, but a whole systems approach, rooted in relationships, values of social justice and mutuality, and a real belief in people and their abilities and potentials.

Russian conservatism: outlines of a responsible political course

The article deals with the development of conservatism in modern Russian society. The current socio-political situation indicates that Russian society refuses to accept liberal Western values, giving preference to values of a conservative nature. There is an obvious demand for conservative projects to consider the values of social justice, the greater social orientation of the state, the rules and orders that are significant for people and have been with them for decades. The Russian elites are still poorly aware of the possibilities of reflecting such a request and remain within the framework of their usual ideological and conceptual approaches. The article outlines the main problem areas of Russian conservatism, which include the lack of a conservative view on the economy, a certain degree of closeness of conservatism to society, and an upset balance between renewal and preservation. Modern Russia needs to develop a new traditionalist-conservative doctrine as a possible methodology for the development of the entire Russian society, a new, broader, Russian conservatism. It is necessary to develop own “language”, taking into account civilizational, cultural and socio-historical features.

If Anti-Racism Is the Goal, Then Anti-Oppression Is How We Get There

Many schools of social work around the United States of America wrote anti-racism statements because of the recent murders of Black and Brown people. In this contribution, the authors describe a challenging and tense discussion of racism and anti-racism leading to a group process about oppression and anti-oppression in the social work profession. For some, the urgency to address racism led to tactics and strategies that got in the way of social workers engaging in anti-oppressive practices. While the structure of higher education often reinforces traditional hierarchies of power, the profession of social work calls us to promote our core values of social justice, integrity, and the importance of human relationships as we strive for an anti-oppressive future. Consequently, social work faculty may experience role conflict as we navigate these tensions. We believe it is important to harness and process such discomfort as we critically examine the power dynamics within our own department, and our own profession. This voluntary, ad hoc group, composed of a diverse group of faculty members, provides space for ongoing mutual aid, consciousness raising, appropriate discomfort, and accountability. If anti-racism is the goal, then anti-oppression is how we get there.

Narrating Human Rights in Africa by Eleni Coundouriotis

Reviewed by: Narrating Human Rights in Africa by Eleni Coundouriotis Bonny Ibhawoh (bio) Eleni Coundouriotis, Narrating Human Rights in Africa (Routledge, 2020), ISBN 9780367194666, 206 pages. Eleni Coundouriotis’s book is founded on an undeniable premise first espoused by Edward Said: “Facts do not at all speak for themselves, but require a socially acceptable narrative to absorb, sustain, and circulate them.”1 Because facts of abuse do not speak for themselves, we must rely on human rights narratives that testify to violations as the evidentiary foundations for redress and protection. The challenge of protecting and promoting human rights can only be met when the voices of victims and their interlocutors are heard, understood, and acted upon. Narratives of rights are the foundations upon which academics theorize, activists mobilize, and the state intervenes to protect human rights. This is why Coundouriotis’ focus on human rights narratives in this book marks an important contribution to human rights scholarship. The main contribution of this book is the centering of narrative in our understanding of human rights. Human rights scholars have not paid enough attention to the place of narrative in defining, contesting, and promoting human rights norms. Enough attention has also not been given to examining how narratives shape the protection of human rights and redress mechanisms for victims of abuse. We often take for granted the stories and testimonies of violations upon which human rights meanings and principles are founded. Narrating Human Rights seeks to bridge this gap by exploring how narratives affirm the values of social justice and human rights while at the same time creating new categories of thought that challenge human rights dogma. The author does this by examining human rights from the perspective of writers from the African continent and situating key theoretical concepts in African perspectives, undercutting the stereotypes of victimhood and voicelessness. The book takes as its starting point the imperative of challenging a methodology that positions narrative as peripheral rather than central to human rights scholarship. [End Page 865] Instead of positioning literary texts as illustrative of points already theorized elsewhere, Coundouriotis argues that “we must foreground the literature to show the concepts it offers, the ideas and responses stemming from complex historical circumstances in Africa and expressed by African writers.”2 Narrative in this context is a means of engaging with historical events, giving a complex account of how truth and reality are entangled. It portrays and mobilizes historical actors, reinscribing them into human rights discourses from which they have been omitted or their voices silenced. The book offers a useful schematization of human rights narrative. The author delineates three types of employment for human rights in literary narrative plots, each presenting a different construction of the heroic. The first type is the moral crusade, which is temporarily thwarted but holds a strong promise of future fulfillment. The second is the witness of a journalist or rapporteur who tells of unassimilable abuse and brutality and positions himself as a redeemer witness striving to create a vision of hope. The third is the collective story of a democratization movement which constructs a heroic and determined people whose efforts, though falling short, must be sustained. Common to all three human rights plots is that they convey teleological moral progress. They emphasize what the story moves toward and the kind of closure it proposes, despite the setbacks that are part of the historical account of events. The author takes up the key challenges to the narration of human rights in which the contribution of African writers is important. The objective is to show how African voices and perspectives shape how we think about human rights and how they have influenced their meanings. The perspective on human rights narration offered in this book is hybrid, engaged with both history and actual events. This is evident in the sustained readings of several topics offered in the chapters. Chapters examine the figure of the child soldier in relation to the history of conflict and state-building in Africa; the tension between flight and stasis in refugee and migrant; the challenge of testifying about rape in war; and narratives that evoke the disappeared in the context of resistance to state oppression...