Social Justice

Race or Ethnicity

Instances of racism at individual, institutional, and societal levels have long inhibited people from non-dominant racial and/or ethnic groups from achieving comparable social standing as members of dominant groups. The effects of racism can be seen in many areas, including education (e.g., students of color may be placed in less rigorous courses, score lower on standardized tests, and graduate from high school and college at lower rates), business (e.g., people of color may be drastically underrepresented in positions that pay the most and wield the most influence), and politics (e.g., especially at state and federal levels, politicians of color may struggle to gain necessary support and/or attention to get elected). In addition, broader indicators of social advancement adamantly confirm that people of color suffer the brunt of unjust systems. For example, people of color are incarcerated at exceedingly high rates, own homes at extremely low rates, and are often labeled—both overtly and covertly—as being deficient in comparison with the dominant White “norm.”

Social Class

The historical permanence of issues of poverty can, like those of racism, be witnessed throughout the various spectrums of society. Children who are born into low-income households may receive inadequate early-childhood intervention (related to health, nutrition, and psychosocial support), may attend schools that are significantly underresourced, may be exposed more frequently to violence, and may be stigmatized with predesigned places on the lower rungs of the social ladder.

Gender

In the midst of legislation and policies that call for equal opportunity in the educational, professional, and social sectors, many women continue to be treated unequally. In comparison with men, women are less represented in educational fields of math, science, and engineering; paid less for similar work; and are less represented in top-level corporate, civic, religious, and political positions. Among countless other indicators of injustice, these conditions demonstrate the continued centrality of gender oppression in contemporary society.

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