What does it mean to be just? If all contribute to the functioning of society, is it fair that some have more than others? This often comes down to the debate: What is the responsibility of society? versus What is the responsibility of the individual?

WEEK 5: AT A GLANCE

SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND POLICY

INTRODUCTION

What does it mean to be just? If all contribute to the functioning of society, is it fair that some have more than others? This often comes down to the debate: What is the responsibility of society? versus What is the responsibility of the individual?
As shown in Week 2, the social work profession began from a need to address the effect of social injustices that plagued society. Expanding on that mission, the broader pursuit of social justice examines the systems that a society creates to evaluate who has access to which resources. Advocating for social justice is essential to macro social work practice—that is, working to change the systems that challenge clients.
This week, you examine social justice and the specific related areas of economic and environmental justice.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Students will:

Analyze social justice, economic justice, and environmental justice in a community

Analyze the influence of policy on social justice

Analyze role of policy in addressing social injustices

REPRESENTING JUSTICE

As you have been looking around your community for examples of social, economic, and environmental (in)justice, what did you notice? Did you expect to find what you did? What emotional responses did you experience when viewing the various types of disparities that clients experience?

Perhaps you have found a way to call attention to injustices you see every day but are not sure how to solve. Or, maybe you have seen an injustice for the first time.

For this Discussion, you use photos that you have curated of your community to demonstrate social justice, economic justice, and environmental justice. You will then explain why these photos represent the given concept.

TO PREPARE

Take 3 pictures of your community, 1 that represents each of the following:

social justice

economic justice

environmental justice

Be sure to respect the privacy of individuals who may be present when taking photos. If it is unavoidable that a person may be visible enough in your photo to be identifiable, ask that person for permission before taking the photo.

Post a response to the following:

Paste 1 photo in the Discussion thread for each type of (in)justice: social, economic, or environmental. (You must include 1 photo for each type.)

For your social justice picture:

Explain social justice in your own words.

Explain how this picture represents social justice.

For your economic justice picture:

Explain economic justice in your own words.

Explain how this picture represents economic justice.

For your environmental justice picture:

Explain environmental justice in your own words.Explain how this picture represents environmental justice.