Social Justice

The term social justice refers to moves to encourage and achieve equity, in a framework of human rights and recognition of diversity. However, there is no consensus about a definition for the term, and it is often put to use without a serious engagement with underpinning philosophies or standpoints. As a social practice, social justice relates to attempts to provide access to quality services such as education and health to all, regardless of their gender, race, religion, social standing, class, or social, cultural, and language practices. Discrepancies that arise from the advantage and access available to some groups of society and not others cannot be understood to result only from force—a situation that Michel Foucault would discuss as violence. It is as likely that inequities ...