Theoretical Foundations for Social Justice Education

Abstract

This chapter lays out the theoretical foundations for our approach to social justice education, discusses why clarity about our theoretical underpinnings is important, and defines key terms such as “justice,” “social justice,” “isms,” and “intersections.” Next, the chapter describes seven dynamics of oppression (hierarchical, cumulative, normalizing, dehumanizing, etc.), with examples to illustrate how these dynamics operate within and across different isms at both individual and systemic levels. The chapter concludes with a section on acting for social justice that links theory with practice to show the many ways individuals can organize with others to take action for justice at individual, organizational, and collective levels.

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