2.1 Social justice issues
How do we navigate modern social justice?
It might be stating the obvious that being able to talk freely about social issues, whether they are deemed controversial or not, can be a tricky balancing act. In a world which has quickly been shaped over the last ten years by populism, polarisation and post-truth perspectives, it is good to remember that debate of issues is something that is meant to have nuance, complexity and passion. This page explores the landscape of social justice nowadays and encourages students to research and discuss respectfully and with open-mindedness.
The IB Mission, International-mindedness and Learner Profile
The last line of IB Mission Statement states the importance that young people realise that even if we differ from others, they can also be right. This page explores the outcome of a global context that can be increasingly dominated and accustomed to polarised views so an important characteristic of being a lifelong learner is being open at least to other views.
Personal and Professional Skills
Whether you are looking at the nature of ethical dilemmas, case-studies or ethics in the professional workplace, being able to navigate your way through in a balanced way is an essential part of the Applied Ethics theme. However, being able to discuss social issues in a free, respectful and balanced way, is an intrinsic part of Personal Development, Intercultural Understanding, Communication Skills and Thinking Processes too...
... and if all the PPS themes apply here, then that of course means that all the ATL skill areas apply here, particularly Communication Skills, Social Skills, Research Skills, Thinking Skills - this is not just a CP prerogative!
Students must be able to explore an ethical dilemma for what it is; an issue that does not have one solution and needs exploring from multiple perspectives to give a sense of balance to sensitive topics. This relates directly to the Career-related studies as it is where the ethical dilemma for the reflective project comes from.
The Questions
How do we talk and can we listen?
Discussing tricky topics can be a difficult landscape to navigate and this is in no small part to the times we are living in. It is important to understand some key political terms dominating the world in this part of the 21st Century as they affect every part of our discourse and determine our thinking processes. When one understands something about how populism, polarisation and post-truth works, one is far more explicitly aware of how this might shape what we think and why we think it. However, more importantly, could it make us more able to listen and dissect what is really going on?
Populism
Summary: this is a summary based upon articles and books but should not be assumed to be balanced definition[1]. [2]
Nowadays, 'populism' refers to a wide range of political stances but all of them juxtapose the idea of 'the people' with the 'elite'. It's not new - the term has been around since the 19th Century but only in the 21st Century has it become a wildly used term. As it varies so much by context, it can be hard to get a definition but generally we can see the notion of an ideology where 'the people' are the morally good against the powerful 'elite' who are corrupt and self-serving placing their own interests above the interests of 'the people'. Given any context, the 'elite' can refer to many bodies; the media, bankers, politicians to name a few. What is interesting is that 'the people' do not represent one whole entity as it can be based upon certain defining criteria such as class, ethnicity and nationality with the reality of many being excluded. Also anyone not wanting to be associated by such a homogenous definition of 'the people' are very much excluded from the party. It's important to note that criticising a government or privilege of any sort does not make you a populist - these are important parts being engaged in a democratic society.
Important: it's worth considering the dangers of a 'them' and 'us' mentality which arguably has evolved as a reality of populist movements in recent times. A shorter term for this is 'othering'
Take a step back: what examples of this have you seen around the world? Are there examples beyond the obvious?Polarisation
Starting with a definition from the Cambridge Dictionary helps here:
Viewpoint: Polarisation tends to be an inevitable part and outcome of populism where there is a perceived 'them' and 'us' divide. It should be stressed that this is not about everyone thinking the same thing and agreeing; it is about different opinions and perspectives being allowed to coexist.
Important:
Take a step back: what examples of this have you seen around the world? Are there examples beyond the obvious?
Post-truth
Defining 'post-truth' is a tricky business as it is complex and far-reaching. For the purposes of our understanding it is interesting to look at how it plays a part in critical thinking. What we are looking for is a recognition of how we form opinions and the elements that go into it to make it stand up and be relevant. To look at the opposite, it is making claims and presenting reality with the priority of presenting truth taking a backseat. In their article 'Defining Post - Truth: Structures, Agents and Styles', Ari-Elmeri Hyvonen describes this as 'Careless speech'[3] which goes some way to capture what we are avoiding here.
Post-truth is particularly important to grapple with when it comes to creating an informed opinion.
Some initial definitions from The Cambridge English Dictionary
post-truth: relating to a situation in which people are more likely to accept an argument based on their emotions and beliefs, rather than one based on facts[4]
And some connected words ...
misinformation: wrong information, or the fact that people are misinformed
disinformation: false information spread in order to deceive people.
fake news: false stories that appear to be news, spread on the internet or using other media, usually created to influence political views or as a joke.
bias: the action of supporting or opposing a particular person or thing in an unfair way, because of allowing personal opinions to influence your judgment.
propaganda: information, ideas, opinions, or images, often only giving one part of an argument, that are broadcast, published, or in some other way spread with the intention of influencing people's opinions
... and from the Urban Dictionary[5]
(indicative of how language is changing to represent the current context, the word 'malinformation' is not yet in the Cambridge Dictionary but a definition is availbale in the Urban Dictionary. It is explored in the UNESCO video below)
Malinformation: Malinformation is fake information to make a scheme sound more believable. Often in the form of testimonials backing up Pyramid-like schemes. These scams tend to target people who suffer from chronic misinformedness.
Important:
Take a step back: what examples of this have you seen around the world? Are there examples beyond the obvious?
Interested in exploring more?
Check out this page in the collection of PPS resources under Thinking Processes
Understanding 'Truth'
The nature of 'truth' in the 21st CenturyHere, we start to chip away at the idea of truth and how finding it in today's world demands highly developed critical thinking tools. Whilst the intention is...
Alliteration is great but we must not forget these other players in shaping our current landscape...
Confirmation bias
Opinion: Human beings have been doing this forever but it becomes particularly prevalent in times where uncertainty and fear are heightened. But what does it mean?
The Encyclopedia Brittannica defines confirmation bias as 'the tendency to process information by looking for, or interpreting, information that is consistent with one's existent beliefs'.
If you have ever had the feeling of wondering who it is who thinks so inately differently to you as everyone you know, to a greater or lesser extent, feels the same way as you? We could mean feeling the same in terms of political compass, or views on issues concerning gender, wealth, class etc ... Do you ask yourself 'who are these [insert political leader name] supporters?' or 'thank goodness I don't know any [insert political party] supporters'.
This is no accident: it comes down to the thinking processes at work with our use of social media and general consumption of media. Either knowingly, or unknowingly,at the same time as seeking out confirmation of our inherent beliefs, we simultaneously reject anything that might compromise our view of the world - the upshot is that we just feel even more strongly about our original thoughts.
Woke
If ever there was a term that has become overused, wrongly used and politicised in the past 5 years, it is the term 'woke'. It can be assumed to be something new and fashionable but it is anything but. Read on ...
From The Independent 22nd January 2021: What is the history of the word 'woke' and its modern uses?
'Origin of the word ‘woke’: 'The phrase “woke” and to “stay woke” is not new — it began appearing in the 1940s and was first used by African Americans to “literally mean becoming woken up or sensitised to issues of justice”, says linguist and lexicographer Tony Thorne'[6].
So what does it mean now?
With the Black Lives Matter movement arguably starting in 2014, the term 'woke' became more prevalent, not without some logic here, as a term associated with equity and justice. Interesting to consider the following excerpt from the same article with how this term has been understood and how it links with the other terms discussed in this section.
' “Woke” is currently used by the political left to refer to progressiveness and social justice, while those on the political right have weaponised it as a way to denigrate those who disagree with their beliefs ...
... Like phrases before it - such as “politically correct”, “social justice warrior” and “cancel culture” - “woke” has become a toxicised term used by alt-right and politically conservative groups to insult people on the left'[6].
Take a step back: what is the impact when someone summarises something as 'woke' or 'just woke culture'. What is the process happening in their mind? And what does it signify more widely?
Social and Communication Skills: What is the impact of being really heard?
We all want to be listened to but could all of us improve the way we listen? It is important to consider the wider impact of someone knowing that they are being listened to and how this plays a part in a lively discussion where people feel confident to share thoughts and ideas without judgement.
Top Tips for Listening - how many do you already do?
1. Make a commitment to delay judgement: make a decision that no matter what your own views are, you will reserve judgement and listen to the speaker. This can be hard. Consider the opposite and what we are seeking to avoid; that feeling when you keep your own opinion in the forefront of your mind, acting as a shield where you mentally disagree with someone as they are talking as they say something that compromises your view. (We all do this to a greater or lesser extent - no one is perfect!)
2. Hear people out; don't interrupt - take this a step further? Don't be scared of silence. Knowing when to respond takes practice but in connection with the first tip here, take a deep breath and aim not to interrupt no matter how tempting it might feel.
3. Are you inviting to talk to? What body language shows you are listening? Consider eye contact, leaning in, and any particular characteristics you have that show you are engaged - a smile, humour, encouraging nods ...
4. Parrot and paraphrase: don't be scared to repeat and check you have got something write. Remembering the exact words used is great but paraphrasing is the easiest way of doing this.
5. Summarise what you have heard to check that you have understood everything correctly. If this happened more then easy misunderstandings could be avoided as what makes perfect sense to one person is easily misinterpreted by another.
With each of these questions, the aim is to avoid the 'for and against' protocol but to consider multiple perspectives as far as possible. Structuring this as a debate is a fantastic process but keep in the forefront of the mind that we want to encourage lively discussion that avoids a feeling of polarisation.
Structuring thoughts and research into well-formed ideas
+ This is great communication skill development and practices exactly what you will want to do for the reflective project - take multiple perspectives and evaluate them.
Collaborate with a partner or small group, considering the question you have been given. You are looking to come up with between 1-3 perspectives on this topic. With each one, you will need to support it with research and then consider the strengths and weaknesses of this. This structure below is only intended to get ideas going and give them some form. Feel free to move away from it.
A: Establish an argument that supports this perspective
- Develop and support with relevant evidence
- Provide analysis of the issue – break it down into how supports your idea and why it is impactful?
- Evaluate - supporting your analysis by thinking about the strengths & weaknesses of the argument & the 'so what?' factor
Include your voice (ie what do YOU think of this perspective at this stage?
B: Establish second argument that supports this perspective
- Develop and support with relevant evidence
- Provide analysis of the issue – break it down into how supports your idea and why it is impactful?
- Evaluate - supporting your analysis by thinking about the strengths & weaknesses of the argument & the 'so what?' factor
Include your voice (ie what do YOU think of this perspective at this stage?
C: Establish third argument that supports this perspective
- Develop and support with relevant evidence
- Provide analysis of the issue – break it down into how supports your idea and why it is impactful?
- Evaluate - supporting your analysis by thinking about the strengths & weaknesses of the argument & the 'so what?' factor
Include your voice (ie what do YOU think of this perspective at this stage?
Discussing Modern Social Justice Questions
The following section supports the powerpoint with some inspiration to help students contextualise the question and get conversations going. The questions can be used in any way and not ordered with any particular pathway of discussion in mind. Please be drawn to where you see fit.
The Questions may now look different now after exploring the page so far!
1. Is it possible to be too inclusive?
'Inclusion is an organisational effort and practices in which different groups or individuals having different backgrounds are culturally and socially accepted and welcomed.
These differences could be self-evident, such as national origin, age, race and ethnicity, religion/belief, gender, marital status and socioeconomic status or they could be more inherent, such as educational background, training, sector experience, organisational tenure, even personality, such as introverts and extroverts'[7]
Global Diversity Practice
2. What is the role of an ally? Is it possible for it to go to an extreme?
Key words - what do they mean?
The Sponsor ... The Champion ... The Amplifier ... The Advocate ... The Scholar ... The Upstander ... The Confidant ...
3. What are the connotations of 'social justice' and 'activism/activist' nowadays? Why is being a 'social justice warrior' a negative thing?
'“Social justice warrior” once referred to people involved in social justice activism, before being used as an insult on Twitter, and then getting adopted by right-wingers and online trolls as a way to belittle anyone with progressive views'[8].
Harriet Williamson 'Why wouldn't you want to be a social justice warrior?, The Independent 20th February 2022
4. Is wearing traditional clothing cultural appropriation or is it acceptable? In certain contexts? (appreciation v disrespectfully)
' Why does our concern about cultural appropriation matter? Designers and artists have been drawing inspiration from each other for millennia. Cut off that blood supply of creative exchange and communities would be left, not only with a smaller palette of ideas but far narrower views of the world and the other ways of being on it. Plus, the difference between cultural appropriation and appreciation can be thin; after all, why copy something if you don't love it?'[9]
Bel Jacobs, BBC: The Collection, 16 May 2022
5. Do you believe some women take feminism too far and therefore cause more harm than good for what many feminists fight for?
Women's rights have gone 'too far', say majority of Gen Z and millenials, study shows
'Almost two in five people (38 per cent) in Britain believe men are expected to do too much to support equality, an increase on 29 per cent who felt this way in 2019. On a more positive note, the research found that almost half of Britons (47 per cent) now think equality between men and women will be achieved within their lifetime, compared with 40 per cent in 2018. Kelly Beaver MBE, the chief executive of Ipsos, UK and Ireland, said: “Our ongoing research into gender equality shows that we have made significant progress with nearly half of people now agreeing equality will be achieved within their lifetime. “However, there are signs that the public are starting to push back on this progress to date, which is potentially worrying, but it may also be a sign that real change is happening in society and change can often make people uncomfortable and resistant'[10].
Blathnaid Corless, The Telegraph, 9th March 2023
6. Why do you think it is important to learn about the history of imperialism and colonialism, and how might this knowledge help us address present-day inequalities?
Put our colonial history on the curriculum - then we'll understand who we really are
'If we were all taught about colonial history in school, we’d learn at a young age that many of the people who came here from colonies and former colonies did so as citizens, not as immigrants. We’d discuss how so-called immigration policies introduced from the 1960s onward were designed to make it more difficult for people of colour to come to this country, and we’d examine the forms of resistance that came with this'[11]
Maya Goodfellow, The Guardian, 5th December 2019 (more than 3 years old)
What words and phrases can help structure ideas and help students express themselves?
The Language of analysis |
The evidence clearly shows ... It appears that... |
Other useful words and phrases for extended critical thinking
Key words and Phrases | ||
Structural words and phrases | Discursive markers or connectives | Critical thinking phrases |
However ... | Firstly | On the one hand ... |
Footnotes
- ^ European Centre for Populism Studies: https://www.populismstudies.org/Vocabulary/populism/
- ^ Alastair Campbell: 'But What Can I do?' p35
- ^ Ari-Elmeri Hyvönen: Defining Post-truth: Structures, Agents, and Styles
- ^ https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/post-truth
- ^ www.urbandictionary.com
- a, b https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/woke-meaning-word-history-b1790787.html
- ^ https://globaldiversitypractice.com/what-is-diversity-inclusion/
- ^ Harriet Williamson, Why wouldn't you want to be a Social justice warrior? https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/social-justice-warrior-poverty-inequality-b2019123.html
- ^ Bel Jacobs https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20220513-what-defines-cultural-appropriation
- ^ Blathnaid Corless: 'Women’s rights have gone ‘too far’, say majority of Gen Z and millennials, study shows', The Telegraph, 9th March 2023 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/03/09/womens-rights-have-gone-far-say-majority-gen-z-millennials-study/
- ^ Maya Goodfellow, The Guardian, 5th December 2019 (more than 3 years old)