case study for social justice

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Race and Social Justice Case Collection

Numerous members of the HKS faculty have developed teaching cases regarding the many aspects of racial inequality, race relations, and diversity. Their areas of focus include history, education, democracy, human rights, health care, leadership, and criminal justice. Through the analysis and dissemination of these cases, students can gain a better understanding of the extensive, profound, and enduring impacts of racism with the potential to apply this knowledge in changing the way that public leaders and officials think about race when addressing public issues. The HKS Case Program created this collection of cases to aid educators in the process of identifying and selecting a case within the themes of racial inequality and social justice.

Theme I: Protest/Leadership 

Case :  Leading with Empathy: Tarana Burke and the Making of the Me Too Movement Length : 15  pages Learning Objective :  The case provides a behind-the-scenes look at how Burke’s thought process unfolded throughout her leadership journey, enabling an in-depth exploration of the internal and external struggles that shaped the Me Too founder’s leadership approach.  

Case : LaToya Cantrell, Mayor of New Orleans: A Political ‘Outsider’ Takes Charge of City Hall Length : 10-page Multimedia Case Learning Objective : Designed for a class in urban politics and policy, this case allows students to consider and contrast the skills and strategies that allowed Cantrell to succeed as an activist with those needed on the election trail and at City Hall. It allows for discussion of what the rise of an African American woman from grassroots activism to New Orleans’ top elected office means for the city—and for the activist politician herself.

Video Case : Colin Kaepernick v. Donald Trump Length : 8.30 minutes Learning Objective : This video can be used to inform class discussions about protest movements in sports, race discrimination and police violence, social justice, culture wars, polarization in U.S. politics, and how antagonists in a conflict go about defining the issue at the heart of it and creating networks of support. It can be used as an assignment for students to view ahead of class or played at the beginning of the class session.

Case : Values-Based Leadership Across Difference: The Life and Legacy of Nelson Mandela Length : 35 pages Learning Objective : The case is designed to facilitate a live, in-class discussion of the role of personal, core values in achieving and maintaining leadership. The learning objective is to understand the essence of values-based leadership in the service of others, along with the personal sacrifice, patience, persistence, and openness to change that is required.

Case : Crossing the Line: Don Imus and the Rutgers Women's Basketball Team Length : 32 pages Learning Objective : This case can be used to foster discussion on the issues of race, freedom of speech, and the power of the press and mass media in the modern internet age.

Case : Kmart Union in Greensboro Fights for a Contract: Early Days Exhilarating and Frustrating (A) / B Case Length : 20 pages (A Case) and 18 pages (B Case) Learning Objective : When the employees of a Kmart distribution center in Greensboro, North Carolina vote to unionize, they encounter difficulty in negotiating a contract with their employer, which viewed wages and working conditions as in keeping with regional conditions. This series of cases describes the tactics employed which at first alienate local opinion but which are adjusted in ways that prove effective. The case describes, in particular, the decision to recruit local religious leaders, whose support proves crucial. The case is meant to support discussion of organizing tactics and strategy. Alternatively, it can be used to discuss labor economics, as a vehicle to examine the substance of the Kmart employees’ complaints and the counter-arguments mounted by company management.

Case : Jesse Helms v. Harvey Gantt: Race, Culture, and Campaign Strategy in the 1990 Senate Battle and Sequel Length : 39 pages Learning Objective : The case raises a series of broad questions: what is acceptable discourse on race in US public life? Did either candidate in this campaign cross a line such that their campaign tactics raised moral issues because of their references to race? If such a line exists, does it constrain black and white candidates equally?

Theme II: Diversity and Inclusion

Video Case : Embracing the Uphill Struggle: Marc Morial's Quest for Corporate Diversity Length : 25 pages Learning Objective : Designed for a class in leadership, the case allows students to consider how personal influences, the opportunities and constraints of a given historical moment, and a set of leadership skills and approaches combine—in this case, to create an advocacy strategy for corporate diversity. The case could be paired with any leadership framework. At HKS, it was paired with the “4P” framework, which highlights the roles of perception, process, people, and projection.

Case : H arvey Mudd College: Promoting Women in Computer Science through Inclusive Education  Length : 31 pages Learning Objective : The case was designed to foster classroom discussion on the barriers to increasing diversity and gender equity within STEM programs as well as a diagnosis of the approach taken by Harvey Mudd College. Students are asked to consider whether Harvey Mudd College’s approach is replicable and if so, under what conditions. 

Video Case : The Massport Model: Integrating Diversity and Inclusion into Public-Private Partnerships Length : 29 pages Learning Objective : The case is designed to facilitate a live, in-class discussion to help students understand the challenges of crafting and implementing a diversity and inclusion requirement within a multi-stakeholder public-private partnership. Students assess the tradeoffs, consequences, and benefits for each stakeholder.

Case : Values in Conflict: The Furor over Admissions Policy at a Popular Virginia Magnet School Length : 23 pages Learning Objective : In this executive leadership case, the activist superintendent of Virginia's affluent Fairfax County public school district, Daniel A. Domenech, is faced with a complex, politically-loaded policy dilemma. At issue is the admissions policy for the county's popular and prestigious magnet high school, the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. The case describes Domenech and his educational philosophy, then provides a narrative summary of TJ's history, the evolution of its admissions policy in some detail, and the perspectives of various interested parents on the topic. It poses the question, how should Domenech approach this problem?

Case : Pushing the Boundaries: Redistricting the Kentwood Schools Length : 18 pages Learning Objective : This leadership case describes how a superintendent developed and implemented a plan she believed ensured racial integration within the public schools of a small, suburban municipality, notwithstanding citizen opposition. The case describes both her methods of dealing with the public and, in particular, her relations with Kentwood's elected board of education members.

Video Case : Diversity Programs at The New England Aquarium Length : 22 pages Learning Objective : Like many major museums, the New England Aquarium on Boston's waterfront is under pressure to have a higher profile in the city's minority neighborhoods. Its strategies to do so include the hiring of African American and Hispanic high school students for positions formerly filled by white, middle-class volunteers. Complications develop, however, in part because the youthful employees don't have the range of experience and interest in the field as did their predecessors. The inner circle of the Aquarium's management includes one minority staff member who finds himself obligated to handle them. Is it right for him to be asked to do so?

Theme III: History and Urban Politics

Case : The Making of a Public Health Catastrophe: A Step-By-Step Guide to the Flint Water Crisis Length : 47 pages  Learning Objective : This rich case story offers multiple avenues for in-class analysis. At the Harvard Kennedy School, instructors use it to think about types of power, shifts in power over time, bureaucratic incentives, and the ethics of personal responsibility. These discussions deepen students’ understanding of structural racism. The case could also be used to discuss environmental justice, environmental regulation, bureaucracy, cost-cutting, and advocacy.

Case : Detroit’s Troubled Waters: Race, Politics, Bankruptcy & Regionalism Length : 28 pages plus a video supplement Learning Objective : Developed for a course in urban politics and policy, the case and video provide background for a traditional case discussion or simulation, in which students gain a deeper appreciation for how each party understands its own interests, goals, and red lines. The video is also available separately with guidance about using it to explore issues of urban racial history in the United States and the historical factors that led to Detroit's bankruptcy in 2013.

Video Case : The Rise and Fall of an American City: Race and Politics in Detroit, 1910-2013 (Documentary) / Multimedia Case Length : 30-minute video/5-chapter multimedia case Learning Objective : This video/multimedia case can be used to discuss key issues in the evolution of many American cities, such as white flight, institutional racism and deindustrialization. The video can also be used to inform a class discussion about the historical factors that led to Detroit’s crisis and influenced the controversial decision to suspend local government in order to restore financial stability to the city.

Case : " Broadmoor Lives": A New Orleans Neighborhood's Battle To Recover from Hurricane Katrina (A Case) / B Case / Sequel Length : 24 pages (A Case) and 25 pages (B Case) Learning Objective : The A case provides background on Broadmoor--a mixed-income neighborhood that encompassed both a relatively affluent, largely white area and a poorer, largely African American section that had been troubled by blighted housing and crime--and tells the story of its early steps to organize an all-volunteer redevelopment planning effort.  Soon after it launched the process, it got an unexpected offer of help from Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), which proposed to send students to Broadmoor during their spring break to assist the neighborhood with its plan.  The case ends with a warning from the leader of the HKS initiative that the federal funds residents hoped would start pouring in once their plan was completed would not likely materialize.  Part B then follows two strands of the Broadmoor planning effort: (1) how residents met to discuss and vote on components of the plan, and how differences over goals and priorities were mediated and resolved; and (2) how the neighborhood adopted a strategy of "partnerships" with outside organizations and corporations to get help in implementing its ambitious redevelopment plan.  A brief sequel describes progress in key areas of the plan. Taken together, the cases provide a snapshot of a disaster-stricken community organizing itself and building the capacity to engineer and manage its own recovery.

Case : Plans versus Politics: New Orleans after Katrina Length : 22 pages Learning Objective : This case can be used to illustrate the difficulty facing political leaders in making decisions that would adequately satisfy the interests of different groups within their constituents. It can also be used in classes to foster discussion on appropriate emergency or strategic management after a natural disaster.

Case : Crossing the River: An Economic Development and Diversity Initiative in Southwestern Michigan (A Case) / B Case Length : 43 pages (A Case) and 3 pages (B Case) Learning Objective : The case prompts discussion about community tolerance and diversity, business-government-community relations, the structure and effectiveness of citizen-based planning efforts, and economic development strategies for older industrial communities.

Theme IV: Criminal Justice

Case :  Addressing Racial Disparities at the Massachusetts Probation Service Length : 8 pages Learning Objective :  By looking at an agency that has been intentional about addressing racial disparities, the case asks students to: 1. Analyze the reforms on their merits and evaluate whether they generated system-wide change; 2. Examine if it is possible for good leadership and a racially balanced workforce to achieve equitable treatment of all who come into the criminal legal system; and 3. Analyze the tradeoffs between introducing more fairness into the system and serving the institution’s mission. Case : Strategic Moves & Tough Choices: The Campaign Behind New Jersey’s ‘Ban the Box’ Law Length : 24 pages Learning Objective : This political strategy case invites students to reflect on the roles, principles, and tools of non-profit organizations in lobbying for a bill. How to identify stakeholders; how to use data effectively; how to create a sympathetic narrative; how to understand and address the objections of critics; how to be attuned to the subtext of language in making the case for the bill; how to balance competing concerns in deciding who will be the face of the campaign; how to think about compromise.

Case : Into Local Streets: Maryland National Guard and the Baltimore Riots Length : 19 pages Learning Objective: This case prompts readers to reflect on challenges the National Guard may encounter when responding to civil unrest in domestic settings. It asks readers to consider how the Guard can best partner with the many different law enforcement agencies that will be involved in – and frequently in command of – the response to such events. The case also highlights some of the challenges Guard leaders may face when interfacing with elected officials – at both the state and local levels.

Case : A Rising Storm: Eric Garner and the Explosive Controversy over Race & Policing Length : 36 pages Learning Objective : This case was designed for The Responsibilities of Public Action , a core ethics course, where it is used to explore institutional racism, competing public values, and collective responsibility. The case invites students to question what is at stake for policymakers and stakeholders in the aftermath of Garner’s death and to evaluate the policy instruments available to them. The case could also be taught in classes pertaining to strategy, policy, criminal justice, and leadership.  

Case : Revisiting Gang Violence in Boston Length : 25 pages Learning Objective : The so-called ‘Boston miracle’ — a dramatic decline in homicides, especially among the city's youth — was singled out by President Clinton as a model for the rest of the nation. Among the heroes of that miracle were co-founders of the Ten Point Coalition, a group of African American clergymen. In addition to walking the most dangerous streets in the city in an effort to reach out to gang members, Coalition members had also become participants in a citywide initiative  —  Operation Ceasefire, a partnership of the Boston police, probation officers, court officials, youth workers, prosecutors, academics, and others  —  which was widely credited with the steep in gang-related killings. The success had brought national and international acclaim, but ultimately led to a fracturing of both the Coalition and the Operation Ceasefire alliance. Faced with a resurgence in gang shootings, the case looks at individuals who had participated in Operation Ceasefire, and sought not only to revive the strategies that had proved so successful in the past, but also to find new ways to halt the cycle of retaliatory killings that had brought Boston's homicide rate to a ten-year high.

Case : Changing with the Times: South African Police in the Post-Apartheid Era Length : 18 pages Learning Objective : This case highlights, in an exceptionally dramatic way, the ways in which the missions of public agencies can change in relationship to the political climate. It calls for imagination in coping with a crucial problem of managing organizational change. The case discusses the changes and internal reforms that took place within the South African Police (SAP) during the post-apartheid era.

Theme V: Other Marginalized Communities

Case : Fallen Idol? Aung San Suu Kyi & the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis Length : 23 pages Learning Objective : Developed for a course in moral leadership, this case may be used to teach about how top officials may fail when faced with their greatest adaptive challenges. In this case, students may be asked to consider Suu Kyi’s approach in the light of adaptive leadership theory, which rejects the false certainty of easy answers in addressing intercommunal conflict in favor of embracing uncertainty, experimentation, and the risk of failure in the open-ended search for a more humane, enduring path forward.

Case : Caño Martín Peña: Land Ownership and Politics Collide in Puerto Rico Length : 5-page Multimedia Case Learning Objective : This case offers rich material for thinking about the most appropriate scale and means for addressing a range of complex socio-economic and environmental urban challenges, such as community empowerment, affordable housing, urban planning, gentrification and water pollution. Pundits and politicians across the globe overwhelmingly view the everyday operation of the private market, coupled with some degree of local and state action, as offering the best way forward in tackling these thorny, complex issues. The Caño Martín Peña community land trust provides students with an opportunity to critically assess an alternative solution -- namely, collectivizing land ownership at the small scale of a neighborhood and rebalancing decision-making power away from city and state authorities as well as private developers to the communities that make the neighborhood their home. Using this case, students can analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the CLT model and consider how effective and sustainable it might be in different contexts.

Case : Female Genital Cutting: Confronting the Power of Tradition in Senegal Length : 8-page Multimedia Case Learning Objective : This multimedia case provides a compelling vehicle for the instructor and the students to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of different mechanisms for changing deeply entrenched social norms, from public deliberation and community empowerment to a coordinated abandonment approach that seeks to quickly flip social equilibrium, using game-theoretic principles. Students can also explore ethical dilemmas in international development and aid, as well as the potential for cultural imperialism.

Case : Fighting Bonded Labor in Rural India: Village Activist Gyarsi Bai Tackles an Entrenched System of Coercion Length : 19 pages plus a multimedia website of eight short videos, ranging in length from 1 to 3:30 min. Learning Objective : This case was developed for a negotiations class to introduce the topic of coalition-building in multi-party negotiations, but can also be used to examine mechanisms of social change. It demonstrates that, even in extreme situations, disenfranchised groups can make significant headway through effective use of negotiating techniques. Students examine how activist Gyarsi Bai earned the trust of vulnerable laborers, created viable alternatives to bonded labor, and built coalitions with local and national NGOs, the state and central governments, and the media to expand her influence.

Case : Negotiating from the Margins: The Santa Clara Pueblo Seeks Key Ancestral Lands Length : 23 pages plus video supplement Learning Objective : This negotiations case describes the approach, over time, of Santa Clara, a small Pueblo Indian tribe in New Mexico, to recover a piece of land tribal leaders viewed as integral to their ancestral homeland. The case can be used to teach several lessons about negotiation – how to trade on differences to create value, overcome a status and power imbalance, build a multi-party coalition, and balance the demands of internal vs. external negotiations. In particular, case analysis shows the advantages of understanding one’s adversary, especially in framing an argument. It also shows how to dig beneath an apparent zero-sum conflict to find a solution that gives both parties what they most want and need.

Case : "No Prison in East L.A.!": Birth of a Grassroots Movement Length : 28 pages Learning Objective : This advocacy strategy case describes the special challenges faced and techniques employed by a poor, minority (Mexican-American) neighborhood group seeking to draw public attention to its concern about the proposed siting of a state prison facility on its borders. The Mothers of East LA employ a variety of attention-getting publicity techniques to apparent great effect. This case provides the basis for discussion of advocacy techniques, community organizing strategies, and the position of non-affluent interest groups.

Case : Against All Odds: The Campaign in Congress for Japanese American Redress Length : 30 pages Learning Objective : The dramatic story of how the Japanese American community successfully lobbied Congress and the White House for legislation mandating financial compensation for those sent to detention camps in the wake of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The case not only tells the inside story of a decade-long lobbying campaign--including a carefully researched personal approach which changed Ronald Reagan's mind on the subject--but serves as a model of how bills really become laws. Aspects of this process explored in the narrative include internal legislative strategy, the role of the press, the role of grassroots organization, and the structure and nature of coalitions. In addition to calling on students to consider the various approaches available to the Japanese community, such as the choice between legislative initiative and court action, the case allows students to assume the role of a marginalized group dealing with the political and cultural mainstream.

Race and Social Justice Case Collection

This curated collection from the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) brings together teaching cases that explore different dimensions of racial inequality, race relations, and diversity. The topics explored cover a variety of disciplines, from public health, education, criminal justice, public policy, and more. Each case is a rich opportunity for students to analyze the nuanced, pervasive ways racism continues to shape society and consider the multiple approaches to shift policies, reduce disparities, and change behavior.

Several of these cases are free, while others may be purchased for a nominal fee. Registered educators may obtain a free review copy. Online supplemental resources include  short free documents  and videos on how to teach with the case method, as well as downloadable related tip sheets and questions for class discussion.

Theme I: Protest/Leadership

• LaToya Cantrell, Mayor of New Orleans: A Political ‘Outsider’ Takes Charge of City Hall
• Colin Kaepernick v. Donald Trump
• Values-Based Leadership Across Difference: The Life and Legacy of Nelson Mandela
• Crossing the Line: Don Imus and the Rutgers Women's Basketball Team
• Kmart Union in Greensboro Fights for a Contract: Early Days Exhilarating and Frustrating (A)/B Case
• Jesse Helms v. Harvey Gantt: Race, Culture, and Campaign Strategy in the 1990 Senate Battle and Sequel

Theme II: Diversity and Inclusion

• The Massport Model: Integrating Diversity and Inclusion into Public-Private Partnerships
• Values in Conflict: The Furor over Admissions Policy at a Popular Virginia Magnet School
• Pushing the Boundaries: Redistricting the Kentwood Schools
• Diversity Programs at The New England Aquarium

Theme III: History and Urban Politics

• The Rise and Fall of an American City: Race and Politics in Detroit, 1910-2013 (Documentary)/Multimedia Case
• "Broadmoor Lives": A New Orleans Neighborhood's Battle To Recover from Hurricane Katrina (A Case)/B Case/Sequel
• Plans versus Politics: New Orleans after Katrina
• Crossing the River: An Economic Development and Diversity Initiative in Southwestern Michigan (A Case)/B Case

Theme IV: Criminal Justice

• Strategic Moves & Tough Choices: The Campaign Behind New Jersey’s ‘Ban the Box’ Law
• Into Local Streets: Maryland National Guard and the Baltimore Riots
• A Rising Storm: Eric Garner and the Explosive Controversy over Race & Policing
• Revisiting Gang Violence in Boston
• Changing with the Times: South African Police in the Post-Apartheid Era

Theme V: Other Marginalized Communities

• Fallen Idol? Aung San Suu Kyi & the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis
• Caño Martín Peña: Land Ownership and Politics Collide in Puerto Rico
• Female Genital Cutting: Confronting the Power of Tradition in Senegal
• Fighting Bonded Labor in Rural India: Village Activist Gyarsi Bai Tackles an Entrenched System of Coercion
• Negotiating From the Margins: The Santa Clara Pueblo Seeks Key Ancestral Lands
• "No Prison in East L.A.!": Birth of a Grassroots Movement
• Against All Odds: The Campaign in Congress for Japanese American Redress

Race and Social Justice Case Collection. Harvard Kennedy School Case Program 2020. https://case.hks.harvard.edu/race-and-social-justice-case-collection .

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Case studies on diversity and social justice education

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Making the Case for Social Justice Educators in America’s Schools

New book, “ Preparing and Sustaining Social Justice Educators ,” details UCLA Center X efforts to transform teacher preparation, educator support, and schools through focus on social justice

Across academia, among philanthropists, and in the conversations of educators and advocates, one often hears lofty ideas and idealistic plans for “fixing schools” or “ reforming education.” They are often accompanied by calls for addressing the achievement gap of low-income, mostly Black and Brown students, to somehow address what is perceived as deficits in their thinking and learning. 

Lofty ideas and plans are sometimes quite good and offered with the best of intentions. But the reality is the real work of helping students learn and thrive falls to the educators who go to work every day in schools serving increasingly vulnerable students.  The teachers and principals who show up before the bell rings and stay after the school day ends,  the ones who hear the stories, see the tears and struggles and applaud the successes.  The ones who see and understand the real and difficult challenges that place learning at risk, but that also can see the assets and strengths among the students, families, and community that are too often ignored.  It is to these community educators, who are dedicated to the school communities they serve, that the heavy lifting of increasing learning, opportunity, and justice falls. And they need real and meaningful training and support to meet that challenge.

Two educators at UCLA, Annamarie Francois, and Karen Hunter Quartz, are shining a light on strategies to help K-12 teachers and leaders succeed in a new book that makes the case for the development and support of social justice educators. 

Drawing on the experience of Francois, Quartz, and their colleagues and partners at UCLA Center X, the book, “ Preparing and Sustaining Social Justice Educators ,” illuminates the need for and challenge of developing and supporting educators who are not only committed to racial and social justice for their students, but those with the deep knowledge and skills needed for high-quality instruction and learning, and the perspective and resilience to disrupt educational inequality in pursuit of opportunity and justice.

Beginning with the aftermath of the not-guilty verdict in the 1992 trial of four Los Angeles Police officers who viciously beat Rodney King, a Black man, the book traces the transformation of a very traditional UCLA teaching program into a groundbreaking effort to prepare and support teachers and school leaders to further learning and opportunities in low-income urban communities through the pursuit of social justice. That effort has come to be known as UCLA Center X.

It is not a tale though of a program rising phoenix-like from the ashes to save poor students and fix schools. Rather, it is about the development of a vision, the learning, and collaboration, the successes, and failures, the strategies and practices, the effort and diligence that has gone into a 30-year effort to build a “beloved community” that supports and sustains educators as they transform our public schools to create a more just, equitable, and humane society. And it is about the work and challenges that lie ahead.

“Center X is one of many beloved communities of educators across the globe. As a movement, we share the values of inclusion, respect, and love,” Francois and Quartz write. “We unite around a common set of beliefs about the importance of culture, identity, and justice. We also unite in political struggle. We ask for trouble.”

Francois and Quartz are joined by 27 other educators and researchers affiliated with UCLA to tell the story of Center X and make the case for social justice education. Together they share the experience of Center X in hopes that it ignites the imagination about what is possible.  

The book is organized in three parts.

The first sets the vision for UCLA Center X and the work that has gone into “making the rhetoric real.” This section establishes the guiding principles, from a commitment to an agenda of social justice to a constant focus on self-renewal. It also reframes teacher education as a transformative response to racial injustice and highlights efforts to understand and advance the measurement of teaching quality in ways that deepen teacher learning. 

The section begins with an article written 25 years ago by UCLA Presidential Emeritus Professor Jeannie Oakes, often referred to as the mother of Center X, in which she sets forth a vision and the elements of a new effort to transform the UCLA Teacher Education Program into one committed to social and educational justice for low-income children of color in Los Angeles.  They are, she admits, asking for a whole lot of trouble.  But Oakes also makes clear their commitment to “the view,  however idealistic—that schools and teaching for low-income racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse children can change.”  And she lays out the key elements of how that can happen, outlining a new vision for a culture of teacher preparation and role for teachers as caring advocates, reflective practitioners,  community builders, and change agents.

Francois then joins with Jarod Kawasaki, an assistant professor at California State University, Dominguez Hills, and a former faculty member in the UCLA Teacher Education Program, to delve into how UCLA Center X organizes teacher preparation to support the development of community teachers. 

In the opening chapter, Oakes calls for teacher preparation programs to develop teachers with the “commitment, capacity, and resilience” to fundamentally change the systemically oppressive structures and cultures within schools. Francois and Kawasaki write that they see this mandate as “a fundamental responsibility of a community teacher, one that explicitly seeks to dismantle and disrupt systems of oppression through transformative pedagogies, deep relationships with students and their families, and collective action for and with the most vulnerable communities.“

The second part of the book explores how Center X develops and sustains community teachers through professional learning. This section highlights coaching that reframes the achievement gap to be seen as an equity gap, seeking to change perspectives and practices that may be culturally oppressive and exacerbate inequalities, and the provision of “cradle to grave” professional development focused on furthering equity and social justice. It also looks at the role of research-practice partnerships in establishing a common vision of public schooling and transformative relationships and takes a deep dive into strategies that have enhanced and sustained instructional practices that increase student learning and engagement.  The section closes with a close look at the formation and role of the Principal Leadership Program (PLI) at Center X, the process of preparing educational leaders for justice, and the need for continued support and inquiry of school leaders.

“To educate our most vulnerable children, it is imperative that we re-think how we support new teachers coming into the field and shift the way we think about coaching for all teachers,” writes Tonikiaa Orange and Jo Ann Isken of UCLA Center X.

“Preparing teachers for social justice is not enough,” added Jody Priselac and Megan L. Franke, of the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies.  Franke, chair of the UCLA Department of Education, and Priselac, associate dean of community programs, write,  “Idealistic, well-prepared, and justice-oriented novices far too often find themselves assigned to urban schools where pedagogies of poverty are the norm. Creating ongoing opportunities for professional learning becomes essential for supporting urban teachers and their students. The challenge is to create ongoing learning for teacher education students that centers social justice and a view of learning that is transformative.”

The final section of the book explores the role of Center X in transforming schools. The book highlights the ideas, research, and strategies and practices developed through school-university partnerships that have inspired and furthered the work of groundbreaking community schools affiliated with UCLA, and in turn, how the collaborations with these schools and educators have inspired and enhanced the work of Center X and others at UCLA. 

One chapter highlights the partnership with Roosevelt High School and how the University has supported the social justice mission and work at the historic Eastside institution. Another tells the story of the development of UCLA Community School in Los Angeles’s Koreatown, where students, parents and educators are engaged in a learning experience that is furthering knowledge and opportunity, and have created a democratic culture where teachers want to work and stay. The section closes with a look at the challenge and successes of working in partnership with parents, community members and educators to transform a historic but long-neglected school in South Los Angeles, now known as the Mann UCLA Community School.

In the chapter on UCLA Community School, Quartz and  Community School colleagues Leyda Garcia, Queena Kim and Marisa Saunders describe how the school has strived to develop a workplace culture that supports teachers’ collective agency to make a difference in the local community—alongside parents, students, university partners, and many others. The culture is defined by respectful, supported, and productive collaboration to solve problems, such as how to educate in two languages, evaluate teachers, or mainstream students with disabilities.  It is also a school culture that is deeply democratic and reflexive, where it is routine to ask, “Does this advance social justice?”

As noted, the development of UCLA Center X was sparked by the fires lit in frustration at the injustice of the ruling in the police beating of Rodney King. This new book, “Preparing and Sustaining Social Justice Educators,” is being published a little more than a year after the killing of George Floyd shocked the nation and led to protest in cities across the United States and the globe. It is abundantly clear that racism, inequity and injustice remain. The authors of the book are well aware of this stark reality, but in the story of UCLA Center X, they lay out a strategy for continuing the fight, for learning, collaboration, renewal, and enduring effort in a quest for social justice. As Oakes notes in the book’s closing, “Center X has not made the world safe, healthy, and decent; but it continues to teach and nurture those who would make it so.” They are, in the words of the late John Lewis, asking for good trouble.

Preparing and Sustaining Social Justice Educators, is edited by Annamarie Francois and Karen Hunter Quartz.  Published by Harvard Education Press, September 2021. Contributors: Melissa S. Arias • Heather F. Clark • Carla Estes • Megan L. Franke • Leyda Garcia • Ben Gertner • Emma Hipólito • Jo Ann Isken • Lynn Kim-John • Carrie Usui Johnson • Orlando Johnson • Jarod Kawasaki • Queena Kim • Jon Kovach • Ung-Sang Lee Imelda L. Nava • Jeannie Oakes • Tonikiaa Orange • Nancy Parachini • Jaime J. Park Leticia Perez • Jody Z. Priselac • John Rogers • William A. Sandoval • Marisa Saunders • Christine Shen

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Black Lives Matter

Black Lives Matter is a global social justice activism movement that began in the United States and has since spread around the globe. The movement seeks to attain racial justice for African-Americans and those who identify as black. Activists who participate in the movement aim to bring an end to violence and systemic racism aimed against black people. Since its inception as a hashtag, it has transformed into a full-fledged movement that manifests on and offline, and it has expanded from being a response to police brutality to encompassing all types on injustices faced by black people, including in the realms of education, the criminal justice system, and class relations.

The Black Lives Matter movement was created and was solidified in history by the deaths of three African-American men.

The shooting of Trayvon Martin

On February 26th, 2012, Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old African American high school student was shot and killed by George Zimmerman, a 28 year old mixed hispanic man at Stanford, Florida, United States. Zimmerman was the neighbourhood watch coordinator for a gated community in which Trayvon Martin's father's fiancée was a resident. The night of his murder, Zimmerman was on community watch and spotted Martin walking about the neighbourhood at around 7pm in the evening. After notifying the police about Martins suspicious activity, Zimmerman approached Martin when an altercation broke out between him and Zimmerman, which ultimately ended in his murder. Martin was unarmed and later Zimmerman was charged with second degree murder, however, on July 13th, 2013 he was found not guilty .

The shooting of Trayvon Martin and the verdict of the courts caused an outcry from the African American community for action against anti-black racism that permeates today's society. Out of a response to the acquitted Zimmerman, Patrisse Cullors created a hashtag on Facebook in response to a post by Alicia Garza about the incident called, #BlackLivesMatter. Later, Patrisse Cullors in collaboration with Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi started the #BlackLivesMatter campaign. Thus the movement began, in a local grassroots community of Oakland by the work and dreams of Cullors, Garza and Tometi.

Yet the movement did not gain national recognition until a year later with the deaths of both Eric Garner and Michael Brown.

The choking of Eric Garner

On July 17th, 2014, Eric Garner, a 43-year-old African American father of six children, was suffocated to death by Daniel Pantaleo,a 29 year old caucasian policeman at Tompkinsville, Staten Island. Garner, unarmed, was approached by the police under the suspicion that he was selling untaxed cigarettes, a charge that Garner had served many times prior. After refusing to be arrested, police attempted to hand cuff Garner but he was uncooperative until Pantaleo put him in a chokehold from behind which is prohibited by N.Y.P.D. regulations. After wrestling him to the ground, the police handcuffed him but had his chest compressed to the ground. Garner expressed that he couldn't breath almost a dozen times until he finally past out on the street. A ambulance arrived but failed to preform CPR as it was assumed that Garner was still breathing, until he was ruled dead at the hospital an hour later. The case went to trial on the grand jury until on Dec 3rd, 2014, the jury did not indict Pantaleo for his actions .

Video of the incident was captured on a cell phone and posted on social media, in which protests broke out across the country . This was the beginning of "Black Lives Matter" supports began to emerge, using this slogan to protest the police brutality occurring to the black community.

The shooting of Michael Brown

On August 9, 2014, less than a month after the death of Eric Garner, Michael Brown, a unarmed 18-year-old African American teenager, was shot and killed by Darren Wilson, a 28 year old Caucasian policeman at Ferguson Missouri. After stealing some merchandise at a corner convenience store, Brown and fellow friend were confronted by Wilson. After an altercation between Brown and Wilson, Brown and his friend fled, in which Wilson pursued until he caught up to Brown. Unarmed, Brown turned to face Wilson then moved towards him resulting in shots fired by Wilson and ultimately the Death of Michael Brown . Following the incident, outrage and protests broke out in Ferguson come to be know as the Ferguson unrest .

The incident went to the grand jury, however on October 22nd, the grand jury decided not to indict Wilson for his actions.

This, combined with the death of Eric Garner, was the last straw and a crucial step in the Black Lives Matter movement. Hundreds of protests broke out across the nation to fight back against police brutality on African American men. #BlackLivesMatter signs were used in all the protests and people started rallying behind this movement.

The Black Lives Matter movement was cemented, and internationally recognized on December 13th when over 100,000 people came together for the “ Justice for all ” rally in Washington and “ Millions March ” rally in NYC to protest police brutality against black people. It was on this stage that launched the Black Lives Matter movement into history.

Black Lives Matter (BLM) aims to challenge people to think critically about the treatment of the African-American community in the United States. According to the official website , the movement is “an unique contribution that goes beyond extrajudicial killings of Black people by police and vigilantes”. Additionally, BLM surrounds its main conversation around the deprivation of basic human rights that the African-American community has been through; specifically, it aims to start conversations and discussion about poverty, violence, justice, gender equality and LGBTQ and disability rights.

Additionally, BLM also aims to broaden the current perspective of black liberation movements. It encourages people coming from different backgrounds with various identities (such as queers, trans, disabled and female African-Americans) to have their own voice in participating such movements.

Made up by a younger and more diverse demographic, participants of the BLM are determined to be independent from the American Political establishment and the old guard leaders that focuses on political and social validity rather than resonate with current challenges and struggles .

Campaign Zero

A movement linked to Black Lives Matter -- Campagin Zero -- outlined a 10-point objectives in relations to police brutality in the U.S. after many critics commented the Black Lives Matter movement lacks direction.

1. End Broken Window Policing : Campaign Zero calls to end Broken Window Policing and racial profiling as well as establish alternative approaches to the Mental Health Crisis. Broken Window Policing criminalize minor offence such as trespassing, jaywalking and marijuanna posession as a preventative measure. According to the Campaign Zero website, 287 people was killed by the policy department because of such policy.

2. Community Oversight: Campaign Zero calls for community oversight for policy making and jurisdiction of police offense and complaints. According to the U.S. Department of Justice , less than 1 of every 12 policy misconduct result in disciplinary actions.

3. Limit Use of Force : Campaign Zero calls for setting restrictions of excessive use of force by establishing standards and revise current policy.

4. Independent Investigations and Prosecutions : in the case of police violence, Campaign Zero aims to shift police investigation of themselves to independent investigation.

5. Community Representation : Campaign Zero aims to challenge the police department to reflect the cultural diversity of the population and utilizing community feedback to inform rooms of improvements in the local police department.

6. Body Cams/ Film the Police : Campaign Zero noted that video evidence were crucial in the jurisdiction process of most police violence cases, thus, they aim to push forward using technologies to hold the local police department accountable.

7. Training : Campagin Zero has intent to push forward a new set of training regimes that will put more emphasis on community interaction.

8. End For-Profit Policing : through limiting the use of ticket and arrest quotas, fine and fees for low income individuals, as well as any form of currption, Campagin Zero challenges the police department to work for the people instead of aiming to make profits.

9. Demilitarization : establishing policies that limit the use of weapons that could potentially harm unarmed individuals.

10. Fair Police Contracts : re-write police union contracts that are focused on protecting the police from unfair prosecution, while holding them accountable for their actions.

The Black Lives Matter movement has a long term communications strategy. They acknowledge that it will take time to shift the culture, change mindsets, and alter interracial relations. With a grassroots approach, the Black Lives Matter movement aims to listen and solicit feedback from people who are at the center of the oppression. In order to organize and mobilize people, this movement actively broadens international conversation about the impact of state violence on black people and their communities. Furthermore, as many organizations focus on specialized issues, they have specialized goals rather than universal ones that share with everyone in the movement. For instance, organizations that focus on mobilizing students to fight campus racism have different aims than organizations that focus on influencing local elections.

Social Media

Social media has become a major vehicle of mass communication for the "Black Lives Matter" movement. It has become a source of live and raw communication, where people from different parts of the world can get in touch immediately. Social media outlets that play a big role in the "Black Lives Matter" movement include Twitter, Periscope, Instagram, Vine, Facebook. Twitter is the key outlet in the Black Lives Matter movement. The hashtag #BlackLivesMatter came to be in the Summer of 2013, when a labor organizer named Alicia Garza responded on her Facebook page to the acquittal of George Zimmerman (on charges of second-degree murder or manslaughter) on the shooting of Trayvon Martin

The disadvantages of using social media as a vehicle for the #BlackLivesMatter movement include increased susceptibility to surveillance and the monitoring by federal law enforcement agencies.

#BlackLivesMatter

Both the use of the hashtag and the influence of the broader Black Lives Matter movement accelerated greatly in August 2014 when Michael Brown, a black teenager, was fatally shot by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri.

• #BlackLivesMatter hashtag appeared an average of 58,747 times per day in the roughly three weeks following Brown’s death.
• On November 25, the day after a Ferguson grand jury decided not to indict the officer involved in Brown’s death, the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag appeared 172,772 times.

#AllLivesMatter

As a direct response to #BlackLivesMatter, some users on Twitter began using the hashtag #AllLivesMatter. The basic premise behind “All Lives Matter” is that people should not highlight that black lives matter because all lives matter. However, on the contrary, "Black Lives Matter" is trying to highlight that there is demonstrable evidence that black lives matter less than white lives to the criminal justice system (and the American government as a whole).

• #AllLivesMatter has been used a total of 1.5 million times, about one-eighth as often as #BlackLivesMatter.
• One-third of tweets with #AllLivesMatter were critical of its meaning

Collaborations

There are hundreds of organizations that share the Black Lives Matter vision. Through these collaborations, the movement builds political will and increases the mobilization of people. Some organizations want a reformation, while others want an abolition. These are fundamentally different concepts with divergent strategies, but are still aimed towards the same overarching goal. Therefore, the many organizations are encouraged to maintain their autonomy and develop their own strategies, as they know what is best for their communities. Therefore, consistency across the different organizations is not necessary. At the end of the day, the priority that they all hold is ending violence against black people and their communities. BLM members have also joined forces with ally movements and campaigns including #FightFor15 and #NoDAPL .

Many protests that have arisen aim to disrupt the routine and perforate complacency. They are meant to make people in those very spaces uncomfortable enough that the issue must be confronted. At least 1,586 Black Lives Matter demonstrations have been held in the last 841 days . On August 9, 2015, Black Lives Matter activists interrupted Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders at a rally in Seattle , stopping the politician from speaking at the first of two engagements he attended on Saturday. That day, Sanders campaign added "racial justice" and "prison reform" on its platform. To a further extent, Sanders had Black Lives Matter activists open his rally the next day in Los Angeles. This specific tactic is deemed as "owning the mic". It forced the crowd to confront racial privilege and and allow for personal assertions of power by the oppressed to be voiced on a big scale.

In response to the incident of Eric Garner, protests, rallies, and die-ins arose all around the United States.

• December 3, 2014: Citizens of New York and San Francisco held protests, die-ins speeches, and rallies against the indictment.
• December 4 and 5, 2014: 300 were people arrested at the New York City protests for showing disorderly conduct and refusal to clear streets.
• December 5, 2014: Thousands gathered in protest in Boston, where they blocked traffic, I-90, and staged die-ins. There were also protests in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Minneapolis,and Atlanta that arose from this indictment.
• December 6, 2014: 300 protestors marched in Berkeley, California.
• December 10, 2014: Protestors were arrested at Westfield Shopping centre in west London, England. They were rallying to show solidarity with rallies in the US
• December 19, 2014: There were counter protests in New York City where people held signs that said, “Bluelivesmatter”, “Don’t resist arrest”, “I can breathe, thanks to NYPD”.

Black Lives Matter in Schools

Seattle Schools

Thousands of teachers got together in various public schools in Seattle wearing Black Lives Matter tee shirts to promote the cause and integrate into the syllabus and encourage equality among all races. They believed that advocating for this movement in such a way would diminish if not erase the gaps between races, cultures and ethnicities.

BLM Course at NYU

Frank Leon Robert, a professor, at New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Stud has created a course syllabus on the Black Lives Matter movement. He believes the design of the course helps students understand the matter in depth. He says it is modeled in a way which has context and tools to decode many of the equations that form this movement.

Choice Program at Brown University

The Choice Program is a non-profit organization based at Brown University that develops "curricula on current and historical international issues and offers professional development for educators." They have recently developed a syllabus that teaches alongside the news and this specific syllabus is based on the Black Lives Matter movement. Some of the objectives of this program include, identifying core themes of the civil rights and Black Lives Matter movements, recognizing patterns among and create slogans for different decades of activism and collaborating to consider accomplishments of civil rights activists and the enduring obstacles to racial equality in the United States.

Anti-Defamation League

The Anti-Defamation League is one of America's "premier civil rights/human relations agency, ADL fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, defends democratic ideals and protects civil rights for all." They are focusing on high school students and how to assimilate rising human right movements into their curriculum so students are made aware of the violations that happen around them and can work towards them.

San Francisco schools

Public schools in San Francisco have declared the Black Lives Matter to be a part of their curricula.

Black Lives Matter in Magazines

Yes! Magazine

Yes! Magazine has allocated a section of their magazine in updating people about the Black Lives Matter movement. They believe that in doing so they can reach out to more general civilians and inform them about the cause.

Teen Vogue in their most recent publication has posted 10 steps in which the youth can help with the campaign and express their views on the matter.

The Black Lives Matter movement has demonstrated an unparalleled ability to not only reach, but to affect, a massive audience. It has been credited with bringing issues of racial justice into the mainstream and has demonstrated a commitment to dissolving the myth that the United States is a "post-racial" society. According to a number of studies conducted by Pew Research Center, 43% of Americans support the movement, including 65% of African-Americans. White Democrats, and those under the age of 30, have been particularly vocal in their support of the movement. 59% of black Americans believe that the movement will be effective, in the long run, in helping black Americans achieve equality. 34% of white Americans agreed with this sentiment.

The movement has garnered attention and conditional support, from many of the presidential candidates as well as the sitting president Barack Obama. When Black Lives Matter protesters interrupted a campaign event in Seattle hosted by presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders earlier this year, he quietly handed over the microphone to the activists in solidarity, allowing them to state their grievances.

The Black Lives Matter movement has been acknowledged by some of the United States' most prominent musicians, actors and athletes. Beyoncé's recent song Formation and video production Lemonade both feature nods to the movement, and the latter features the mothers of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, two African-American victims of police brutality. Kendrick Lamar, a highly successful American rapper, gave a performance at the Grammys inspired by Black Lives Matter, and his song "Alright" has been described as a "rallying cry" of the movement. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has begun a protest of the national anthem in solidarity with the movement, saying "I am not going to stand up for a country that oppresses black people."

The Black Lives Matter movement has faced some criticism, as well as out-right opposition from numerous sources. Many of those who oppose the movement are politically Conservative. One Conservative media source, Fox News has repeatedly criticized the movement, going so far as to label it a terrorist movement, while using military-like language to describe the behavior of Black Lives Matter protesters. Much of the Republican backlash towards the movement focuses on the perception that it is anti-police, giving rise to the slogan "Blue Lives Matter" (referencing police uniforms) in response.

The movement has also faced criticism from those fully aware and supportive of their objectives - a number of Civil Rights era activists have decried the methods utilized by the movement to achieve its goals - namely, the “ confrontational and divisive tactics ” employed by protesters. Oprah Winfrey, arguably one of the most famous African-American people in the world, is quoted as saying the following regarding the movement: “What I’m looking for is some kind of leadership to come out of this to say, ‘This is what we want. This is what has to change, and these are the steps that we need to take to make these changes, and this is what we’re willing to do to get it.'” Her words highlight the perceived disorganization of the movement.

The movement has also been criticized for maintaining too narrow a focus by ignoring the many other demographics of people who suffer injustices or feel that their lives do not matter. As detailed above, the response “All lives matter,” arose both as an affirmation as well as a critique of the movement, with some saying it in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and others saying that Black Lives Matter completely ignores key demographics that suffer police brutality, such as Native Americans and Latinos. This has come under fire by Black Lives Matter activists and others, for redirecting the focus or minimizing the severity of their cause. Furthermore, the group has been criticized for ignoring black-on-black crime in their protests, the leading cause of death among young black males. Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman has been vocal in this position, saying that he lost a friend to violence perpetrated by two young black males, a facet of the ongoing oppression of African-Americans that he feels the Black Lives Matter movement doesn't emphasize .

Post image: Black Lives Matter Protest , licensed CC BY-SA 2.0 on Wikimedia Commons

Social Justice Research

Social Justice Research publishes original papers that have broad implications for social scientists investigating the origins, structures, and consequences of justice in human affairs.

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This multidisciplinary approach advances the integration of diverse social science perspectives. In addition to original research papers - theoretical, empirical, and methodological - the journal publishes book reviews and, from time to time, special thematic issues.

Social Justice Research is the official journal of the International Society for Justice Research (ISJR).

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Case Studies: 2019-2020

Below are few impact stories selected from the works of our law centres. They display social justice, courage and hard work of our members.

Case 1: A Battle For Due Rehabilitation.  

Getting justice for a person from a vulnerable section is doubly difficult in a country like ours with an ailing justice delivery mechanism. We came across the murder of a Dalit man burnt alive for running away with an upper-caste girl in 2012 in Gir Somnath, Gujarat. This was followed by an internal displacement by four families related to the deceased man, following threats to their lives by the dominant community in 2014. Despite Rule 12(4) talking about the duty of the district administration to provide compensation and relief (shelter, medical, food, water, clothing, transport, etc.) to atrocity victims according to Annexure 1 of SC ST POA, no action had been taken in this regard till we intervened.

We approached the collector with a demand for ensuring their rehabilitation as living in the village was difficult for the victim’s family due to continued harassment and pressure to compromise. The collector was very sensitive and responded positively but allocated land only for one of the four families. This shows the absence of understanding of the social milieu where families live together and are impacted collectively by their external environment. Unfortunately, the land given was of inferior quality, and it was not possible to sow anything there. It took five years to get the land levelled and ready for cultivation. We got the digging of the well on this land sanctioned under MGNREGA, but the implementation of the same faced multiple levels of delay and procedural tactics to hinder the same. We also liaised with the various government departments to ensure water, electricity, etc.

While all this was going on, the family was given a compensation amount of Rs two lakhs, and the accused was convicted and given life imprisonment in the year 2017. The struggle is still on with various government departments for getting them primary facilities.

Case 2: Co-existing With The System

Several years of engaging with the police have led to a trustworthy and symbiotic relationship that helps us in our work. We were approached by the police regarding the rape of a six-year-old girl in the district Bharuch. We had also identified the case from the newspaper and were already engaging with the family to convince them to strive for justice for the child survivor. The usual challenges of getting an FIR registered were not there in this case since the police itself had approached us to help in counseling the child. Despite this, the arrest  was  delayed and the accused tried to threaten the girl.

We brought this to the notice of the police and insisted that they arrest the accused. While assisting the child during the medical examination, we ensured that all critical aspects get recorded. We also helped her build the courage to narrate the incident and withstand the legal proceedings. The incident happened in 2016 but the trial started only in 2019. It took five months for the trial to get over and another three months for the judgement to be finally pronounced. The accused was given a life sentence. The girl was awarded an amount of Rs. fourteen lakhs, of which only ten lakhs have been received so far. Despite favourable laws that require an in-camera trial, time-bound disposal, and special procedural guidelines, it has been a harrowing journey for the child and her family.

Case 3: Land Of The Unknown?

Our work on land rights for women is hindered by several socio-cultural and legal barriers. The case of Ramai ben of District Dang is one such example. Ramai ben inherited three acres of land from her father in the year 2000. Unfortunately, the forest department took possession of the land and started plantations despite her name being in the land records. Ramai ben approached us during one of our field visits.

We verified her documents that established her claim to the three acres. Further, we filed an application on an online platform initiated by the government called “fariyad nivaran karyakram.” The issue was brought to the notice of the collector in the presence of other revenue officials. We were called the very next day to further discuss the matter, following which a GPS mapping and land measuring was ordered. The forest department was asked to vacate the land, and two years later, Ramai ben was handed her rightful inheritance.

Case 4: Preventing Communal Disharmony Through Social Justice Lawyering

Inter-religion marriages are always scrutinized more than other kinds. This stands for a case that we took up recently. In Sarni, Madhya Pradesh, a Hindu woman, married a Muslim man amidst many social challenges. However, the husband soon started abusing his wife. The wife, thinking that the husband would be scared if a police complaint is lodged, complained to the nearest police station. The police registered an FIR for the offense of rape and arrested the husband even though she had not alleged this in her complaint.

This information came to the knowledge of advocate Darshan, a member of Lawyers For Change. He understood that the police, along with right-winged forces, was planning to raise a communal angle out of the case. Darshan first spoke to the wife, and she clarified that she did not want her husband to be arrested on rape charges. He took this from her in writing, stating that there is no danger to her if her husband gets bail. Since she was also at risk during the procedure due to the communalisation of their personal issue, Darshan advised her to live with her family. The husband was granted bail and released. In this way, the husband, who was wrongly confined, was released on bail, and the case was resolved without any communal tension.

Case 5: Fight Against Human Trafficking In Jharkhand

Four young women from Gunia village in Jharkhand’s Gumla district were abducted. As and when the parents became aware of this, they lodged a complaint with the police. Even though the case turned out to be one of trafficking, no further action was taken on their complaint for the next 6 to 7 months. Our team got to know about the incident and how the girls were trafficked to Delhi; they immediately went to the village and talked with the family members for fact-finding. Based on which, they followed up with the police station on the status of the reports.

As the news spread of our Centre’s involvement, the broker responsible for taking the girls became very defensive and aggressive with his approach towards the Centre. The team did not back down from the case even after several threats. The team talked to the broker and counseled him to bring the girls back home. For the families and the Centre, the priority was to get the girls back home first. Thus the broker was told that the family does not want to file a case if the girls are back home safely.

This resulted in some momentum, and the broker left to bring the girls back. On the journey home, the girls were constantly pressurized by the broker to act as if they went on their free will to Delhi for work. The team then came to know about this and immediately spoke to the family about the broker’s behavior and to the young women as well for support. Constant interactions and meetings prepared them mentally to fight for justice. The three families agreed to fight the case. This was the team’s first win. However, the broker soon started spreading rumors that the families did not want any legal action but were being pressured by the Center for a coercive case. Nonetheless, the families were prepared.

Under our team’s guidance, a complaint was lodged with the police that the families were being pressured by the accused to take the case back, and the accused was arrested. Simultaneously, the team wrote an application to expedite the case, which reached the Chief Minister. In this way, not only four girls returned to their home safely, but the members built a rapport with families that helped them fight societal pressures. This inculcated an atmosphere affirming faith and hope in the fight for justice.

Case 6: Creating A More Participatory Gram Sabhas Under PESA in Gujarat

Implementing the PESA Act (Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas) is a massive challenge in tribal areas. It is a long process to prepare the people for the general Gram Sabha and Gram Sabha under PESA, keep the panchayat together and involve the officer in that process. Our experience in the Dang area of Gujarat was a tad bit different owing to people’s long-term awareness about the issue. Panchayat members, Sarpanch, and villagers, everyone was connected at different levels at Dang. We, from our end, conducted many legal camps. Around 9 Gram Sabhas were held in the area, which led to this process. Further, we felt that its outcome could be a definite guideline for increasing good governance:

The agenda was established so that it was inclusive to the entire village, enhancing participation. Topics included were roads, water, health, education, recognition of forest products for sale under collective forest rights, a re-examination of claims denied under individual forest rights law, the formation of a committee under PESA, and implementation of the existing committee. As per the law, the agenda was given by hand and sent via post to the department’s concerned officer.

There are specific procedures for holding gram sabhas with the Sarpanch, but even if the Sarpanch does not accept the PESA gram sabha, it can be held without him. If the latter is the case, members of the gram sabha become active, the elder who understands the village’s development and culture is unanimously made the ‘chairman’ of the gram sabha.

Along with this, during the Gram Sabha, the Talati cum Mantri or the Panchayat Secretary should write the resolutions and minutes as per the law, but if no Talati/Minister is present, whoever knows how to write is unanimously chosen to write the resolutions and minutes. Every resolution of the Gram Sabha is delivered to the taluka level for approval. If no official remains present, then while scheduling the next Gram Sabha, The official has to be informed in person about the meeting held and if there is a need for another Sabha. 

Thus, the whole process amounting to the people’s awareness becomes necessary for the government machinery to be more invested and sensitive during the implementation of PESA. The big question remains if one can run away from this responsibility. Since this was the natal stage, both the village and the team had to face many obstacles. Resolutions have passed in some villages, and people have been encouraged to demand their rights. The legal battle is inevitable as a ‘tradition’ is in the process of transition.

Case 7: Law And Honour: A Case Of Delayed Justice

A Nurse and a CRPF soldier got to know each other through a Facebook post. They soon got into a relationship and were planning to get married. The man, on the promise of marriage, had sexual intercourse with the woman. A little while later, the man went back on his promise.  He took her to his house with the intention of murder. The woman escaped and came to Simdega, where she filed an FIR under IPC Sec 376. Anupa, a member of Lawyers for Change from Simdega district of Jharkhand, found out about the case during a village visit and immediately met the victim. Anupa assisted the victim by for her statement under Sec 164 of CrPC and assisted the Public Prosecutor during the case. The case is currently ongoing.

Both the victim and Anupa have faced significant pressure and backlash. The accused and his family are forcing the victim to compromise. Moreover, there is formidable pressure from a senior defense lawyer and others to settle outside court. In whose court the case is being heard, the Additional District Judge has himself tried to convince the victim and Anupa to settle. Despite all odds, the woman has not given in to this pressure. On Anupa’s advice, she has moved back to Mumbai and has started working at a different hospital.

Case 8: The lost boy finally returns home

A ten-year-old boy, Majeed Sameem, was trafficked to Delhi in the year 2005. For the next ten years, he worked at a chemical factory in very inhumane conditions. Once his health deteriorated, they threw him out on the streets as he was no longer an asset for them. Some rescuers found and admitted him to a hospital; unfortunately, Majeed did not know about the chemical factory or his location; he was never allowed to leave the building. Throughout this whole time, he remembered his mother’s number but was never allowed to call home. It was only when he found himself at the hospital, he was able to call his mother. His condition was miserable, he had to breathe through a pipe, and the overall situation was very grave.

FIR was filed after which the trafficker was arrested, though he was out on bail for three years. The trafficker started blackmailing Majeed’s family members to take back the case while consecutively trying to bribe them. All this while, Majeed was unable to move his lower body, his intestines were out, and he was in desperate need of an operation.

The Gumla Unit (Jharkhand) caught up on the situation in 2018 and wrote a letter to the District Legal Services Authority after which, the DLSA ordered that Majeed be moved to a hospital in Ranchi. His operation was sponsored by the DLSA, after which he recovered brilliantly and even started to walk. The team persistently worked to get the bail of the trafficker cancelled, which eventually happened. The trafficker is now in custody. The unit further motivated the family to fight for their rights. DLSA has also initiated Victim Compensation for Majeed of Two Lakh rupees, out of which he has received 50,000 as the first installment. Majeed now stands empowered and seeks legal aid whenever he requires it.

Case 9: Rights Of Homosexuals To fair investigation

Last year, Simdega district in Jharkhand saw a double Murder Case: two minor girls were found hanging from a tree. From the initial look of the bodies and the situation, it was quite evident that it was not suicide. The police denied all reasoning and tried to shut down the matter hastily. On being asked about the reason behind the suicide, the investigation officer said that it was because they were both in a homosexual relationship. This, according to the officer made them feel ashamed, and hence they both resorted to committing suicide. As per the victim’s family, the hockey coach, who used to train the girls, was the prime suspect.

Anupa and Scholastice, Members of Lawyer for Change from Simdega district of Jharkhand, initially made constant efforts towards bringing the soul of justice into reality but the whole administration was against them. Anupa & Scholastice along with few other Social justice lawyers filed an application in different forums and also sent the copy to the Chief Minister and High Court judges. No one from the administration was ready to listen to the victim’s family. After a long period of 9 months, the needle of the compass moved towards the magnetic force of justice, and the head coach was arrested. Unfortunately, to this date, we are still waiting for the charge-sheet to be filed.

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Studies in Social Justice

Current Issue

Guest Editors: Jérémy Geeraert, Beate Binder, Agata Chełstowska & Salla Sariola

(Cover Image: "Figurehead" by Sylvain Adam)

"Unabated love / You are like the winged Victory of Samothrace / Killed, you still run, your severed arms outstretched / Your ardor unsurpassed…" (Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska, "Nike", 1926, translated from Polish to English by Maya Peretz). Like this poem, the illustration refers mainly to the Hellenistic statue, "The winged Victory of Samothrace," a strong "headless figurehead" navigating a disturbing and hostile world. 

Sylvain Adam is a graphic artist and an architect who specializes in participatory processes in urban planning. 

This special issue is developed by the project "CrimScapes: Navigating Citizenship through European Landscapes of Criminalisation," funded by the NORFACE Joint Research Programme "Democratic Governance in a Turbulent Age" within the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 822166, and co-funded by: Agence nationale de la recherche, DFG - German Research Foundation, Research Council of Finland, and National Science Centre, Poland.

Figures of Crime: Victims, Criminals, and Crime-fighters at the Crossroads of Criminalization and Social Justice

Figures of crime: victims, criminals, and crime-fighters at the crossroads of criminalization and social justice (guest editors' introduction), tracing the “infectious criminal”: a genealogy of hiv criminalization and infectious injustice in finland, trafficking on trial: the judge, the pimp and the victim, threats, victims and unimaginable subjects of rights: a genealogy of sex worker governance in poland, the just prison women’s prison reform and the figure of the “offender-as-victim” in germany, against care: abolition and the progressive jail assemblage, the hero, the white savior, and the smuggler: criminalized figures in the landscape of solidarity toward migrants, temporalization and the digital vigilante: past presencing, un/doing futures and “jewish revenge” as affective justice in talia lavin’s culture warlords, beti’s perspective: using critical race theory’s composite counterstory to interrupt antiracism projects in vancouver, bc, efforts to enhance education about gender-based violence: a teacher workshop and toolkit, book reviews, teaching social justice: critical tools for the international communication classroom (book review).

ISSN: 1911-4788

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Studies in Social Justice  is grateful for financial support from The Social Justice Research Institute; Brock University Faculty of Social Sciences; and The Balsillie School of International Affairs.

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Learning for Justice in the South

When it comes to investing in racial justice in education, we believe that the South is the best place to start. If you’re an educator, parent or caregiver, or community member living and working in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana or Mississippi, we’ll mail you a free introductory package of our resources when you join our community and subscribe to our magazine.

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Social Justice Studies

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Social Justice Studies is an interdisciplinary field that focuses on the exploration of societal inequalities and the pursuit of transformative social change. It encompasses diverse areas such as multicultural studies and addresses various dimensions of identity, including age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender, race, immigration status, and socio-economic status. Through critical analysis, Social Justice Studies facilitates understanding and challenges systemic barriers to create a more just and inclusive society for all individuals.

• Front Matter
• 1: Introduction
• 2: A Look at Structural Racism by Discipline
• 3: Conclusion
• Back Matter

• 1: Immigration and Immigrant Policy- Barriers and Opportunities for Families
• 2: From There to Here- The Journey of Refugee Families to the United States
• 3: Human Rights
• 4: Economic Well-Being, Supports and Barriers
• 5: Mental Health
• 6: Intimate Partner Violence among Immigrants and Refugees
• 7: Substance Abuse
• 8: Resilience in Immigrant and Refugee Families
• 9: Embracing a New Home- Resettlement Research and the Family
• 10: Conclusion

• 1: Introduction to Race and Ethnic Relations
• 2: Sociological Theories and Patterns of Intergroup Relations
• 3: Immigration and Migration
• 4: Prejudice, Discrimination, and Racism
• 5: Native Americans
• 6: Euro Americans and Whiteness
• 7: African-Americans
• 9: Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders
• 10: Middle Eastern Americans
• 11: Contemporary Social Movements
• 12: Policies and Future of Race-Ethnic Relations

Thumbnail: Keulen, Duitsland (Unsplash License;  Malu Laker  via  Unsplash )

African American Studies: Social Justice

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• Journals & Databases
• Books, eBooks & Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
• Primary Sources & Data Resources
• Civil Rights
• Gender & Sexuality
• Social Justice

On This Page

On this page you will find the following Social Justice information related to African American Studies: 

Social Justice Website Examples

• Social Justice Book Examples
• Social Justice Database Examples
• Social Justice Journal Examples

Explore organizations and websites supporting social justice for African Americans. Below are some examples of social justice websites. 

• The ACLU: Racial Justice Program (RJP) The ACLU "Racial Justice Program (RJP) fights to eradicate racial injustice in the U.S. and works to foster a society in which people of color and communities of color have full access to the rights and benefits of American society."
• Black Lives Matter Black Lives Matter's "mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes."
• The King Center The mission of the King Center is to: empower people to create a just, humane, equitable and peaceful world by applying Dr. King’s nonviolent philosophy and methodology"
• NAACP The NAACP advocates for civil rights and social justice. According to the NAACP they "advocate, agitate, and litigate for the civil rights due to Black America."

Database Examples

HeinOnline’s Civil Rights and Social Justice database brings together a diverse offering of publications covering civil rights in the United States as their legal protections and definitions are expanded to cover more and more Americans. Containing links to more than 500 scholarly articles*, hearings and committee prints, legislative histories on the landmark legislation, CRS and GAO reports, briefs from major Supreme Court cases, and publications from the Commission on Civil Rights, this database allows users to educate themselves on the ways our civil rights have been strengthened and expanded over time, as well as how these legal protections can go further still. Also includes a varied collection of books on many civil rights topics and a list of prominent civil rights organizations.

Social Science Database offers indexing and full text for hundreds of academic journals, providing extensive coverage across a wide range of social science disciplines including anthropology, communication, criminology, economics, education, political science, psychology, social work, and sociology.

Abstracts of scholarly working papers and forthcoming papers and an electronic paper collection containing downloadable full text documents in accounting, economics, legal, marketing, financial and information systems disciplines. Some content is pay-per-view, some freely available.

Coverage: 1993-  Full Text: No

Criminal Justice Database is a comprehensive database supporting research on crime, its causes and impacts, legal and social implications, as well as litigation and crime trends. As well as U.S. and international scholarly journals, it includes correctional and law enforcement trade publications, dissertations, crime reports, crime blogs and other material relevant for researchers or those preparing for careers in criminal justice, law enforcement and related fields.

Sociology Database covers the international literature of sociology and social work, including relevant titles from related fields such as social policy, social care, social services, social anthropology, gender studies, gerontology, social psychology and population studies. It includes hundreds of full-text scholarly journals, as well as dissertations and other sources.

Book Examples

Journal Examples

To access Social Justice related journals, you can use Browzine or the WPI library search and use the keywords "social justice" to search for the specific phrase. Below are some examples of Social Justice journals available through WPI. 

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• Last Updated: Apr 23, 2024 9:22 AM
• URL: https://libguides.wpi.edu/AfricanAmericanStudies

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Justice Studies, BA

On this page:, at a glance: program details.

• Location: Tempe campus , or online
• Additional Program Fee: No
• Second Language Requirement: No

• Initial Math Course: MAT 142 - College Mathematics

Required Courses (Major Map)

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Program Description

The BA program in justice studies is an innovative social science and liberal arts program that examines contemporary and historical social justice and inequality in a variety of contexts, including race, gender, sexuality, citizenship, indigeneity and other significant areas.

This program provides a broad approach to understanding justice, both in the legal system and in wider social contexts, including the many social justice issues that occur across countries and cultures. The Bachelor of Arts program provides students the kind of broader perspective required in today's workforce, through a liberal arts focus and the requirement to enroll in language courses.

This program equips students with a dynamic knowledge of the world's justice systems and gives them the skills to create meaningful, real-world change.

In addition to reviewing the guidelines in the Concurrent Program Options section below, students interested in pursuing concurrent or second baccalaureate degrees in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are advised to visit The College's website for more information and requirements.

Admission Requirements

All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.

Transfer Options

ASU is committed to helping students thrive by offering tools that allow personalization of the transfer path to ASU. Students may use the Transfer Map search to outline a list of recommended courses to take prior to transfer.

Change of Major Requirements

A current ASU student has no additional requirements for changing majors.

Students should refer to https://changingmajors.asu.edu for information about how to change a major to this program.

Flexible Degree Options

Accelerated program options.

This program allows students to obtain both a bachelor's and master's degree in as little as five years. It is offered as an accelerated bachelor's and master's degree with:

Justice Studies -->

Justice studies.

Website | Locations: TEMPE

Social and Cultural Pedagogy -->

Social and cultural pedagogy, science and technology policy -->, science and technology policy.

Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. During their junior year, eligible students will be advised by their academic departments to apply.

Next Steps to attend ASU

Learn about our programs, apply to a program, visit our campus, affording college, tuition calculator, scholarships, financial aid, career outlook.

Students emerge from this program with knowledge and skills designed to advance social justice in a variety of careers. Program graduates work in many fields, including:

• administration
• human welfare and social work
• local, state and federal government
• nongovernmental organizations
• philanthropy
• public service fields
• social advocacy

Many graduates go on to law school, graduate school or other professional degree programs.

Example Careers

Students who complete this degree program may be prepared for the following careers. Advanced degrees or certifications may be required for academic or clinical positions. Career examples include but are not limited to:

Education Administrators, Postsecondary

• Growth: 3.5%
• Median Salary*: 99940

Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other

• Growth: 6.5%
• Median Salary*: 47290

Detectives and Criminal Investigators

• Growth: 1.5%
• Median Salary*: 86280

Social Science Research Assistants

• Growth: 4.8%
• Median Salary*: 50470

Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates

• Growth: 2.2%
• Median Salary*: 151030
• Growth: 7.5%
• Median Salary*: 135740

Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators

• Median Salary*: 64030

Political Scientists

• Growth: 6.6%
• Median Salary*: 128020

Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other

• Growth: 2.6%
• Median Salary*: 75390

Social and Community Service Managers

• Growth: 9.1%
• Median Salary*: 74240

* Data obtained from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) under sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA).

Global Opportunities

Global experience.

Human rights, violence, resource conflict and immigration are some of the issues that every country currently faces in some form or another. One of the best ways students can investigate potential solutions is by observing patterns from one culture to another when studying abroad . Students who study issues of justice in another culture can bring a new lens to their own experience and become positive changemakers in the world.

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences recommends specific study abroad programs for students majoring in justice studies.

Attend Online

ASU offers this program in an online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. Applicants may view the program description and request more information here .

Program Contact Information

If you have questions related to admission, please click here to request information and an admission specialist will reach out to you directly. For questions regarding faculty or courses, please use the contact information below.

• [email protected]
• 480/965-7682

UMass Boston

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• Social Justice Case Study Competition

UMass Boston Social Justice Case Study Competition

Welcome to the UMass Boston Social Justice Case Study Competition! Aimed at generating new understanding about the lived experiences of diverse college students, this competition is a city-wide initiative that helps advance UMass Boston's goal of becoming a leading anti-racist and health-promoting campus.

The purpose of the social justice case study competition is to provide an opportunity for faculty, staff, and students at UMass Boston to work together to create new knowledge related to issues involving bias, discrimination, diversity, equity, and inclusivity as it relates to the college experience.

The competition will take place in one phase.

Social Justice Case Study Response Competition

Entrants will be asked to respond to a case study that illuminates the experience of students of color related to student services, engagement, and support, with particular attention given to students at non-predominately white institutions. All case study responses should be written from the perspective of an administrator of a college/university (i.e. Dean, Vice President, Chancellor, etc.).

Please see below for more details regarding the competition. Upon submission, all entries become the property of UMass Boston for qualified use within the institution’s website and other channels/platforms.

What problem does the UMass Boston Social Justice Case Study Competition help solve? Why is this competition important?

A lack of tailored scholarship/practice addressing social justice and equity-based assessment that illuminates the experience of students of color related to student services, engagement, and support, with particular attention given to students at non-predominately white institutions. This issue presents blind spots for well-intentioned administrators seeking to implement inclusive engagement, equitable professional practice, and student success opportunities.

• Provide the UMass Boston campus and the Boston higher education community an opportunity to engage more deeply with the issues of social justice, epistemology, and the experience of students of color influenced by the dual pandemics of racism and COVID-19. This engagement is essential to promote higher levels of student sentiment related to safety, which has been continually challenged by historic inequities and current events.
• Present in new ways UMass Boston’s commitment and leadership in being a leading health promoting, anti-racist campus to external stakeholders and partners.   
• Present in new ways the Division of Student Affairs’ Equity and Justice imperative to internal stakeholders and partners.
• Provide opportunities to celebrate staff/faculty/student excellence in the mission critical area of social justice.

UMB Social Justice Case Study Response Competition

Registration is open   Tuesday, January 27, 2023   through   Monday, February 27, 2023   or until registration is full. It is highly recommended that prospective entrants complete the registration form as soon as possible.

Eligibility

• No entry fee is required to participate.
• All entrants must be an undergraduate student enrolled at the University of Massachusetts Boston.
• Entrants must register for this response stage of the competition either as an individual or in a team of 2, 3, or 4. Only one submission is required for each team.
• All appropriate parties will be notified of their ineligibility or approved status via email as it relates to their standing within the competition.
• All registered teams that have been accepted into this stage of the competition will be emailed further directions and updates before the start of the competition.
• Registered teams admitted to the competition will have from   Monday, February 27, 2023   through   Friday, March 25, 2023   to submit their responses through the proper channel by following the corresponding directions/guidelines for submission.
• 1st Place : $1,000 and physical award
• 2nd Place : $400 and physical award
• 3rd Place : Physical award
• (Physical award consists of plaque or medal; Cash prizes will be split among team members.)

Click here to register for the UMass Boston Social Justice Case Study Response Competition .                    

What is a social justice case study competition.

A case study is a comprehensive analysis of a specific case within a real-world context. Additionally, it allows all parties within a structure/organization/group to evaluate how potential solutions address the needs and problems that are presented within the case study. This case study competition is centered around the topic of social justice as it relates to the lived experience of diverse college students within a campus setting. Finally, this particular case study competition is a one stage contest where eligible entrants can come together to compete with one another to create the best solution to a case study within the rules and guidelines of the competition set out by the project organizer.

What is the purpose of this competition?

How will the competition be judged.

A judging panel will determine the winners for each stage/sub-competition with the use of a judging rubric, and based on predefined criteria.

Who should I contact if I have a question?

Please email   [email protected]   for all questions/inquiries regarding the competition.

When will I hear back regarding my submission?

Entrants will be updated regarding their submissions by May 23rd.

Thank you to all of our UMass Boston sponsors and partners! Special thanks to Special Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Mike Metzger, our Social Justice Communications Coordinator Kaya Willingham, The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, the Office of the Provost, and the Chancellor's Office.

The project organizer and founder of the UMass Boston Social Justice Case Study Competition is Pilar Nelson, community director in the Office of Housing and Residential Life. 

Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

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• Black Americans Have a Clear Vision for Reducing Racism but Little Hope It Will Happen

Many say key U.S. institutions should be rebuilt to ensure fair treatment

Table of contents.

• Black Americans see little improvement in their lives despite increased national attention to racial issues
• Few Black adults expect equality for Black people in the U.S.
• Black adults say racism and police brutality are extremely big problems for Black people in the U.S.
• Personal experiences with discrimination are widespread among Black Americans
• Black adults see voting as the most effective strategy for moving toward equality in the U.S.
• Some Black adults see Black businesses and communities as effective remedies for inequality
• Black Americans say race matters little when choosing political allies
• The legacy of slavery affects Black Americans today
• Most Black adults agree the descendants of enslaved people should be repaid
• The types of repayment Black adults think would be most helpful
• Responsibility for reparations and the likelihood repayment will occur
• Black adults say the criminal justice system needs to be completely rebuilt
• Black adults say political, economic and health care systems need major changes to ensure fair treatment
• Most Black adults say funding for police departments should stay the same or increase
• Acknowledgments
• Appendix: Supplemental tables
• The American Trends Panel survey methodology

Pew Research Center conducted this analysis to understand the nuances among Black people on issues of racial inequality and social change in the United States. This in-depth survey explores differences among Black Americans in their views on the social status of the Black population in the U.S.; their assessments of racial inequality; their visions for institutional and social change; and their outlook on the chances that these improvements will be made. The analysis is the latest in the Center’s series of in-depth surveys of public opinion among Black Americans (read the first, “ Faith Among Black Americans ” and “ Race Is Central to Identity for Black Americans and Affects How They Connect With Each Other ”).

The online survey of 3,912 Black U.S. adults was conducted Oct. 4-17, 2021. Black U.S. adults include those who are single-race, non-Hispanic Black Americans; multiracial non-Hispanic Black Americans; and adults who indicate they are Black and Hispanic. The survey includes 1,025 Black adults on Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP) and 2,887 Black adults on Ipsos’ KnowledgePanel. Respondents on both panels are recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses.

Recruiting panelists by phone or mail ensures that nearly all U.S. Black adults have a chance of selection. This gives us confidence that any sample can represent the whole population (see our Methods 101 explainer on random sampling). Here are the questions used for the survey of Black adults, along with its responses and methodology .

The terms “Black Americans,” “Black people” and “Black adults” are used interchangeably throughout this report to refer to U.S. adults who self-identify as Black, either alone or in combination with other races or Hispanic identity.

Throughout this report, “Black, non-Hispanic” respondents are those who identify as single-race Black and say they have no Hispanic background. “Black Hispanic” respondents are those who identify as Black and say they have Hispanic background. We use the terms “Black Hispanic” and “Hispanic Black” interchangeably. “Multiracial” respondents are those who indicate two or more racial backgrounds (one of which is Black) and say they are not Hispanic.

Respondents were asked a question about how important being Black was to how they think about themselves. In this report, we use the term “being Black” when referencing responses to this question.

In this report, “immigrant” refers to people who were not U.S. citizens at birth – in other words, those born outside the U.S., Puerto Rico or other U.S. territories to parents who were not U.S. citizens. We use the terms “immigrant,” “born abroad” and “foreign-born” interchangeably.

Throughout this report, “Democrats and Democratic leaners” and just “Democrats” both refer to respondents who identify politically with the Democratic Party or who are independent or some other party but lean toward the Democratic Party. “Republicans and Republican leaners” and just “Republicans” both refer to respondents who identify politically with the Republican Party or are independent or some other party but lean toward the Republican Party.

Respondents were asked a question about their voter registration status. In this report, respondents are considered registered to vote if they self-report being absolutely certain they are registered at their current address. Respondents are considered not registered to vote if they report not being registered or express uncertainty about their registration.

To create the upper-, middle- and lower-income tiers, respondents’ 2020 family incomes were adjusted for differences in purchasing power by geographic region and household size. Respondents were then placed into income tiers: “Middle income” is defined as two-thirds to double the median annual income for the entire survey sample. “Lower income” falls below that range, and “upper income” lies above it. For more information about how the income tiers were created, read the methodology .

More than a year after the murder of George Floyd and the national protests, debate and political promises that ensued, 65% of Black Americans say the increased national attention on racial inequality has not led to changes that improved their lives. 1 And 44% say equality for Black people in the United States is not likely to be achieved, according to newly released findings from an October 2021 survey of Black Americans by Pew Research Center.

This is somewhat of a reversal in views from September 2020, when half of Black adults said the increased national focus on issues of race would lead to major policy changes to address racial inequality in the country and 56% expected changes that would make their lives better.

At the same time, many Black Americans are concerned about racial discrimination and its impact. Roughly eight-in-ten say they have personally experienced discrimination because of their race or ethnicity (79%), and most also say discrimination is the main reason many Black people cannot get ahead (68%).  

Even so, Black Americans have a clear vision for how to achieve change when it comes to racial inequality. This includes support for significant reforms to or complete overhauls of several U.S. institutions to ensure fair treatment, particularly the criminal justice system; political engagement, primarily in the form of voting; support for Black businesses to advance Black communities; and reparations in the forms of educational, business and homeownership assistance. Yet alongside their assessments of inequality and ideas about progress exists pessimism about whether U.S. society and its institutions will change in ways that would reduce racism.

These findings emerge from an extensive Pew Research Center survey of 3,912 Black Americans conducted online Oct. 4-17, 2021. The survey explores how Black Americans assess their position in U.S. society and their ideas about social change. Overall, Black Americans are clear on what they think the problems are facing the country and how to remedy them. However, they are skeptical that meaningful changes will take place in their lifetime.

Black Americans see racism in our laws as a big problem and discrimination as a roadblock to progress

Black adults were asked in the survey to assess the current nature of racism in the United States and whether structural or individual sources of this racism are a bigger problem for Black people. About half of Black adults (52%) say racism in our laws is a bigger problem than racism by individual people, while four-in-ten (43%) say acts of racism committed by individual people is the bigger problem. Only 3% of Black adults say that Black people do not experience discrimination in the U.S. today.

In assessing the magnitude of problems that they face, the majority of Black Americans say racism (63%), police brutality (60%) and economic inequality (54%) are extremely or very big problems for Black people living in the U.S. Slightly smaller shares say the same about the affordability of health care (47%), limitations on voting (46%), and the quality of K-12 schools (40%).

Aside from their critiques of U.S. institutions, Black adults also feel the impact of racial inequality personally. Most Black adults say they occasionally or frequently experience unfair treatment because of their race or ethnicity (79%), and two-thirds (68%) cite racial discrimination as the main reason many Black people cannot get ahead today.

Black Americans’ views on reducing racial inequality

Black Americans are clear on the challenges they face because of racism. They are also clear on the solutions. These range from overhauls of policing practices and the criminal justice system to civic engagement and reparations to descendants of people enslaved in the United States.

Changing U.S. institutions such as policing, courts and prison systems

About nine-in-ten Black adults say multiple aspects of the criminal justice system need some kind of change (minor, major or a complete overhaul) to ensure fair treatment, with nearly all saying so about policing (95%), the courts and judicial process (95%), and the prison system (94%).

Roughly half of Black adults say policing (49%), the courts and judicial process (48%), and the prison system (54%) need to be completely rebuilt for Black people to be treated fairly. Smaller shares say the same about the political system (42%), the economic system (37%) and the health care system (34%), according to the October survey.

While Black Americans are in favor of significant changes to policing, most want spending on police departments in their communities to stay the same (39%) or increase (35%). A little more than one-in-five (23%) think spending on police departments in their area should be decreased.

Black adults who favor decreases in police spending are most likely to name medical, mental health and social services (40%) as the top priority for those reappropriated funds. Smaller shares say K-12 schools (25%), roads, water systems and other infrastructure (12%), and reducing taxes (13%) should be the top priority.

Voting and ‘buying Black’ viewed as important strategies for Black community advancement

Black Americans also have clear views on the types of political and civic engagement they believe will move Black communities forward. About six-in-ten Black adults say voting (63%) and supporting Black businesses or “buying Black” (58%) are extremely or very effective strategies for moving Black people toward equality in the U.S. Smaller though still significant shares say the same about volunteering with organizations dedicated to Black equality (48%), protesting (42%) and contacting elected officials (40%).

Black adults were also asked about the effectiveness of Black economic and political independence in moving them toward equality. About four-in-ten (39%) say Black ownership of all businesses in Black neighborhoods would be an extremely or very effective strategy for moving toward racial equality, while roughly three-in-ten (31%) say the same about establishing a national Black political party. And about a quarter of Black adults (27%) say having Black neighborhoods governed entirely by Black elected officials would be extremely or very effective in moving Black people toward equality.

Most Black Americans support repayment for slavery

Discussions about atonement for slavery predate the founding of the United States. As early as 1672 , Quaker abolitionists advocated for enslaved people to be paid for their labor once they were free. And in recent years, some U.S. cities and institutions have implemented reparations policies to do just that.

Most Black Americans say the legacy of slavery affects the position of Black people in the U.S. either a great deal (55%) or a fair amount (30%), according to the survey. And roughly three-quarters (77%) say descendants of people enslaved in the U.S. should be repaid in some way.

Black adults who say descendants of the enslaved should be repaid support doing so in different ways. About eight-in-ten say repayment in the forms of educational scholarships (80%), financial assistance for starting or improving a business (77%), and financial assistance for buying or remodeling a home (76%) would be extremely or very helpful. A slightly smaller share (69%) say cash payments would be extremely or very helpful forms of repayment for the descendants of enslaved people.

Where the responsibility for repayment lies is also clear for Black Americans. Among those who say the descendants of enslaved people should be repaid, 81% say the U.S. federal government should have all or most of the responsibility for repayment. About three-quarters (76%) say businesses and banks that profited from slavery should bear all or most of the responsibility for repayment. And roughly six-in-ten say the same about colleges and universities that benefited from slavery (63%) and descendants of families who engaged in the slave trade (60%).

Black Americans are skeptical change will happen

Even though Black Americans’ visions for social change are clear, very few expect them to be implemented. Overall, 44% of Black adults say equality for Black people in the U.S. is a little or not at all likely. A little over a third (38%) say it is somewhat likely and only 13% say it is extremely or very likely.

They also do not think specific institutions will change. Two-thirds of Black adults say changes to the prison system (67%) and the courts and judicial process (65%) that would ensure fair treatment for Black people are a little or not at all likely in their lifetime. About six-in-ten (58%) say the same about policing. Only about one-in-ten say changes to policing (13%), the courts and judicial process (12%), and the prison system (11%) are extremely or very likely.

This pessimism is not only about the criminal justice system. The majority of Black adults say the political (63%), economic (62%) and health care (51%) systems are also unlikely to change in their lifetime.

Black Americans’ vision for social change includes reparations. However, much like their pessimism about institutional change, very few think they will see reparations in their lifetime. Among Black adults who say the descendants of people enslaved in the U.S. should be repaid, 82% say reparations for slavery are unlikely to occur in their lifetime. About one-in-ten (11%) say repayment is somewhat likely, while only 7% say repayment is extremely or very likely to happen in their lifetime.

Black Democrats, Republicans differ on assessments of inequality and visions for social change

Party affiliation is one key point of difference among Black Americans in their assessments of racial inequality and their visions for social change. Black Republicans and Republican leaners are more likely than Black Democrats and Democratic leaners to focus on the acts of individuals. For example, when summarizing the nature of racism against Black people in the U.S., the majority of Black Republicans (59%) say racist acts committed by individual people is a bigger problem for Black people than racism in our laws. Black Democrats (41%) are less likely to hold this view.

Black Republicans (45%) are also more likely than Black Democrats (21%) to say that Black people who cannot get ahead in the U.S. are mostly responsible for their own condition. And while similar shares of Black Republicans (79%) and Democrats (80%) say they experience racial discrimination on a regular basis, Republicans (64%) are more likely than Democrats (36%) to say that most Black people who want to get ahead can make it if they are willing to work hard.

On the other hand, Black Democrats are more likely than Black Republicans to focus on the impact that racial inequality has on Black Americans. Seven-in-ten Black Democrats (73%) say racial discrimination is the main reason many Black people cannot get ahead in the U.S, while about four-in-ten Black Republicans (44%) say the same. And Black Democrats are more likely than Black Republicans to say racism (67% vs. 46%) and police brutality (65% vs. 44%) are extremely big problems for Black people today.

Black Democrats are also more critical of U.S. institutions than Black Republicans are. For example, Black Democrats are more likely than Black Republicans to say the prison system (57% vs. 35%), policing (52% vs. 29%) and the courts and judicial process (50% vs. 35%) should be completely rebuilt for Black people to be treated fairly.

While the share of Black Democrats who want to see large-scale changes to the criminal justice system exceeds that of Black Republicans, they share similar views on police funding. Four-in-ten each of Black Democrats and Black Republicans say funding for police departments in their communities should remain the same, while around a third of each partisan coalition (36% and 37%, respectively) says funding should increase. Only about one-in-four Black Democrats (24%) and one-in-five Black Republicans (21%) say funding for police departments in their communities should decrease.

Among the survey’s other findings:

Black adults differ by age in their views on political strategies. Black adults ages 65 and older (77%) are most likely to say voting is an extremely or very effective strategy for moving Black people toward equality. They are significantly more likely than Black adults ages 18 to 29 (48%) and 30 to 49 (60%) to say this. Black adults 65 and older (48%) are also more likely than those ages 30 to 49 (38%) and 50 to 64 (42%) to say protesting is an extremely or very effective strategy. Roughly four-in-ten Black adults ages 18 to 29 say this (44%).

Gender plays a role in how Black adults view policing. Though majorities of Black women (65%) and men (56%) say police brutality is an extremely big problem for Black people living in the U.S. today, Black women are more likely than Black men to hold this view. When it comes to criminal justice, Black women (56%) and men (51%) are about equally likely to share the view that the prison system should be completely rebuilt to ensure fair treatment of Black people. However, Black women (52%) are slightly more likely than Black men (45%) to say this about policing. On the matter of police funding, Black women (39%) are slightly more likely than Black men (31%) to say police funding in their communities should be increased. On the other hand, Black men are more likely than Black women to prefer that funding stay the same (44% vs. 36%). Smaller shares of both Black men (23%) and women (22%) would like to see police funding decreased.

Income impacts Black adults’ views on reparations. Roughly eight-in-ten Black adults with lower (78%), middle (77%) and upper incomes (79%) say the descendants of people enslaved in the U.S. should receive reparations. Among those who support reparations, Black adults with upper and middle incomes (both 84%) are more likely than those with lower incomes (75%) to say educational scholarships would be an extremely or very helpful form of repayment. However, of those who support reparations, Black adults with lower (72%) and middle incomes (68%) are more likely than those with higher incomes (57%) to say cash payments would be an extremely or very helpful form of repayment for slavery.

• Black adults in the September 2020 survey only include those who say their race is Black alone and are non-Hispanic. The same is true only for the questions of improvements to Black people’s lives and equality in the United States in the October 2021 survey. Throughout the rest of this report, Black adults include those who say their race is Black alone and non-Hispanic; those who say their race is Black and at least one other race and non-Hispanic; or Black and Hispanic, unless otherwise noted. ↩

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From literature to AI: UC grad shares career path to success

Humanities and storytelling lead to lucrative tech entrepreneurship.

Before Katie Trauth Taylor worked with international organizations like NASA, Boeing and Hershey, and before receiving accolades for her work in the generative AI space, she was in a much different industry – English and literature. 

Taylor earned her master's in English and Comparative Literature in UC’s College of Arts and Sciences. She completed her educational journey at Purdue University with a doctorate degree in rhetoric and composition. After working as a graduate assistant at Purdue and UC, she became a research professor at Miami University. 

It might seem from there that her career was set—perhaps a tenured professorship or a university administrative position. That might have been her path, but Taylor had her eyes set on different goals.

So how did Taylor transition from literature and composition to tech entrepreneurship? She enjoys sharing that part of her story.

A&S masters grad Katie Trauth Taylor, who has launched two businesses. Photo/Provided

“I love that question, and I think it's so important for everyone in the humanities to see that they have just as much entrepreneurial potential as any other person.”

Taylor founded Untold Content in 2015, jumping from academia to entrepreneurship.  Untold Content is a business-to-business content strategy company that recognizes storytelling patterns and frameworks that will help innovative companies make their ideas, clear, compelling and impactful to an audience.  

She then took innovation to the next level in 2022 with the launch of Narratize, a generative-AI storytelling platform that transforms the ideas of scientific, technical and medical innovators into impactful and detailed content and stories quickly.

It's so important for everyone in the humanities to see that they have just as much entrepreneurial potential as any other person.

Katie Trauth Taylor Entrepreneur and A&S master's grad in English

English to entrepreneurship

With 10 years of successful partnerships with lucrative companies like AAA and Boeing, Taylor is just getting started. And yet, it took a while for her to get here.

“I think sometimes we feel stuck—like, ‘I have to follow a path because I made us a choice about what to major in or what to study.’

  “But really, once you get out into the workforce, you see that everything is almost interdisciplinary and you can see and cut across those boundaries more seamlessly as long as you're a strong critical thinker, a great communicator, and hungry to constantly learn.” 

Taylor was just that person during college. As she matriculated through her institutions, she formed bonds and met many mentors along the way who pushed her towards starting her own business.

“I think wherever you want to grow in your professional life, you just have to ask those questions. Ask ‘what do I need to learn to get there and find my mentors?’ And sometimes, mentors are thrust upon you in the most wonderful ways. And it surprises you,” said Taylor. 

Along the way she continued her love for storytelling and sharing that passion. And yet, she felt that she could help scientists, tech moguls, and medical professionals share their stories in more effective and impactful manners. 

“I had a mentor somewhere along the way, who said ‘look me in the eyes. You know, you could just start a business, right?’” 

And Taylor did just that with Untold Content while she was a research professor at Miami University. Untold Content kept growing and growing, so she made her decision and pursued her new passion full-time, as the leader of the then up-and-coming narrative storytelling strategy company.

Making her mark in tech

“I never got a business degree, but here I am running my second company,” Taylor said.

The generative AI leader took herself into a new avenue of business and networking. However, she identified the potential of using generative AI to push the ideas of innovators in science, technology and medicine into impactful storytelling and long-form content.  As such, she found what would be her company’s foothold in the tech industry. 

“We came to generative AI as a way to solve a problem that we had already discovered, so we already knew the problem. The problem was, it is so challenging to communicate effectively within science, tech and medical industries, and there are so many roadblocks related to that,” said Taylor.

“I've always been in love with that problem. So, we were in this really intensive moment in my first company where we were trying to ask ‘how do we solve that problem at scale?’And so, we were designing tech platform for communicating internally and help people craft more clear and impactful messages.”

She received the perfect gem of knowledge pertaining to this issue during her time at UC from associate professor of English Laura Micciche—a lesson at the basis of her women-led companies.

UC for me was completely life-changing. The people I met were the most generous and thoughtful subject-matter experts that I have ever met, and they remain strong forces in my success today.

Katie Trauth Taylor A&S alum, tech entrepreneur

“Laura Micciche taught me about rhetoric and composition and the way that words hold power and how they structure society and public rhetoric the way they shape opinion,” Taylor said.

Taylor and her company never left their storytelling roots. Her team consists of data scientists, engineers, and ‘narrative scientists,’ people who are science, tech and medical communicators with journalistic and marketing backgrounds. 

“Narrative scientists see the way words make meaning. And that is essentially the design of the predictive models,” said Taylor. “That is the most exciting, possible moment to be able to bring those diverse skill sets together.  That's where the magic happens with Gen AI. And that's where we see solutions that will actually be transformative.”

The teams at Narratize and Untold Content continue with these tenets in mind under Taylor’s leadership.

To the future

Narratize and Untold Content work to help a variety of stakeholders understand the ideas and insights of innovators around the world, from consumers to potential investors. However, given the recent surge in open AI, creatives like journalists and marketers are concerned.

AI software continues to evolve, and as technology advances, it is inevitable that jobs may be lost. And yet, Taylor has her own response to this question: ‘What happens to creatives as AI continues to get better?'

“It's the question everybody is asking. How do we keep pace with this rapid rise of technology? We set out really early on to ask how do we empower people? How do we do AI with good intent?”

One of the major pillars of both companies is to keep AI in the hands of creatives and to ensure AI is nothing but human-led. 

“And that means that we design the user experience to pull insights from the person and to support the person in their workflow and embed the AI into those workflows so they can be more effective in their work and do that more efficiently.”

The focus is on teaching and empowering creatives with generative AI, and according to Taylor, the best path forward is through embracing AI and maintaining focus on amplifying storytelling. An emphasis on focus that she strengthened during her time at UC. 

"UC for me was completely life-changing. The people I met were the most generous and thoughtful subject-matter experts that I have ever met," Taylor said, "and they remain strong forces for my success today."

Featured image at top: Graphic representation of artificial intelligence. Credit/Steve Johnson on Unsplash.

By Serigne Thiam

Student Journalist , A&S Department of Marketing and Communication

[email protected]

• Department of English
• College of Arts and Sciences

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