Earthly Goods: environmental change and social justice by
Global environmental change raises profound moral issues with which society has only begun to grapple. What does fairness mean in dividing responsibilities for problems of global warming between rich and poor nations? Does the environment itself have moral standing and, if so, how should its conflicts with the interests of people who depend on the land for their livelihood be resolved? How can the interests of the poor, of indigenous peoples, and of future generations be properly accommodated in a political discourse about environmental policy which is dominated by industrialized states? This book extends the debate both within and across disciplines, engaging philosophers, geographers, political scientists, economists, sociologists, and environmental activists from four continents. The essays address the role of science in global change and argue that western science does not provide morally disinterested solutions to environmental problems. They discuss the role of state and substate actors in the international politics of the environment, and then use accounts of actual negotiations to argue for the centrality of social justice in reaching desirable and equitable agreements. They conclude that a framework for social justice under conditions of global environmental change must include community values and provide for participatory structures to arbitrate among competing interests.
Economy, Difference, Empire: social ethics for social justice by
Sourcing the major traditions of progressive Christian social ethics--social gospel liberalism, Niebuhrian realism, and liberation theology--Gary Dorrien argues for the social-ethical necessity of social justice politics. In carefully reasoned essays, he focuses on three subjects: the ethics and politics of economic justice, racial and gender justice, and antimilitarism, making a constructive case for economic democracy, along with a liberationist understanding of racial and gender justice and an anti-imperial form of liberal internationalism. In Dorrien's view, the three major discourse traditions of progressive Christian social ethics share a fundamental commitment to transform the structures of society in the direction of social justice. His reflections on these topics feature innovative analyses of major figures, such as Walter Rauschenbusch, Reinhold Niebuhr, James Burnham, Norman Thomas, and Michael Harrington, and an extensive engagement with contemporary intellectuals, such as Rosemary R. Ruether, Katie Cannon, Gregory Baum, and Cornel West. Dorrien also weaves his personal experiences into his narrative, especially his involvement in social justice movements. He includes a special chapter on the 2008 presidential campaign and the historic candidacy of Barack Obama.
Engaging Social Justice: critical studies of 21st century social transformation by
Identifying the causes of and potential for a alternative to neoliberalism, this book offers case studies of new social movements, new forms of autonomy, and new possibilities for a progressive future.
Human Rights and Social Justice in a Global Perspective by
1. International Social Development. 2. Human Rights. 3. Forced Labor. 4. International Child Welfare. 5. War and Conflict. 6. AIDS. 7. Issues Particularly Affecting WOmen. 8. Millennium Development Goals (MDG). 9. A Call to Action. Appendix 1: Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Appendix 2: Opportunities in International Social Work
Living Justice and Peace: Catholic social teaching in practice by
Second Edition Available February 2008! "The Ad Hoc Committee to Oversee the Use of the Catechism, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, has found this catechetical textbook, Living Justice and Peace, copyright 2002, to be in conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church." "What is justice? How can I respond to the call of justice in my daily life?" Living Justice and Peace is a one-semester course for eleventh and twelfth graders that gives students practical ways to respond to the call to justice in their daily lives. The Living Justice and Peace course fosters students' sense of compassion for those who suffer from injustice and enables students to examine society critically, using the values of the Scriptures and Catholic teaching. Specific topics are addressed, including abortion, capital punishment, racism, poverty, the environment, violence, and peace. Colorful graphs, charts, student artwork, and illustrations engage students with the text. True stories of people transforming the world through justice and peace and "what you can do" sidebars give teens practical applications for the teachings. This course encourages teens to imagine ways to work toward justice and peace--and to act on their beliefs.
Poverty Knowledge: social science, social policy, and the poor in twentieth-century U.S. history by
Progressive-era "poverty warriors" cast poverty in America as a problem of unemployment, low wages, labor exploitation, and political disfranchisement. In the 1990s, policy specialists made "dependency" the issue and crafted incentives to get people off welfare. Poverty Knowledge gives the first comprehensive historical account of the thinking behind these very different views of "the poverty problem," in a century-spanning inquiry into the politics, institutions, ideologies, and social science that shaped poverty research and policy. Alice O'Connor chronicles a transformation in the study of poverty, from a reform-minded inquiry into the political economy of industrial capitalism to a detached, highly technical analysis of the demographic and behavioral characteristics of the poor. Along the way, she uncovers the origins of several controversial concepts, including the "culture of poverty" and the "underclass." She shows how such notions emerged not only from trends within the social sciences, but from the central preoccupations of twentieth-century American liberalism: economic growth, the Cold War against communism, the changing fortunes of the welfare state, and the enduring racial divide. The book details important changes in the politics and organization as well as the substance of poverty knowledge. Tracing the genesis of a still-thriving poverty research industry from its roots in the War on Poverty, it demonstrates how research agendas were subsequently influenced by an emerging obsession with welfare reform. Over the course of the twentieth century, O'Connor shows, the study of poverty became more about altering individual behavior and less about addressing structural inequality. The consequences of this steady narrowing of focus came to the fore in the 1990s, when the nation's leading poverty experts helped to end "welfare as we know it." O'Connor shows just how far they had traveled from their field's original aims.
Social Justice in a Diverse Society by
For this unique text focused on the social psychology of justice, the authors have assembled the most current information relating to five major questions. These questions look specifically at how justice is defined, how it influences individuals' thoughts and actions and shapes their behavior, and when and why it matters. The underlying unifying theme is that individuals do care about issues of fairness in their interactions with others, with groups, and with institutions they support or oppose.Using this theme as their guidepost, the authors explore research on relative deprivation, distributive justice, procedural justice, and retributive justice. Extensive use of examples drawn from contemporary culture make this book an informative and engaging collection of the most current thinking about topics such as diversity, gender, equal pay, personal satisfaction, third-party dispute management, crime, cultural preservation, and scarcity theory.This text will be a valuable source for advanced courses on social justice, interpersonal relations, negotiation, intergroup conflict, and group processes in social psychology, political science, sociology, and legal studies.
Social Work and Social Policy: Advancing the Principles of Economic and Social Justice by
A comprehensive overview of domestic and global social welfare policy Written by a team of renowned social policy experts sharing their unique perspectives on global and U.S. social welfare policy issues, Social Work and Social Policy helps social workers consider key issues that face policymakers, elected officials, and agency administrators in order to develop policies that are both fair and just. Designed as a foundational social welfare policy text, this important book meets the Council on Social Work Education's (CSWE) Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS). Encouraging readers' critical thinking on various issues, each chapter begins with an overarching question and "what if" scenarios, and ends with a set of suggested key terms, online resources, and discussion questions. Recognizing that policy work requires practitioners to be as fully versed as possible with the issue at hand, Social Work and Social Policy thoroughly explores: Social welfare policy as a form of social justice The evolution of the American welfare state Human security and the welfare of societies Social policy from a global perspective Challenges for social policies in Asia Welfare reform and the need for social empathy The U.S. Patriot Act and its implications for the social work profession Human rights and emerging social media Compelling and broad in scope, Social Work and Social Policy is an indispensable text for students and a valuable resource for practitioners concerned with creating social policy and governmental action guided by justice for all.
This Economy Kills: Pope Francis on capitalism and social justice by
When Pope Francis wrote in his apostolic letter The Joy of the Gospelthat the economy of the West is one that "kills," he was immediately labeled by some as a Marxist. Criticisms came fast and furious, not only from financial columnists and conservative cable personalities, but also from some Catholic commentators, especially in the United States. In This Economy Kills, two of the most respected journalists covering the Vatican today explore the Pope's teaching and witness on the topic; the ways it relates to other topics like war, the environment, and family life; its connections to the teaching of his predecessors; and the criticism it has generated, especially from the direction of the United States. This fascinating book includes the full text of an extended interview the authors conducted with Francis on the topic of capitalism and social justice, appearing here in English for the first time. This Economy Killsis essential reading for anyone who wants to understand Pope Francis's convictions about the world we live in and the way he believes Christians are called to shape it.