research paper topics about social justice

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25 Interesting Social Justice Research Paper Topics

Through a social justice research paper, you get to demonstrate your awareness as per the current or trending issues in society. Through these research papers, you get to address issues such as inequalities in society while acting as an advocate of social justice. With that in mind, you have to choose an appropriate topic for your research paper, one that will bring you out as a great advocate of social justice. However, with the vastness of social justice, choosing a topic for your research paper can be challenging. But you do not have to worry about that anymore. In this article, we shall outline 25 of the best social justice paper topics in the 21 st century. They are well researched and grouped into categories for ease of selection and comparison. So when your professor asks, are you ready to write your research paper on social justice? You will be prepared because we have got you covered.

What is a social justice research paper?

A social justice research paper is whereby the writer discusses the human thoughts that people should receive equal access to privileges and opportunities within their society. It is a tricky paper but one that is exciting to handle.

List of 25 research topics for paper on social justice

Best social justice research paper topics.

Well, the topics under this “best” category are great topics to use for your research paper. They have excellent research sources, they are current and trending issues in society, and they are fun to venture into. These topics include:

• Gay rights and social justice

Under this topic, you can focus on:

• The history of gay people
• The history of the gay rights movement
• How the perception of gays was reformed radically due to the efforts of the gay rights movements
• Is political Egalitarianism the same as social justice

If you like analyzing social justice in a societies’ political development context, this topic can be thrilling.

• The indigenous people of Australia and social justice relationship

The commission of social justice was formed to provide indigenous people of Australia with a choice. A choice to stand up and push for their rights.

• Criminal and social justice responses to the act of sex working

Criminalization and the negative attitude shown to the sex working community has made sex workers susceptible and vulnerable to physical assault by:

• Men when in streets
• Even policemen
• Catholic teaching on social justice

Churches also want to instill some values in prisoners’ lives via practices and teachings. These teachings lead up to the acceptance of prisoners as individuals who should be treated with dignity.

Interesting topics for a social justice research paper

Now let us look at some interesting topics that you can utilize to broaden your imagination.

Interesting civil rights topics for a research paper on social justice

• The voting right act
• The act representing individuals with disabilities in America
• The BLM(Black lives matter) movement
• Affirmative action

Interesting criminal justice and law enforcement topics for a research paper about social justice

• Mandatory minimums
• Mass incarceration
• Wrongful conviction
• Police brutality

Immigration topics for a college paper about social justice

• Deportation
• Immigration labor
• Border security
• Migrant workers

These interesting topics are bound to develop a pretty thrilling and exciting research paper. Through these topics, you experience social justice and its importance in a whole new way.

Good social justice paper topics on gender minority, cultural, ethnic, and other issues

Under this category, we shall go through some topics that are trending in the world. They are exciting topics and great options to have:

• Cultural appropriation
• Unequal government representation
• Portrayal in popular cultures and media
• Targeted assaults, for example, hate crimes

As per social justice research paper examples, you can find them on the internet by simply searching for the best social justice research paper example. You can then use these examples to master the art of writing a perfect social justice research paper.

The social justice sector is of great importance to society, considering all the injustices that occur every day. We hope this article has helped you choose the perfect social justice research paper topic to express your understanding of society.

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125 Social Justice Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Social justice is a crucial aspect of our society that addresses issues of equality and fairness in various aspects of life, including education, employment, healthcare, and criminal justice. Writing an essay on social justice can be a powerful way to raise awareness about these important issues and spark meaningful discussions.

If you're struggling to come up with a topic for your social justice essay, we've got you covered. Here are 125 social justice essay topic ideas and examples to help you get started:

The impact of systemic racism on communities of color

Gender inequality in the workplace

The criminalization of poverty

LGBTQ+ rights and discrimination

Access to healthcare for marginalized communities

Police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement

Environmental justice and climate change

Disability rights and accessibility

Income inequality and the wealth gap

Indigenous rights and land sovereignty

Immigration and refugee rights

Mental health stigma and access to care

Education equity and the school-to-prison pipeline

Reproductive rights and access to healthcare

The impact of colonialism on global social justice issues

Human trafficking and modern slavery

Workers' rights and fair labor practices

Access to clean water and sanitation

Disability rights in the workplace

The criminal justice system and mass incarceration

LGBTQ+ rights in the military

Access to affordable housing and homelessness

Food insecurity and poverty

Gender-based violence and domestic abuse

The impact of globalization on social justice issues

Disability rights in education

Indigenous rights in the criminal justice system

LGBTQ+ rights in sports

Access to mental health care for marginalized communities

The intersection of race and gender in social justice issues

The impact of social media on social justice movements

Disability rights and technology accessibility

Environmental racism and pollution in marginalized communities

Gender inequality in STEM fields

The impact of gentrification on low-income communities

LGBTQ+ rights in healthcare

Access to reproductive healthcare for marginalized communities

The impact of colonialism on indigenous communities

Disability rights and transportation accessibility

The criminalization of homelessness

Gender inequality in the arts and entertainment industry

The impact of climate change on marginalized communities

LGBTQ+ rights in the workplace

Access to affordable childcare for working families

Disability rights and voting accessibility

The impact of racism on mental health outcomes

Gender-based violence in the military

The intersection of race and class in social justice issues

Access to affordable higher education for low-income students

Disability rights in the criminal justice system

The impact of ableism on healthcare accessibility

Gender inequality in political representation

The criminalization of drug addiction

LGBTQ+ rights in the legal system

Access to clean energy for marginalized communities

Disability rights and inclusive recreation

Economic inequality and social mobility

Indigenous rights in the education system

LGBTQ+ rights in the foster care system

Access to mental health care for veterans

The impact of poverty on educational outcomes

Disability rights and employment discrimination

Gender inequality in the tech industry

The criminalization of sex work

LGBTQ+ rights in the criminal justice system

Access to affordable public transportation for low-income communities

Environmental justice and urban planning

Disability rights and independent living

Gender-based violence in the workplace

The impact of racism on healthcare disparities

LGBTQ+ rights in the education system

Access to affordable childcare for single parents

Disability rights and emergency preparedness

Indigenous rights in the healthcare system

The criminalization of mental illness

Gender inequality in the legal system

The impact of ableism on social inclusion

Access to affordable housing for seniors

Disability rights and social security benefits

The impact of sexism on reproductive rights

Gender inequality in the criminal justice system

Access to affordable healthcare for undocumented immigrants

Disability rights and inclusive education

Economic inequality and access to financial resources

Indigenous rights in the legal system

These are just a few examples of social justice topics that you can explore in your essay. Remember to choose a topic that you are passionate about and that aligns with your values and beliefs. Social justice essays have the power to educate, inspire, and create positive change in our society, so don't be afraid to dive in and start writing. Good luck!

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150 Social Justice Essay Topics & Examples

⭐ top 10 social justice issues to write about, 🏆 best social justice topic ideas & essay examples, ⭐ simple & easy social justice essay titles, 📌 most interesting social justice topics to write about, 👍 good social justice research topics, ❓ research questions about social justice.

Social justice essays are an excellent tool for demonstrating your awareness of the current issues in society.

Inequality in society should be addressed, and social justice advocates are at the forefront of such initiatives. Everyone should be able to achieve their goals and dreams if they put in the effort, assuming of course that reaching that target is at all possible.

To that end, you should ask various social justice essay questions and investigate different situations, particularly those that surround marginalized communities.

While the civil rights movement has succeeded in eliminating discriminatory policies and gender segregation, people should remain vigilant so that inequality again.

There are many topics you can discuss in your essay, but is better to focus on something specific and conduct a detailed investigation. It is easy to take some examples of data that shows a situation that seems unequal and declare that the system is flawed.

However, the data may be inaccurate, and the causes may be different from what you initially perceive them to be. Many fields will be too small for statistic laws to apply, and so there will be a temporary prevalence of people with a specific trait.

Declarations of premature conclusions and calls to action based on these conjectures are not productive and will generally lead to harm.

Be sure to consider evidence from both sides when discussing the topic of injustice, especially in its sensitive applications.

The case of police officers and the racial disparity in arrests is a prominent example, as there is significant disagreement, and neither side can be considered entirely correct.

At other times, unequal treatments may be explained by racial and gender differences without the application of discriminatory practices, particularly with regards to cultural practices.

The importance of justice is above debate, but it is not always about declaring one side correct while the other is wrong and at fault. Humanity operates best when it is unified and follows the same purpose of fairness.

Lastly, try to avoid confusing equality with equity, as the two social justice essay topics are significantly different. The former involves similar starting conditions and opportunities for all people, though they will likely achieve varying successes in life.

The latter means equality of outcomes, meaning that the unsuccessful receive support, which logically has to come at the expense of those who succeed.

You may support either position, with equality being a more traditional concept that seems logical to many people and equity being considered effective at improving the conditions of marginalized communities. However, make your position clear, as the difference is critical and informs your personal concept of social justice.

Here are some additional tips for your paper:

• Separate the points you make in your essay with social justice essay titles. These titles will help the reader navigate the paper and understand your main claims.
• Try to introduce original ideas instead of contributing to ongoing debates. An essay does not allow enough space to let you add something that will change the situation to such discussions.
• The topic of social justice is inherently political, as most suggestions will involve policy-level changes. However, you should try to distance yourself from politics and work with factual information.

Visit IvyPanda to find more social justice essay examples and other useful paper samples to boost your creative process!

• Unemployment.
• Global Warming.
• School Shooting.
• Income Inequality.
• Global Pandemic.
• Social Security.
• Racial & LGBTQ Discrimination.
• Mental Health Stigma.
• Famine and Starvation.
• Discrimination in Voting.
• Social Justice in Education With a clear distinction between justice taught in class and justice allowed to thrive in the school environments, teachers can be able to observe how their students perceive and response to social injustices in the […]
• Advocating for Social Justice in Healthcare However, health care is also often related to the idea of social justice a term that describes the allocation of resources and benefits to people according to their needs and abilities.
• Promoting Social Justice Through Serving God Therefore, serving God in action correlates with the promotion of social justice and reflects the importance of Christian teachings about kindness towards others.
• Social Justice: The Catholic’s Social Teachings on Justice The church also seeks to instill value in the prisoners’ lives through teachings and practices that accept prisoners as people who deserve to be treated with dignity.
• Social Justice and Mental Health However, it is difficult to imagine the U.S.taking nationwide action on mental health due to the absence of healthcare for physical health, which is widely accepted as a serious issue.
• Jay-Z’s Contribution to Hip-Hop and Fight for Social Justice One should admit that the crime rate among black people in some poor areas is really quite high, and that is another problem Jay-Z covers in his music.
• Freedom and Social Justice Through Technology These two remarkable minds have made significant contributions to the debates on technology and how it relates to liberty and social justice.
• Factors of Strategic Management of Social Justice Starting to talk about economic and technological changes that affect the sector of social justice, it is possible to observe tendencies of the level of development of the country from social policy.
• Social Justice from a Philosophical Perspective Although their theories of justice were significant, they would not have existed without Plato’s influence and the contribution that their ideas of justice have made to political philosophy.
• Social Justice in the Modern World The main link in social relations is a measure of social justice, a derivative of the equality of people’s opportunities to realize their potential.
• Social Justice Quotes from “The Wife’s Lament” by Beck “never worse than now ever I suffer the torment of my exile”.”that man’s kinsmen began to think in secret that they would separate us” “so we would live far apart in the world” “My lord […]
• Social Justice in Counseling Psychology The other barrier which is likely to arise in the process of integrating social justice in the workplace is legal and ethical issues.
• Social Justice and Vulnerability Theories When the country’s economic analyzers assess the status of the economy, the older people are regarded as the first group of the population that is pulling the economy backward because they are entirely dependent.
• Social Justice in Social Work Practice The moral approach of social work is fundamentally based on the idea of social justice. Despite the numerous risks associated with advocating for social justice, criticizing injustice is one of the few courageous ways to […]
• Journal Editors’ Role Regarding Social Justice Issues Journal editors can involve professionals from social justice forums such as civil rights lawyers in their journals as well as reduce the complexity of the presentation of social justice article contents.
• Researching the Concept of Social Justice A special kind of justice is social justice, the subjects of which are large social groups, society as a whole, and humanity.
• The Role of Quilting in the African American Striving for Social Justice Perhaps quilting has become not only one of the symbols of African American national culture but also a way in which many black women have become visible and significant.
• Social Justice and Importing Foreign Nurses Evaluation Given the lag between the submission of the article and its publication, it means that these sources most likely reflect the situation with the recruitment of foreign-educated nurses by the end of the 2000s.
• Promoting Social Justice With Head Start Program This essay will discuss the role of the Head Start program in the promotion of social justice in the US, focusing on the values taught to the children and the activities that constitute the program.
• Religion, Politics, and Social Justice Organized religions want to change and implement rebranding to fit the new trend, concentrating on social justice in general rather than the individual spiritual aspirations of a person or a family.
• Social Justice and Its Relevance in This Century To put the issue in perspective, he references the civil rights movement of the 1960s and juxtaposes it against the fact that the US had a black president.
• Social Justice Arts as a Remedy for People The work led to the formation of the movement called Black Lives Matter which calls for an end to oppressing black people through law enforcement.
• Social Justice, Diversity and Workplace Discrimination It also includes the fair distribution of the national wealth and resources among all citizens and the unbiased treatment of all individuals.
• Social Justice: Why Do Violations Happen? If there is social inequality in a society, it must be corrected to serve the interests of the most oppressed groups of the population.
• Social Justice From the Biblical Point of View Furthermore, all oppressed and poor people are considered to be “righteous” in the Bible because it “is a reflection of God’s faithful love in action and his desire for justice and righteousness in this world”.
• Definition of Social Justice and Social Justice in Leadership They should evaluate the situation, identify areas that need improvement and develop a plan to support the achievement of social justice.
• Social Justice Leadership and Supervision While the concepts of leadership and supervision tend to be referenced within the clinical contend and primarily apply to the responsibilities of the professionals in mental institutions, the issues articulated in the article and chapters […]
• Uganda’s Economic Planning and Social Justice On the eastern, it borders Kenya, North is Southern Sudan, to the west is DRC and to the southwest is Rwanda, while to the South is Tanzania.
• Rise of Mental Social Justice It relates to the social justice leadership in clinical and supervisory practice in mental health settings by challenging the modern tenets of managerialism and neoliberalism.
• Social Justice in the US Healthcare System Social justice is a relatively broad concept, the interpretation of which often depends on the political and economic views of an individual.
• Conceptualizing Supervision in Search of Social Justice Based on these findings, it could be concluded that Social justice leadership is meant to become the remedy and the ideological, political, and medical opponent of the dominant positivist biomedical paradigm.
• Researching HIV, AIDS and Social Justice Disney claims that poverty and social injustice lead to the spread of HIV/AIDS among underprivileged people in all countries. The disease was a kind of stigma and infected people were subjected to discrimination and alienation.
• Equal Pay Convention Ratified by New Zealand and Ensuring Social Justice This paper seeks to identify whether the ratification of the International Labour Organisation equal pay for an equal value of work Convention by New Zealand delivered social justice to the women in the New Zealand […]
• Influence of Socioeconomic Status and Social Justice on Health in the US In the video, Richard David and James Collins have determined that racism, inappropriate social policies, and chronic stress are major social factors that lead to the delivery of low-weight babies among African American women.
• Social Justice Perspective Thus public health deals not only with the guarantee of a long healthy life but also regulate and control the death rate, try to expand the life interval, and other things that the policy of […]
• Deaf Youth: Social Justice Through Media and Activism The Deaf Youth USA for instance strives to educate, inspire, and empower the deaf youth to make difference in the communities.
• Re-Examining Criminal and Social Justice Systems: Reducing Incarceration Rates in the US The changes in criminal justice policy over the past decades and the alteration of the same from one of rehabilitative and social justice to one of retributive justice and increasing reliance on imprisonment as a […]
• Social Justice and Ethics: Beneficiaries of U.S. Welfare Programs In United States the beneficiaries include the poor, the old, the disabled, survivors, farmers, corporations and any other individual who may be eligible.
• Social Justice and Feminism in America So as to make a change in this situation, the feminists in America took efforts to improve the condition of women.
• Equality of Opportunity and Social Justice: Affirmative Action If this is the situation in advanced nations of the world, the plight in the newly emerging states in Africa, Asia, and Latin America can easily be imagined as to how difficult would it be […]
• Christianity Religion and Asian World: Social Justice It was also said that the greatest botched opportunity in all church history was in the 1260s the court of the great Kublai Khan asked the Polos when they returned to Italy in 1269 to […]
• Social Justice for Indigenous Women in Canada However, the problem of social justice or, to be more accurate, the lack thereof becomes especially poignant when considering criminal issues and their management, as well as the factors that contribute to reducing the rates […]
• Social Justice and Educational Reform in the US People are free to develop their individual attitudes to the importance of social justice in education and leadership. Social justice may be used in the creation of job announcements, proposals, and statements to attract attention […]
• Social Justice in Quality Health Care The provision of accessible health services is necessary to minimize the health risks of the low-income households and improve their quality of life.
• What Is Social Justice? To my mind, the two most important principles of justice that should be used to govern within a just society are the selection of highly virtuous state leaders and government representatives to put in charge […]
• Social Justice: Philosophy of Employment The philosophy of empowerment supports dignity and self-worth; as such, value to all people, regardless of their status or race is an important rule of empowerment.
• American Women’s Movements for Social Justice Like Alice Walker, Deborah Gray, and Collins, Tyra Banks continues the legacy of black women since she is ready to campaign against racism, sexism, and discrimination.
• Social Justice Group Work for Homeless Young Mothers The group discussed in the article was started for the purpose of assisting residents address the problem of homelessness especially in aspects of parenting and during pregnancy periods.
• Readings for Diversity and Social Justice: An Anthology In that way, the authors noted that racial and ethnic differences tend to produce impact on lives of communities in the entirety of their aspects, and thus can aggravate other social justice issues.
• Health Care Services: Social Justice Analysis For instance, the level of poverty in the USA is on the rise, and many people simply have no funds to purchase their health insurance. In conclusion, it is possible to note that social justice […]
• Social Justice Issues: Elderly Minority Groups Students should know the peculiarities of the populations in question and should be aware of practices and services available to those patients.
• Black Lives Matter and Social Justice Social media is a new public platform that has proved to be extremely effective in fighting against the normalization of violence against African-Americans.
• Ethics and Social Justice in Education Policies The real-life problem that contributes to those controversies is the multicultural genuineness of the community that was exposed to the federal and state standard reforms that transpired throughout the last ten years.
• Administrative Constitutionalism and Social Justice The current point of view at the crimes and violence is predestined by the commercial pressure applied to the mass media sources. In the majority of the cases, popular media becomes the viral source of […]
• Counselors as Social Justice Advocates The compelling vision of social justice is to achieve “free, full, and equal participation” of all groups in society to realize their aspirations and mutual needs.
• U.S. Postal Service’s Ethics and Social Justice In spite of the fact that the current agency was organized in 1971, the background of the organization is related to the development of the first postal service in the country based on the U.S.
• David Miller’s Theory of Desert in Social Justice The dependence of rewards on the variety of external and conditional factors makes the public and scholars question the idea of the desert and its use for justice.
• Ethics Issues: Social Justice In other words, it is observed that an individual has a duty of ensuring that the law is followed while the government is expected to provide the basic rights and freedoms.
• Education and Social Justice The society should also reduce the gap between the poor and the rich. The current level of inequality explains why “every school should reinvent itself in order to deal with social injustice”.
• Social justice and the black – white achievement gap From a national perspective, the achievement gap between the Black and White is reported to have narrowed down in 2007 as compared to the same gap in 1990.
• Setting an Agenda for Social Justice According to Wilkinson, Brundrett is a professor of Educational Research in the Faculty of Education, Community, and Leisure and the head of the Centre for Research and Evaluation, in the Liverpool John Moores University.
• Prosperity and Social Justice The short story was also the subject of debate when it was first written because it failed to fit in any particular genre at the time.”The Yellow Wallpaper” was mostly considered a horror story when […]
• Social Justice: Wray’s Essential Aspects of Biblical Law and Justice Wray has conducted an extensive study on the subject of social justice and suggests that students taking any course on law or social justice must go back to the origins of these laws and justice, […]
• Social and Criminal Justice Responses to Sex Work The negative attitude of the community and the criminalization of sex works made workers of his industry vulnerable and susceptible for the physical assaults of men in the street, their customers and even policemen.
• Social Justice and the Australian Indigenous People The main idea behind the formation of the social justice commission was to give the indigenous Australian people choice by empowering them to stand up for their rights.
• Is Social Justice the Same Thing as Political Egalitarianism? An Analysis from a Theory of Justice Perspective This is the question that is likely to arise when one is analyzing social justice in the context of political developments in the society.
• Social Justice and Gay Rights This perception of gays was radically reformed thanks to the efforts of gay rights movements which trace their roots to the 1960s and the Stonewall Riots of 1969 which marked the birth of the gay […]
• The People Demand Social Justice: The Social Protest in Israel as an Agoral Gathering
• The Woman Who Spoke of Love and Social Justice
• Peace and Eco-Social Justice: Failed Distributive Justice, Violence and Militancy in India
• Spirituality, Women ‘s Issues, Sustainability, and Social Justice
• Multicultural Counseling Social Justice and Advocacy Reaction
• The Paradox of Dominate Ideologies in The Fight of Social Justice
• Letter from Birmingham Jail’ by Martin Luther King Jr. and Social Justice
• Richard Spencer and the Issues of Social Justice and White Nationalism
• The Moving Beyond Pity and Inspiration: Disability as a social Justice Issue by Eli Clare
• The Importance of Human Rights and Social Justice
• Social Justice: The Role of Higher Education, Criminality and Race
• Turning Points in the Lives of Chinese and Indian Women Leaders Working Toward Social Justice
• Paulo Freire’s Social Justice Idea
• Producing and Practicing Social Justice in Education
• Urban Social Justice: The Gentrification Debate
• The Role of Education in Society as Explained in Conell’s Social Justice in Education
• The Issues of the Canadian Social Services and Social Justice Domain
• Wellbeing, Freedom, and Social Justice: The Capability Approach
• The Principle of Social Justice and Advocacy Support
• The Biblical Prophets’ Teachings on the Love of God in Social Justice
• The Relationship Between Free Market and Social Justice
• Uneasy Bedfellows: Social Justice and Neo-Liberal Practice in the Housing Market
• The Ethics of Pricing and Access to Health Care: A Social Justice Issue
• Measuring Attitudes Toward Distributive Justice: The Basic Social Justice Orientations Scale
• The Importance of the Covenant House as a Symbol of Christian Social Justice
• Social Justice Orientation and Multicultural Environment
• The New Political Economy of J. S. Mill: The Means to Social Justice
• The ‘s Coat of Arms Are Trust, Empathy, and Social Justice
• The Vietnam War and Its Impact on The Creation of Social Justice
• Race Relations and Social Justice Problems
• Poverty, Inequality and Social Justice in Nonmetropolitan America
• Rape Culture, Rapth, and the Cycles of Social Justice
• The Three Social Justice Issues That Fires Me Up as a Citizen in the United States
• Reading Baldwin After Harvey: Why Climate Change Is a Social Justice Issue
• The Importance of Social Justice Is Universal Across
• Effective Practice During The Social Justice System
• The Issue of Social Justice Activism in Various Social Media Networks
• Sustainable Development and Social Justice: Expanding the Rawlsian Framework of Global Justice
• Once Upon Today: Teaching for Social Justice with Postmodern Picturebook
• The Congressional Black Caucus Use of Social Media for Social Justice Issues
• The Effective Teaching Techniques of Lisa Espinosa in Providing Information on the Topic of Cultural Relevance and Social Justice
• Reading Baldwin After Harvey: Why Climate Change Is a Social Justice Issue?
• How Does Social Justice Highlight the Relationship Between Social Welfare and Crime Control?
• Social Justice and Academic Success: Is Individual Effort Enough?
• Rawls’s Theory of Social Justice: How Decisions Are Made?
• Are Consultation and Social Justice Advocacy Similar Exploring the Perceptions?
• How Arc Advances Social Justice?
• What Are the Different Factors Affect Social Justice?
• What Does the Information Society Mean for Social Justice and Civil Society?
• What Is the Connection Between Curricular Practices, Social Justice and Democratic Purpose in the United States Education System?
• How the United States Has Both Market and Social Justice?
• What Is the Impact of Social Justice on The United States?
• What Is the Impact of Social Justice on Human Development?
• How Does Social Justice Actions Project?
• When High Pressure, System Constraints, and a Social Justice Mission Collide?
• What Is the Concept of Social Justice Social Work?
• What Is the Connection Between Free Market and Social Justice?
• What Is the Goal of Social Justice Education?
• What Social Justice Issues Are You Most Passionate About?
• What Is Consist Social Justice Western Perspectives?
• How Social Justice Course Changed My Outlook?
• What Are the Three Social Justice Issues That Fires Up as a Citizen in the United States?
• What Has Limited the Impact of UK Disability Equality Law on Social Justice?
• What Is Rawls’ Expanding Framework for Global Justice?
• How Does the Film “Lord of Flies” Relate to Social Justice?
• Does the Legal System Promote Social Justice?
• Are the People Demand Social Justice?
• Social Justice and the University Community: Does Campus?
• What Does “Social Justice” Mean?
• What Does Teaching for Social Justice Mean for Teachers?
• Why Is Education a Social Justice and Right for Each Child?
• Children’s Rights Research Ideas
• Women’s Rights Titles
• Socioeconomic Status Paper Topics
• Human Rights Essay Ideas
• Sociological Perspectives Titles
• Idealism Paper Topics
• Respect Essay Topics
• Libertarianism Research Topics
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, February 29). 150 Social Justice Essay Topics & Examples. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/social-justice-essay-examples/

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Bibliography

IvyPanda . "150 Social Justice Essay Topics & Examples." February 29, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/social-justice-essay-examples/.

116 Social Justice Essay Topics

🏆 best essay topics on social justice, 🔎 easy social justice research paper topics, 🎓 most interesting social justice research titles, 💡 simple social justice essay ideas, ❓ social justice research questions.

• Social Justice and Civil Rights
• Ethics and Social Justice in Mental Health System
• Criminal and Social Justice
• The Environment and Social Justice
• Teacher’s Reflection, Liberal Arts and Social Justice
• Racial Discrimination as a Social Justice Issue
• Advocating for Social Justice
• Social Justice, Education, and Critical Pedagogy Education plays a significant role in development. Praxis is the philosophical concept that allows learners to bring into action theories and ideas taught in class.
• The Social Justice and Nutrition in a Family This paper provides a wider understanding of the practical application of social justice and how the social determinants of health can be used in the description of the family.
• How to Promote Social Justice in Nursing Social justice plays an instrumental role in nursing by ensuring that inequalities do not deprive marginalized groups of access to quality healthcare services.
• The Principle of Social Justice in World Religions This essay examines the principle of social justice as the subject of a comparative study among the three schools of thought: Islam, Christianity, and Judaism .
• Working for Social Justice Instances of social inequality are common in the current century. This paper discusses the different authors who address the topic of social justice.
• Gender Equity and Social Justice in Schoolchildren Gender inequality can easily be identified in schools by observing how students tend to micro-interact and aggregate in particular activities or groups.
• Social Justice and Equality in America There is no single vision of the idea of equality in American society, especially with references to the concept of social justice.
• Gun Violence as the Social Justice Issue The aim of the paper is to describe the issue of gun violence, analyze the reasons for the problem and propose a possible solution.
• Social Justice Protests Regarding Abortions This study aims to understand abortion rights and how they were significant in women’s equality. Roe v. Rode was a case that challenged the rule about abortion.
• Creative Voices as Social Justice Advocates Poetic language presents information in a way that enables readers to relate the message to their personal experiences and make informed decisions.
• Engineering Ethics Education for Social Justice The incident at Morales is a case that provides the reader and the viewers with a moral problem that is arguably confronted at work and home.
• Individual Responsibilities on Definirion of Social Justice Issues Considering divergent opinions from reviews concerning the non-precision or non-existence of the definition of social justice.
• General Definitions of Social Justice It is essential to provide several general definitions of social justice that will allow us to fully understand and appreciate this concept.
• Criminal and Social Justice Intersection: Annotated Bibliography The annotated bibliography of the sources where the criminal and social justice intersection relations are researched.
• Social Justice and Barriers in Healthcare One of the most important social justice topics that relate not only to nursing in particular but to healthcare in general, is affordable healthcare.
• The Concept of Social Justice in Nursing Social justice in nursing relates to human rights and equality in the nursing practice and addresses inequalities arising from race, gender, age, religion, etc.
• The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Its Contribution to Social Justice This paper focuses on the Civil Rights Act of 1964, discussing its coverage in scholarly literature, implications for the public, and discussions in Congress.
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• Are Human Rights Based on the Concept of Social Justice?

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Social and Racial Justice as Fundamental Goals for the Field of Human Development

Melanie killen.

a University of Maryland, USA

Kathryn M. Yee

Martin d. ruck.

b CUNY/ Graduate Center, USA

Author Contributions

Social justice refers to promoting fairness, equality, equity and rights across multiple aspects of society, including economic, educational, and workforce opportunities. A number of scholars across academia have called for a greater incorporation of social and racial justice approaches to the field of human development, and have asserted that social justice constitutes both a theoretical framework as well as a set of hypotheses to investigate and understand the human condition. The emergence, experience, and awareness of social injustice has to be much better understood from a psychological and developmental perspective. Four areas that reflect theoretical changes in human development research are discussed: a) socialization theories about race, b) ethnic/racial identity and development, c) developmental social identity and moral reasoning, and d) lay theories and social essentialism. Childhood is a period of intense change and development; human development research is uniquely positioned to promote change that will contribute to challenging social and racial injustice.

Throughout human history, individuals have fought for justice, fairness, and equality, most often in the context of overwhelming competing factors. The formation of social hierarchies and cultural institutions has enabled societies to produce great achievements of human ingenuity, creativity, and technological innovations. However, these achievements have also created power structures, designed to enable only a small portion of the population to enjoy many of societies’ achievements. Systemic efforts to thwart individual freedom, autonomy, and integrity, and worse, to denigrate and exclude others, have resulted in large sections of society in positions of servitude to those who are reaping the benefits of their labor. Relationships between the individual and the group are a constant dynamic, and one that must be well understood in order to make progress towards social justice.

Social justice is closely tied to human rights and refers to promoting fairness, equality, and equity across multiple aspects of society, including economic, educational, and workforce opportunities ( Jost & Kay, 2010 ; Kendi, 2016 ; Petersen et al., 2016 ; Ruck et al., 2014 ; Turiel et al., 2016 ). Ethical and political philosophers (along with legal scholars) often consider social justice to be more difficult to precisely define compared to other moral concepts ( Anderson, 1999 ; Appiah, 2005 ; Fourie et al., 2015 ; Jost & Kay, 2010 ; Rawls, 1971 ). This is due to the difficulty of ensuring that the obligatory core principles of respecting human dignity are identified and executed. What principles provide the most fair and equitable outcome? From many perspectives, social justice is associated with political movements that strongly advocate for expanding access to social and economic opportunities.

A number of scholars across academia, however, have called for a greater focus on social justice, and specifically racial justice, as a fundamental aspect of basic research on human development and have asserted that social and racial justice constitutes both a theoretical framework as well as a set of hypotheses to investigate and understand the human condition ( Anderson, 1999 ; Kendi, 2016 ; Killen & Dahl, 2021 ; Turiel et al., 2016 ). In order to identify the core principles necessary for ensuring human dignity, the emergence, experience, and awareness of social inequalities and injustice has to be much better understood. This is particularly important for those working within a psychological perspective, given the gross inaccuracies in how racial, ethnic, and gender research data have been collected, interpreted, and understood in psychology and the social sciences. As will be discussed below, these inequalities include sample selection, inaccuracies regarding techniques for measuring psychological capacities such as cognitive, moral, emotional, and biological competencies, and politically motivated analyses and interpretations of data. By politically motivated interpretations, we refer to instances in which findings about human capacities are generated and interpreted to promote power hierarchies, maintain the status quo, and assert limits on social mobility.

Further, childhood and adolescence are times of profound change and development. Studying human development during these periods of change provides a window into how beliefs, concepts, attitudes, and behaviors emerge. Examining developmental emergence provides a roadmap for how to intervene effectively in childhood to enable children and adolescents to become resilient to discrimination and its deleterious effects, and to promote an orientation towards rectifying, challenging, and resisting unfair treatment towards others.

Concerns have most recently emerged regarding racial injustice, stemming from political movements that have called attention to tensions around the globe arising from a long history of racism ( Clark & Clark, 1947 ; Khan-Cullors & Bandele, 2018 ; Graves, 2002 ; Kendi, 2016 , 2019 ; King, 1986 ), the lack of adequate representation of ethnic and racial minority viewpoints within psychological research conducted in North America and much of Europe ( C. S. Brown et al., 2019 ; Graham et al., 2009 ; Nishina & Witkow, 2020 ; Roberts & Rizzo, 2020 ) and the lack of an explicit focus on social justice as a fundamental field of inquiry in psychological research ( Jost & Kay, 2010 ; Killen et al., 2011 ; Turiel et al., 2016 )

While the principles of social justice have existed in theories and scholarship in psychological research, voices for social justice have been consistently undermined by research designed to reject the basic premise that individuals are equal, deserve fundamental rights, and that individuals experience discrimination. Thus, the revitalized call for social justice as a research topic in human development challenges a long history of research which has challenged and resisted the premise that humans are created equal, deserve to be treated fairly, and are due a set of rights regarding life and liberty.

As examples, scholars have argued against efforts to undermine social justice approaches from fields outside of psychological theories, including biology ( Gould, 1981 ; Graves, 2002 ), sociology, and philosophy ( Anderson, 1999 ; Appiah, 2001 ; Nussbaum, 1999 ; Sen, 2009 ), as well as within psychology, as we discuss below. Gould (1981) , an evolutionary biologist, demonstrated how racist notions about intelligence were perpetrated by scientific studies during the 19 th century. He critiqued the statistical methods underlying biological determinism, the belief that differences between groups based on race, gender, and socioeconomic status, were inborn distinctions. Graves (2002) , an evolutionary biologist, thoroughly reviewed the history of concepts about race from antiquity through social Darwinism as well as current research on the biological basis of race and has effectively argued against the notion of a biological basis for race. Philosophers like Anderson (1999) , Appiah (2001) , and Nussbaum (1999) have written about the necessity of revising philosophical theories to consider both social equalities and inequalities, the ethics of identity, and the role that social hierarchies play regarding the denial of rights.

Psychological research is rife with examples of research that was conducted to promote the view that the color of one’s skin was related to intelligence ( Herrnstein, 1994 ; Jensen, 1998 ; for a critique, see Gould, 1981 ), that women were morally inferior (for critiques, see Deaux & Major, 1987 ; Saini, 2017 ), that gender and sexual orientation are biologically determined, fixed and immutable (for a critique, see Horn & Sinno, 2014 ), and that non-White indigenous cultures were inferior to European White cultures (for a critique, see Deaux, 2006 ). These are only a subset of the categories of people that have been denigrated and denied basic freedoms and serve to point out that psychological research in the past has explicitly worked against the promotion of social justice. These efforts were effective partly because they used scientific data that sought to substantiate erroneous claims about the capacities of individuals based on their group identity, as well as the notion that humans can be divided into different “sub-species,” with some innately inferior to others (e.g., by skin color, gender, or geography; Graves, 2002 ).

At the same time that scholars have demonstrated the irrationality of racist and sexist beliefs permeating science, Turiel and colleagues (2016) argued that psychological research perspectives that have characterized individuals as nonrational or irrational lead to the erroneous assumption that human decision-making about unfair and unequal practices is trivial or non-substantive. As an example, among other non-cognitive theories, social intuitionism has promoted the viewpoint that individuals’ responses to moral violations and mistreatment of others are not motivated by rationality or reason but from an emotive “gut” response ( Haidt & Bjorklund, 2008 ). This approach has served to undermine or dismiss genuine efforts by individuals to point out inequalities and demonstrate psychological data in which individuals provide explanations for what makes acts towards others wrong from a fairness and equity position.

In fact, extensive research demonstrates that from childhood to adulthood, individuals are capable of critically evaluating social systems and resisting unfair practices ( Elenbaas et al., 2020 ; Hughes et al., 2006 ; Killen & Dahl, 2021 ; Ruck et al., 2014 ; Turiel, 2002 ). Judgments about the wrongfulness of societal traditions that exclude groups based on gender, race, and ethnicity are not “irrational,” but, in fact, rational inferences about how individuals ought to treat one another ( Appiah, 2001 ; Nussbaum, 2001 ; Sen, 2009 ).

Further, conceptualizations of the role of the larger societal and cultural context on the development of psychological attitudes and thinking about social justice have undergone substantial changes. In the past, scholars have proposed that “justice” was a Western concept, reflective of individuals living in “modern,” not “traditional” cultural contexts ( Shweder et al., 1987 ). The argument was that the psychological orientations of individuals living in traditionally hierarchical societies were duty-bound and authority-oriented, in contrast to individuals living in modern societies, who were oriented toward fairness, justice, and autonomy ( Shweder et al., 1987 ; Triandis, 1995 ). These frameworks aimed to broaden the scope of psychology to include non-Western cultures but ultimately resulted in an overly binary view of individuals in cultures and ignored all individuals’ capacity to reason about or be concerned with autonomy, freedom, rights, and individuality ( Oyserman et al., 2002 ; Raeff, 2010 ).

Whereas past research characterized individuals’ orientations towards fairness and justice as tied to one’s national or cultural identity, recent research has demonstrated that individuals from rural and urban, “Western and non-Western,” traditional and modern, wealthy and poor backgrounds care about social justice, fairness, equality, and rights. Several events changed these characterizations and showed that individuals across societies have an orientation towards justice. First, communication and migration across the global world increased, expanding the heterogeneity of values and perspectives within cultures and countries. These changes motivated researchers to include many more minority perspectives in their research methodologies and to formulate new questions to address the broad variety of experiences, judgments, and behavior. The result has been a recognition that cultures are not monolithic, nor do cultural ideologies fully determine how individuals think, believe, evaluate, or act ( Helwig, et al., 2014 ; Wainryb & Recchia, 2014 ; Verkuyten, 2014 ). Even within authoritarian cultures, individuals resist and challenge social hierarchies, albeit with a greater recognition of the costs than for those who live in cultures with more individual freedoms ( Turiel, 2002 ). In fact, across most cultural contexts, individuals value personal autonomy; as well, individuals care about family coherence, group functioning, and group loyalty.

Second, the inclusion of Australia and New Zealand as Western despite being in the Eastern and Southern hemispheres contributed to the recognition that “Western” is a referent for countries colonized by White Europeans, relegating non-White Europeans to sharing a psychological orientation as authority- and duty-bound rather than one considering issues of justice and fairness ( Sen, 2009 ). This hidden meaning of the term “Western,” along with the within-culture diversity of values, beliefs, and attitudes has moved the field away from the false dichotomy of Western versus non-Western. Moreover, many countries in the Western hemisphere are ethnically and racially diverse, creating a number of inconsistencies at best, or egregious assumptions at worse, of cultural homogeneity of values and psychological attitudes within these contexts.

Third, research on individual orientations has shown that psychological values do not necessarily mirror cultural ideologies. Individuals living in various cultural contexts both accept and reject cultural norms and values ( Killen et al., 2015 ; Turiel, 2002 ). As psychological research and, more specifically, developmental psychological data have expanded to consider the experiences of those beyond White European heritage, the data have revealed that different individuals challenge cultural ideologies, even when the cost is high. As examples, several decades of research have demonstrated that children in a wide range of cultures accept and reject parental norms ( Smetana, 2011 ), give priority to the group in some contexts and to the individual in other contexts ( Gönültaş & Mulvey, 2019 ), assert their own agency ( Grütter et al., in press ), and are critical of societal and governmental policies and laws that restrict individuals’ freedoms and rights as well as demonstrate compliance ( Helwig et al., 2014 ; Ruck et al., 2019 ).

Further, recent events across the globe have shown individuals (including children and adolescents) in both modern and traditional countries protesting, resisting, and rejecting oppressive governmental policies. Along with this, the suppression of justice has been more visibly documented given the use of social media, the internet, and other forms of communication (e.g., Arab Spring, student protests for autonomy in Hong Kong, Black Lives Matters, #MeToo movement, call for human rights for refugees). These explicit examples of protests for justice and rights within countries, societies, and cultures have contributed to new theories about the relations between individuals and cultural ideologies and values across the globe ( Kendi, 2016 ; Khan-Cullors & Bandele, 2018 ).

The negative consequences of experiencing discrimination, victimization, social exclusion and injustice are extensive and have been documented by researchers using physiological, psychological, sociological, neuroscientific, and economic theories and methodologies ( Cooper et al., 2015 ; Duncan & Murnane, 2011 ; Graham, 2006 ; Neblett & Roberts, 2013 ; Rivas-Drake et al., 2014 ; Ruck et al., 2019 ; Rutland & Killen, 2015 ; Yip, 2014 ). These negative consequences include stress, anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal ( Neblett & Roberts, 2013 ; Rivas-Drake et al., 2014 ). Experiences of discrimination and social exclusion early in development can alter the life course dramatically by obstructing healthy biological, cognitive, social, and moral development. Moreover, children and adolescents are vulnerable populations by virtue of their developmental immaturity as well as their reliance on adults for material and psychological support. Thus, rectifying inequalities and addressing social injustice is an urgent matter if we expect both current and future generations to thrive.

Thus, to summarize, psychological theory and research over the past decade have challenged research traditions that undermine human integrity, view cognition as nonrational, and perpetuate assertions that certain people are inferior solely because of their gender, race, religion, ethnicity, and nationality (along with many other identities). Shifts in guiding frameworks need to be aligned with current research and practice (see Budwig & Alexander, 2021 ). In this article, we identify new theoretical perspectives that provide robust findings for several interrelated issues: a) how children and adolescents conceptualize social justice issues; b) when individuals view challenging unfair practices as obligatory, and c) how social injustice negatively impacts child and adolescent development.

Research examining psychological attitudes, judgments, and reasoning about what counts as justice, fairness, and equality and how individuals experience injustice, unfairness, and inequality is necessary for creating change and progress towards the achievement of social justice. This guest-edited issue of Human Development , entitled “Promoting Social Equity, Fairness, and Racial Justice in Development,” profiles current theoretical and empirical approaches to studying aspects of human development that have directly addressed racial justice as well as social justice more broadly. To a large extent, the authors have a dual goal in their scholarship: the discovery of new knowledge about the types of psychological attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that perpetuate inequalities as well as foster social equalities, and a call to action for scholars and experts to investigate the source, cause, and remedies for social injustice in human development. Moreover, these authors are committed to effecting change towards social justice as one of the broader impacts of their scholarship. We turn to four shifts in the field of human development that reflect theoretical changes in psychological research on social and racial justice.

Theoretical Shifts in Psychological Research on Social Justice

Socialization theories about race.

Socialization theories have traditionally characterized parent-child relationships as unilateral. Parents modeled positive behavior for children, who needed to identify with their parents in order to “become socialized” (see Grusec & Goodnow, 1994 ). This viewpoint has changed significantly over the past few decades towards a framework that provides more agency to youth, particularly regarding cognitive, social, and moral development ( Flanagan et al., 2016 ; Rogers et al., this issue; Smetana, 2011 ). In the area of social justice, for example, previous research on civic engagement in childhood and adolescence focused on socialization models of intergenerational transmission of political attitudes. From the traditional viewpoint, parents socialized adolescents about societal and political involvement.

As scholars have focused on youth’s agency, research has shown the remarkable ways in which children and adolescents assert their autonomy to create societal change. For example, young people have worked to create environmental change, promote gun safety, assert the necessity of freedom for expressions of sexual identity, and call for an elimination of police brutality against Black men and women ( Flanagan et al., 2016 ; Ruck & Tang, 2019 ; Russell, 2016 ). Recent adolescent research on agency and autonomy has also included more participants from historically marginalized as well as non-marginalized backgrounds, which is long overdue ( Graham et al., 2009 ). Examining conditions of oppression has demonstrated the important role that critical consciousness (reflection, motivation, and action) plays for ethnic and racial minority adolescents experiencing discrimination and bias ( Diemer et al., 2015 ). Rejecting group norms that uphold the unfair treatment of others reveals the role of agency for non-marginalized youth despite the cost that often accompanies challenging the status quo. Russell (2016) asserts that it is the responsibility of scholars who conduct research on children and adolescents to be conscious of biases, power, and privilege within developmental science, both for the questions posed by researchers as well as for the goals and methodologies chosen for research.

To advance racial justice, Rogers et al. (this issue) propose a reconceptualization of macro- and micro-levels of development to address racism and how the sociopolitical context of racism is itself a source of socialization, referred to as Anti-Racist Socialization (ARS). Their argument is that developmental research too often focuses on psychological processes at the micro-level of individuals and relationships without fully taking into account macro-level forces, such as the cultural and historical conditions which intricately impact development. One example that reflects this bias is the emphasis that many parents and educators have placed on promoting a colorblind approach to parenting, teaching, and learning ( Pahlke et al., 2012 ). Colorblind socialization was often justified as an egalitarian principle, treating everyone the same. This approach stemmed from the Civil Rights movement and Martin Luther King Jr.’s goal for judging every individual not “by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” Unfortunately, this phrase was mis-interpreted by many parents to mean that race should not be a point of discussion. Silence about race, however, does not help explain why inequalities exist, or how to rectify and challenge unfair treatment towards others. Moreover, a colorblind approach as a socialization strategy only works when there is a level playing field ( Alexander, 2012 ).

What extensive research has demonstrated over the past several decades is that children from different ethnic, racial, religious, and other group memberships do not start on equal footing ( Duncan & Murnane, 2011 ; Hughes et al., 2006 ; Sellers et al., 2001 ). Moreover, discussing the facts of history in any given society is an important part of helping children to understand the larger societal context of disparities, referred to as structural inequalities ( Heckman & Mosso, 2014 ). Further, research has shown that most ethnic and racial minority parents prepare their children for the world of discrimination, which necessitates explicit conversations about race ( Hughes et al., 2006 ; Rivas-Drake & Umaña-Taylor, 2019 ). In contrast, White majority parents often refrain from talking about race, believing these discussions to be too negative or unnecessary ( Abaied & Perry, 2021 ).

Against this backdrop of research on racial justice and injustice, Rogers et al. (this issue) assert that the interplay between macro- and micro-level contexts are integral to understanding human development due to the structural racism and hierarchies of oppression that have been pervasive throughout human history. Currently, there remains a disparity between the macro-level framework and the preponderance of developmental research that investigates processes at the micro-level of individual development. This disparity applies to research focused on families from ethnic/racial minority, as well as majority backgrounds.

Making their argument, Rogers et al. (this issue) draw on data collected from a study of Black and White parents of young children as part of a larger study on social, behavioral, and physical health among racially and economically diverse Americans ( Chae et al., 2021 ). They demonstrate how parents’ socialization about racism varies by context, specifically, the neighborhoods where they live, which reflect different political positions about racial injustice. Further, their framework is validated by important and burgeoning areas of research on child and human development, as reflected in this issue.

Importantly, children are acutely aware of these disparities. Emerging research on how children and adolescents think about social mobility and status hierarchies indicates that children and adolescents living in traditional hierarchical societies, for example, recognize the obstacles to social mobility, such as parental concerns about social reputation and status ( Grütter et al., in press ). Research that views the sociopolitical context of racism as a form of socialization must be incorporated into accounts of individual development in order to ensure that children are equipped to recognize and defy injustices. Research on ethnic-racial identity (ERI) is one aspect of social justice research that has reflected this shift towards greater consideration of child agency and has moved the field from an ethnic-racial majority to minority perspective.

Ethnic-Racial Identity Development

Identity development has been a foundational area of research in developmental psychology starting with Erikson’s (1968) classic book on identity development. Erikson (1968) focused on cycles of identity crises which were framed as universal stages in development. Over the past 30 years, this focus shifted away from a generalized identity development towards ethnic identity development ( Phinney, 1990 ). More recently, however, the field has expanded exponentially with research on how ethnic-racial identity development provides an important mechanism for resilience against experiences of discrimination ( Yip, 2014 ). An expansive body of research has documented ethnic racial identity exploration and development using a range of methodologies, including interview, survey, and daily diary studies ( Hughes et al., 2006 ; Kiang et al., 2006 ). For example, daily diary assessments with Mexican and Chinese youth revealed that adolescents with a greater regard for their ethnic group displayed greater levels of daily happiness and less daily anxiety over a 2-week study period ( Kiang et al., 2006 ).

Longitudinal research with African American adolescents aged 14–18 years examined relations between perceived racial discrimination and racial identity dimensions ( Seaton et al., 2009 ). Using a multidimensional approach to racial identity, the authors assessed racial centrality, private regard, and public regard, which refer to the extent to which race is a defining characteristic for the individual, how positively the individual feels about their race, and beliefs about others’ evaluations of one’s own race, respectively ( Sellers et al., 2001 ). The findings in Seaton et al.’s (2009) longitudinal study revealed that perceived discrimination was negatively related to public regard assessed one year later. This suggests a potential causal connection between experiences of discrimination and negative views about how the larger society perceives one’s own group.

Ethnic and racial identity has been studied extensively by Umaña-Taylor and Rivas-Drake (this issue), who assert that past theorizing about ethnic and racial minority children and adolescents took a deficit model approach, identifying the developmental delays and challenges that exist for ethnic and racial minority youth (see also Cabrera & Leyendecker, 2017 , for a similar argument). To expand upon this framework, researchers have taken a risk and resilience approach, identifying both risk factors for minority students such as experiences of discrimination, and also aspects of ethnic racial identity (ERI) that provide resilience against experiences of social exclusion ( Umana-Taylor et al., 2008 ). This framework has found empirical support for relations between increased ERI exploration and resolution and the ability to manage stress associated with ethnic and racial discrimination ( Rivas-Drake et al., 2014 ; Umaña-Taylor et al., 2008 ).

An important goal of this program of research is to enable youth of color to recognize that stress symptoms can result from experiences related to societal and systemic racism rather than from individual deficits ( Neblett et al., 2012 ; Rivas-Drake & Umaña-Taylor, 2019 ). Focusing on strengths in ethnic/racial minority youth provides an important alternative to the deficit model that has often guided research questions. A competency approach broadens the understanding of how to ameliorate the negative consequences of social injustice for those who experience it. Moreover, the inclusion of empirical research examining the normative developmental processes and dynamics within ethnic and racial minority families has provided extensive knowledge about ethnic and racial minority child and adolescent development ( Garcia Coll et al., 1996 ; Hughes et al., 2006 ).

Child development research has also investigated the attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors held by majority White children and adolescents that often perpetuate injustice and unfair treatment of others, including in the context of peer relationships. At the same time, research has also shown that there are contexts in which White adolescents view prejudicial attitudes as wrong, and desire to rectify this type of behavior. Thus, it is essential to document the conditions that contribute to a negative or positive path. Research on social identity from childhood to adulthood has shed light on the group dynamics that, if left unchecked, can set in motion a number of attitudes and beliefs that contribute to injustice. Over the past two decades, research on developmental intergroup attitudes, beliefs, and judgments in childhood and adolescence has burgeoned.

Developmental Social Identity and Moral Reasoning

To increase social justice, it is necessary to change attitudes and biases that perpetuate prejudicial and discriminatory treatment of others. Previously, theories focused on adult attitudes, with the expectation that children were unaware of prejudice. Extensive research has shown that prejudice and bias originate in childhood, however, and evolve through adolescence to adulthood ( Levy et al., 2016 ; Raabe & Beelmann, 2011 ). Developmental research on social identity and intergroup bias, which includes ingroup preference and outgroup distrust, takes a group-level approach to prejudice. This is in contrast to previous theorizing which explained prejudice at the individual level, such as attributing it to personality deficits. Similar to theories about socialization and ethnic/racial identity, studying the origins of prejudice and bias has shifted from an individual deficit model to a group-level normative one ( Bigler & Liben, 2007 ; Burkholder, et al., 2019 ).

A group-level approach recognizes that prejudice and racism are systemic issues and that their mere pervasiveness may be used to legitimize or disregard the unfair treatment of others. This is more likely to occur when groups, societies, and institutions perpetuate negative attitudes about individuals based on their group membership in order to maintain status hierarchies, power, and prestige ( R. Brown & Hewstone, 2005 ; Dovidio et al., 2005 ; Rutland & Killen, 2015 ). Prejudice is often defined as an individual’s assignment of traits, intentions, interests, and abilities to others based solely on group membership (such as gender, race, ethnicity, or nationality). While individual bias must be addressed, the issue of prejudice is a much broader societal challenge. Developmental social identity theory ( Nesdale, 2004 , 2008 ) has demonstrated that normative expectations about others emerge early in childhood and contribute to prejudicial attitudes.

Developmental research on the origins of prejudice has been conducted across a wide range of groups, including groups based on race, gender, ethnicity, religion, immigrant status, and wealth status (socioeconomic background), as well as from an international perspective ( Killen et al., 2011 ). In addition to studies on race and ethnicity (with the majority focusing on African American and U.S. Latinx samples), research has also included Asian ( Kiang et al., 2016 ), LGBT ( Horn & Sinno, 2014 ; Russell, 2016 ), wealth status ( Arsenio & Willems, 2017 ; Burkholder et al., 2021 ; Mistry & Elenbaas, 2021 ) and Jewish and Arab ( Brenick et al., 2019 ) groups in many countries. A multi-group approach to the study of the origins of prejudice is important because individuals are members of more than one group, referred to as intersectionality ( Burkholder et al., 2021 ; Rogers et al., 2015 ). As an example, understanding race cannot be fully understood without examining socioeconomic status ( Mistry et al., 2021 ). While very little developmental research, to date, has explicitly studied intersectionality, the move to investigate multiple groups is a first step towards considering the implications of individuals being members of more than one group simultaneously. The study of multiple groups provides insight into the factors that generalize across groups, as well as what makes each group unique in terms of its history, experience of prejudice and discrimination, and paths of resilience ( Brenick et al., 2019 ; Kiang et al., 2016 ; Seaton et al., 2009 ; Umaña-Taylor & Rivas-Drake, this issue).

One of the underlying premises supported by the literature is that group affiliation often leads to ingroup preferences, designed, in part, to enhance ingroup identity. Individuals are then motivated to exclude others perceived to be members of an outgroup, particularly when ingroup members perceive a threat from the outgroup, such as in conditions of limited resources, competition, or potential aggression ( Abrams et al., 2005 ). It has been well documented, however, that perceived “threat” is often a misjudgment and misattribution stemming from a desire to maintain high status and power (see Dovidio et al., 2015 , for a review). Further, social exclusion, derogation, discrimination, and prejudice are unfortunate outcomes of perceived threat, group dynamics and the motivation for status ( C. S. Brown, 2017 ). Understanding the origins of thinking and reasoning about injustice provides a basis for intervention given that change is most tenable during childhood and adolescence.

Consistent with a social and developmental intergroup perspective, Verkuyten (this issue) asserts that developmental social identity theories need to be better integrated into research on children’s biases to fully enhance an understanding of the origins of prejudice. He calls for more research on four issues: a) children’s conceptualizations of group identity, b) the importance of children’s epistemic motivation, c) the role of processes of normative influence, and d) the relevance of moral reasoning and considerations of fair and just treatment of others. These foci reflect substantive and robust areas of intergroup prejudice in childhood and adolescence.

Verkuyten (this issue) states that group identity is “simultaneously social and individual, public and private.” A central part of a social identity is understanding how societal rules, regulations, symbols, and cultural narratives contribute to one’s own group identity. This approach shares much with ethnic and racial identity as explored by Umana-Taylor and Rivas-Drake (this issue) as well as Tai and Pauker (this issue). As well, social identity includes ingroup belonging which sets in motion the dynamics between ingroup preference and outgroup distrust ( Nesdale et al., 2017 ) which bears on the normative processes that underlie prejudicial attitudes.

To examine the role of moral reasoning regarding intergroup research, as called for by Verkuyten (this issue), research has investigated how individuals evaluate the fair (and unfair) treatment of others who are targeted for differential treatment because of their group identity ( Killen & Rutland, 2011 ). Understanding prejudice involves knowing the contexts in which children give priority to fair treatment of others in contrast to situations in which ingroup bias and outgroup distrust take priority. When groups become focused on self-promotion at the cost of fair treatment of others, challenging group norms becomes very costly, particularly as children enter early adolescence ( Mulvey, 2016 ). The outcome can be exclusion from the group, which threatens one’s group identity and affiliative needs ( Killen et al., 2015 ).

Fortunately, even young children desire to rectify racial inequalities ( Elenbaas et al., 2020 ). As an example, in an experimental task, children ages 5–10 years will give more school supplies to children in schools with few resources than those with lots of resources, and even when the group with few resources is a member of a racial outgroup ( Elenbaas et al., 2016 ). Further, children explicitly discuss the rights to protection (safety from harm), provision (entitlements to food and shelter), and participation (decision-making) (Ruck et al., 2017; Toope, 1996 ). As an illustration, cross-cultural research by Cherney and Shing (2008) with U.S., Swiss, and Chinese-Malaysian 12-year old children found that support for self-determination rights (e.g., wanting to have a different religious practice than their parents) was stronger for U.S. and Swiss children than Chinese-Malaysian children. However, within this latter group, children who identified as Buddhist advocated more strongly for self-determination rights than those who identified as Christian (see Kraus et al., in press ). These findings provide a starting point for integrating social identity theory and moral reasoning about intergroup attitudes and relationships in childhood. Another area of theory and research that reflects a shift towards social and racial justice and where social identity also plays a central role has been referred to as lay theories and social essentialist beliefs.

Lay Theories and Beliefs about Essentialism

Lay theory perspectives examine how explanatory frameworks used to explain everyday phenomena ultimately bias attention, behavior, and interpretations of the social world ( Cameron et al., 2001 ; Levy & Karafantis, 2008 ). These theories have challenged biological determinism as explanations for racial differences among individuals. As well, social essentialism, which reflects a lay theory about the structure and nature of social groups, has been a particular focus of intergroup researchers in recent decades ( Rhodes & Mandalaywala, 2017 ). Research shifted the focus from children’s biological folk theories (how children classify and conceptualize animals, for example) to the cognitive biases that contribute to children and adults’ theories about the “essential” qualities of human social groups. This can include, but is not limited to, beliefs that group members share deep and meaningful properties (i.e., not merely physical, but also psychological and behavioral traits) and that group membership is inherent and stable. For example, holding a lay theory that racial group membership is biologically inherited may appear to be quite rational given that people who share the same race sometimes share physical properties that are, in fact, biologically inherited. Nevertheless, extensive evidence across scientific fields asserts that race and ethnicity reflect social, conventional, and cultural distinctions ( Gould, 1981 ; Graves, 2002 ; Umana-Taylor, et al., 2015).

Viewing race as inherited has been associated with the perception of racial outgroup members as more socially distant, increased interracial discomfort, and reduced willingness to engage in interracial friendships ( Tawa, 2016 ; Williams & Eberhardt, 2008 ). More promisingly, interracial contact and exposure to racial ambiguity have been shown to buffer the development of a biological lay theory of race ( Pauker et al., 2018 ; Sanchez et al., 2015 ). A longitudinal study by Pauker and colleagues (2018) investigated college students’ shifts in biological lay theories after moving from the continental United States to Hawai’i. This is the most racially diverse state in the United States and contains a high multiracial population (22.6%), and a non-White majority. Over a 9-month period, White students’ diversity of acquaintances corresponded with a decreased endorsement of a biological lay theory of race, which was further associated with increased egalitarian attitudes and cognitive flexibility. Similarly, Sanchez and colleagues (2015) found that exposure to racial ambiguity reduced White adults’ endorsement of a biological lay theory 2 weeks later, and that this effect was mediated by their conforming to beliefs they presumed racially ambiguous individuals to hold. Thus, investigating the nature and development of lay theories and understanding how they shape social experiences can inform methods aimed to mitigate the emergence of prejudice and bias.

Lay theory research in practice has focused on mindsets, which reflect beliefs that people are capable of changing their traits, abilities, and behavior (i.e., growth mindset, incremental theories) or beliefs that these attributes are stable (i.e., fixed mindset, entity theories) ( Dweck, 2006 ; Levy et al., 2001 ). Studies have demonstrated that viewing attributes as malleable, and thus, an opportunity for learning and change, can increase motivation for action in the face of obstacles. Children praised for their effort, rather than intelligence, are more likely to believe intelligence could be increased and were therefore more likely to persist and enjoy a task even after failure ( Mueller & Dweck, 1998 ). Individuals who endorse a fixed mindset tend to make rapid trait-based judgments about others, exhibit confirmatory biases, and have greater expectations for consistent future behavior ( Dweck, 2012 ; Molden et al., 2006 ). On the contrary, those who endorse a growth mindset tend to consider trait-consistent behavior to be an outcome of the social context and an individual’s psychological processes ( Pauker et al,. 2021 ). The extent to which one has a dynamic perception of traits may further explain individual differences in the development of stereotyping, prejudice, and willingness to challenge injustices.

Tai and Pauker (this issue) assert that this work should further consider how mindsets may operate differently depending on perspective; they examine how mindsets can motivate collective action towards social justice among racial majority group members, and explore contextual factors that contribute to the development of mindsets over time. Those who view others’ attributes as malleable may be motivated to help improve the situation. Indeed, among primarily White 9- to 12-year-olds, Karafantis and Levy (2004) found that increased endorsement of a growth mindset, compared to a fixed mindset, was associated with greater engagement in prosocial behavior, more positive attitudes, desire for contact, and perceived similarity with disadvantaged peers. Moreover, the extent to which one views prejudice itself as being malleable influences their approach to interracial interactions. A recent study found that ethnically diverse children and adolescents who believed that people could change their prejudices were less likely to exhibit interracial anxiety and more likely to engage in interracial friendships ( Pauker et al., 2021 ).

This area of research has more recently considered how diverging mindsets, as well as other lay theories, operate in different contexts. For example, a study with ninth-graders found that students’ implicit theories about the potential for change moderated depressive symptoms in high adversity schools but not low adversity schools. In high adversity schools, students who experienced greater peer victimization and believed that personality was fixed exhibited greater depression than those who believed that people were capable of changing ( Kaufman et al., 2020 ). Further, children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds were more likely to be victimized ( Tippett & Wolke, 2014 ) and believe that personality was fixed ( Destin et al., 2019 ) than those from higher socioeconomic backgrounds. Thus, mindset interventions may be most effective among children and adolescents who are at a greater disadvantage.

While much of this research compares the differences in outcomes between growth and fixed mindsets, Tai and Pauker (this issue) suggest that the same orientation may operate differently across different social groups and that researchers should identity whose attributes are the focus of change. A malleable prejudice mindset among racial majority children may involve beliefs that one’s own biases can change, whereas the same mindset among racial minority children may involve beliefs that others’ biases can change. In this case, the mechanisms by which mindsets operate may additionally depend on prior knowledge about who is more or less likely to perpetuate prejudice.

Moreover, mindsets have most often been examined in the context of individuals and less is understood about how they operate in the context of groups. Although it may be beneficial to view an individual’s attributes as malleable when applied to groups, this view has the potential to lead to the conclusion that certain groups are disadvantaged due to a lack of motivation or effort, which may trivialize or disregard the influence of structural obstacles. Expanding this focus to consider broader perspectives and contexts will better inform future methods for improving and sustaining positive interracial relations in the long term.

Conclusions

This special issue of Human Development is motivated by a renewed focus on racial and social injustice, and recent calls for continuing the momentum towards rectifying inequalities and challenging the status quo. We identified four theoretical shifts in predominant areas of human development that have provided new conceptual frameworks for studying and asserting the importance of social and racial justice. These new conceptualizations provide a robust response to psychological research that has thwarted the goal of understanding and documenting the full social, cognitive, and biological capacities of all individuals.

The issue assembles diverse theoretical perspectives and debates that surround current examinations of bias, prejudice, and discrimination during a time of upmost importance. Opponents of recent social justice movements have deemed its advocates as overly sensitive “social justice warriors,” but their criticism that current academic research reflects a liberal bias is inconsistent with the bulk of research historically, as well as the contemporary research literature that has been overtly designed to demonstrate the inferiority and incompetence of individuals based on race, ethnicity, gender, and other group identities. Social and scientific progress can only occur when multiple lenses are focused on fundamental questions about human nature.

As Kendi (2016) has written, forces for social equality and inequality have acted simultaneously throughout human history. The extensive history of prejudice and bias in psychological research needs to be scrutinized and directly addressed from multiple avenues. Sociologists examine the sociocultural categories of power, status, hierarchy, and privilege from a societal viewpoint. Psychologists have demonstrated the multiple ways in which social inequalities have detrimental implications for child and adolescent development, and how individuals’ attitudes, beliefs, judgments, and reasoning about social equalities and inequalities are directly related to the emergence of fair and equal treatment of others. Human development research can shed light on what we know, what works to change attitudes and behaviors, and what requires further exploration. This issue is specifically focused on new theories and research that aim to demonstrate what factors promote equality and which aspects of human interactions and judgments create obstacles to equality.

Intergroup conflict that contributes to intentions to derogate others, or perpetuate injustice often are derived from rational interpretations of the world and the competing dynamic between the goals of the group and those of the individual ( Verkuyten, 2014 ). Prejudice and discrimination may seem inevitable, yet the principles of fairness, equality, and equity are also consistently valued by most people, including children. In reframing how we think about individuals and societies, we may also change the way in which we respond to social injustice.

The perspectives presented in this issue propose that human development research would benefit from considering the impact of the broader sociopolitical context in racial socialization. This includes shifting the study of ethnic and racial identity from a narrative of deficit to one of competency and resilience. It also involves examining the complex dynamic between the emergence of group identity and moral concerns that underlie bias. In addition, harnessing explanatory frameworks that view individuals as well as societies as capable of growth will be rewarding. The field of human development must continue to move beyond conceptualizing social justice as a zero-sum game, and from “us” versus “them,” by considering how different experiences shape our understanding of justice itself and including these perspectives in rigorous scientific research. The theoretical shifts identified in this article provide new frameworks for conducting research on social and racial justice, leading to new research. This new body of work holds the potential to impact how adolescents, and adults interact, communicate, and work towards social justice, equity, and equality.

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Nancy Budwig and Judith Smetana and the anonymous reviewers for feedback on the manuscript, and extend their gratitude to the contributors of the guest-edited issue for their cutting-edge research on fundamentally important and timely topics in human development.

Funding Sources

The first author was supported, in part, by funding from the National Science Foundation, BCS 1728918, and the National Institutes of Health, R01HD093698.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Statement of Ethics

No ethical approval was required for the preparation of this manuscript, as no human or animal subjects were used.

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Home — Blog — Topic Ideas — 200 Social Justice Essay Topics for Students

200 Social Justice Essay Topics for Students

Crafting essays on social justice empowers students to articulate their perspectives on the vast spectrum of challenges that confront our societies. It encourages a deep dive into the complexities of societal structures and the mechanisms of oppression and privilege that define our lived realities. By engaging with social justice topics for students, young scholars are prompted to critically analyze the status quo, envision alternatives, and contribute to the ongoing dialogues that shape our aspirations for a more equitable world.

Before we dive into the diverse array of social justice topics, let's establish a shared understanding of what social justice entails. It's a concept deeply rooted in the idea that everyone deserves equal rights, opportunities, and access to resources, regardless of their background, identity, or socioeconomic status. This section will unravel the complexities of social justice, setting a solid foundation for the topics that follow.

Essays on social justice emerge as a powerful medium of expression and advocacy. They serve not just as academic exercises, but as profound declarations of our awareness and engagement with the pressing issues that sculpt the contours of contemporary society. Delving into social justice topics for students provides a unique opportunity to explore the intricate web of equity, rights, and fairness that underpins our shared human experience. These essays invite us on a journey to understand and confront the myriad forms of social injustice topics that mar our world, from systemic racism and gender inequality to economic disparity and environmental degradation.

Moreover, these essays play a crucial role in illuminating the path towards understanding and action, serving as catalysts for change by fostering empathy, raising awareness, and galvanizing community engagement. They provide a platform for the voices of the marginalized and the advocates alike, weaving together narratives that underscore the urgency of our collective pursuit of justice.

In sum, essays on social justice are not merely assignments; they are reflections of a deeper commitment to grappling with the complexities of human rights and dignity. They challenge us to think critically, act compassionately, and engage constructively in the quest for a society where justice is not merely an ideal, but a lived reality for all. As we delve into social justice topics for students and explore the realms of social injustice topics, we embark on an intellectual and moral voyage that holds the promise of transformation—both personal and societal.

Moving from theory to practice, we transition into the heart of our discussion—social justice topics to write about, tailored for various educational levels. This segment is meticulously crafted, ensuring that the topics resonate with students from elementary to college levels, fostering an environment of learning and growth that transcends academic boundaries.

For those seeking to enrich their exploration of social justice , resources such as GradesFixer offer a reservoir of essays and studies, serving as a wellspring of inspiration and knowledge to augment your scholarly journey.

🥇 The Best 10 Social Justice Topics to Write About in 2024

In an ever-evolving world, the pursuit of equity and justice remains a cornerstone of societal progress. The following social justice topics list for 2024 reflects the current pulse of discussions aiming to address and rectify the inequalities that permeate our global community. From environmental concerns to the nuances of digital accessibility: these top 10 essay topics are curated to inspire thoughtful exploration and insightful discourse among those passionate about forging a fairer world.

• Climate Change and Environmental Justice : Exploring the Impact on Vulnerable Communities
• Digital Divide and Access to Technology : Bridging the Gap in Education
• Racial Equality and Police Reform : Strategies for Building Trust in Communities
• Gender Identity and Inclusivity in Schools : Supporting LGBTQ+ Rights and Awareness
• Income Inequality and Economic Mobility : Examining the Barriers to Financial Stability
• Immigration and Refugee Rights : Understanding the Humanitarian Perspective
• Mental Health Awareness and Stigma Reduction : Promoting Wellness in All Sectors of Society
• Educational Equity for Marginalized Groups : Addressing Systemic Barriers in Schools
• Voting Rights and Electoral Reform : Ensuring Fair Representation for All Citizens
• Food Security and Nutrition : Tackling Hunger and Access to Healthy Food

✊ Successful Social Justice Topics for College Students

• The Intersectionality of Race, Gender, and Sexuality in Modern Society
• Climate Change Activism: A Social Justice Perspective
• The Role of Social Media in Advocating for Human Rights
• Police Brutality and Criminal Justice Reform in the United States
• The Impact of Gender Wage Gaps on Economic Inequality
• Mental Health Stigma and Accessibility to Care
• Immigration Policy Reform and the Rights of Refugees
• Indigenous Rights and Land Reclamation Movements
• The Educational Divide: Addressing Inequity in Public Schools
• LGBTQ+ Rights and Legal Recognition Worldwide
• Food Insecurity and Urban Poverty Solutions
• Racial Profiling and its Effects on Communities of Color
• The Fight for Disability Rights and Inclusion in the Workplace
• Women's Reproductive Rights and Healthcare Access
• The Influence of Art and Culture in Social Justice Movements
• Environmental Racism and Health Disparities in Minority Communities
• Affordable Housing and the Fight Against Homelessness
• Child Labor and Exploitation in the Global Economy
• Corporate Social Responsibility and Ethical Business Practices
• The Digital Divide: Internet Access as a Human Right
• Voter Suppression and Democracy in the 21st Century
• The Role of Education in Social Mobility
• Fast Fashion and the Ethics of Consumption
• Gun Control and Violence Prevention Strategies
• Prison Reform and the Abolition Movement
• The Stigmatization of Substance Abuse and Recovery
• Body Positivity and Media Representation
• Animal Rights and the Ethical Treatment of Livestock
• Age Discrimination in Employment and Media
• Social Justice in Sports: Taking a Knee
• Gender Fluidity and the Spectrum of Identity
• The Economics of Healthcare and Universal Coverage
• The Right to Privacy in the Digital Age
• Free Speech and Hate Speech: Drawing the Line
• Student Loan Debt and the Crisis of Higher Education
• The Global Impact of Western Consumerism
• Black Lives Matter: Past, Present, and Future
• The War on Drugs and Racial Disparities in Incarceration
• Climate Refugees and International Law
• The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations in Social Change
• Toxic Masculinity and Gender Norms
• Cultural Appropriation vs. Cultural Exchange
• Renewable Energy and Sustainable Development
• The Rise of Populism and its Impact on Minority Rights
• Accessibility in Technology: Bridging the Gap for the Disabled
• The Ethical Implications of AI and Automation on Labor
• The Fight for Net Neutrality and Open Internet
• Youth Activism and the Role of Young People in Social Justice
• Globalization and its Effects on Indigenous Cultures
• The Opioid Crisis and Public Health Policy

🍎 Easy Social Justice Topics for High School Students

• Understanding Racism and Its Impact on Society
• Gender Equality: Breaking Down Stereotypes
• The Importance of Cultural Diversity in Schools
• Climate Change: Simple Steps to Make a Difference
• Bullying: Recognizing and Preventing It
• Mental Health Awareness Among Teens
• LGBTQ+ Rights and Acceptance
• The Effects of Social Media on Body Image
• Homelessness: Causes and Community Solutions
• Animal Rights and Ethical Treatment
• Food Insecurity: Addressing Hunger in Our Communities
• Disability Rights and Inclusion
• Education Equity for All Students
• Child Labor and Ethical Consumerism
• Digital Literacy and Online Safety
• Water Conservation and Access to Clean Water
• Youth Activism and Social Change
• The Role of Art in Social Justice Movements
• Reducing Waste and Sustainable Living
• Fair Trade Products and Practices
• Immigrant Rights and Integration Challenges
• Public Transportation and Accessibility
• The Importance of Voting and Civic Participation
• Cyberbullying and How to Combat It
• Supporting Local Businesses and Economies
• Gun Control and School Safety
• The History and Impact of Civil Rights Movements
• Peer Pressure and Making Positive Choices
• Sports and Gender Equality
• The Role of Technology in Education
• Understanding and Preventing Hate Crimes
• The Stigma Surrounding Mental Health
• The Impact of Fast Fashion on the Environment
• Affordable Healthcare Access
• Raising Awareness about Global Poverty
• Censorship and Freedom of Speech
• Recycling and Environmental Responsibility
• The Power of Nonviolent Protest
• Media Literacy and Identifying Fake News
• Cultural Appropriation vs. Appreciation
• The Benefits of Bilingual Education
• Supporting Veterans and Military Families
• The Dangers of Texting and Driving
• Privacy Rights in the Digital Age
• Dealing with Loneliness and Isolation
• The Importance of Community Service
• Tackling Ageism and Respecting Elders
• The Ethics of Genetic Engineering
• Renewable Energy and Its Benefits
• Understanding Economic Inequality

🎒 Simple Social Justice Topics for Elementary Students

• Celebrating Differences: Understanding Diversity
• Friendship Across Cultures: Making Friends from Different Backgrounds
• Why Kindness Matters: Being Kind to Everyone
• The Planet Earth: Why We Should Take Care of It
• Sharing is Caring: The Importance of Sharing with Others
• All Families Are Special: Understanding Different Family Structures
• Everyone is Unique: Celebrating Individual Talents
• Bullying is Wrong: How to Stand Up and Speak Out
• Helping Others: The Joy of Giving
• Respect for All: Learning to Respect Differences
• Animals are Friends: Treating Animals with Kindness
• Recycling: How We Can Help the Earth
• Healthy Eating: Understanding Nutrition and Food Justice
• Water is Precious: Conserving Water for Everyone
• Clean Up Our World: Participating in Community Clean-Ups
• Playing Fair: The Importance of Fairness in Games and Life
• Listening to Each Other: The Value of Communication
• Everyone Belongs: Creating Inclusive Spaces
• Saying Sorry: The Power of Apologies
• Gratitude: Being Thankful for What We Have
• Helping at Home: Understanding Responsibilities
• Teamwork: Working Together to Achieve Goals
• The Golden Rule: Treating Others How You Want to Be Treated
• Our Community Helpers: Appreciating Those Who Help Us
• Protecting Our Planet: Simple Acts to Save the Environment
• Being Brave: Standing Up for What is Right
• The Beauty of Languages: Exploring Different Languages and Cultures
• History Heroes: Learning About Leaders Who Fought for Justice
• Planting Trees: How Trees Benefit Our World
• Saving Energy: Ways to Conserve Energy at Home
• Understanding Disabilities: Embracing All Abilities
• Cyber Safety: Being Safe and Kind Online
• The Importance of Exercise: Staying Active for Health
• The World of Books: Exploring Stories from Around the Globe
• Sharing Cultures: Celebrating Cultural Festivals
• Being a Good Listener: The Importance of Listening to Others
• Acts of Kindness: Small Acts That Make a Big Difference
• Equal Play: Everyone Has the Right to Play
• The Joy of Music: Exploring Music from Different Cultures
• Respecting Elders: Learning from the Wisdom of Older Generations
• Friendship without Borders: Making Friends Without Judging
• Caring for Plants: Understanding the Role of Plants in Our Ecosystem
• The Importance of Patience: Learning to Wait
• Smiling: The Universal Language of Kindness
• The Story of Food: From Farm to Table
• Walking in Someone Else's Shoes: Understanding Empathy
• The Magic of Art: Expressing Yourself Through Art
• Water Worlds: Learning About the Importance of Oceans and Rivers
• Dream Big: Everyone Has the Right to Dream
• Stars and Beyond: Understanding Our Place in the Universe

👍 More Good Social Justice Topics for Elementary Students

• Friendship Benches: Creating Spaces for Inclusion
• The Power of Words: Using Kind Language
• Celebrating All Abilities: Understanding Special Needs
• Why We Recycle: The Journey of a Recyclable Item
• Acts of Courage: Standing Up for Friends
• The World's Water: Why Some People Don't Have Clean Water
• Learning About Homelessness: How We Can Help
• Understanding Feelings: Talking About Emotions
• Everyone's a Scientist: Girls and Boys in Science
• Our Green Earth: Why Plants Are Important
• Sharing Stories: Listening to Each Other's Experiences
• The Art of Sharing: Why Sharing is Important in Cultures
• Respect for Nature: Learning to Love the Outdoors
• The Rainbow of People: Understanding Skin Color
• Food for Everyone: Why Some People Are Hungry
• My Body, My Rights: Understanding Personal Boundaries
• The World of Insects: Their Role in Our World
• Kindness to Animals: Why All Animals Deserve Respect
• The Clothes We Wear: Talking About Fashion and Ethics
• Our Actions Matter: How Small Actions Affect Others
• Celebrate Differences: Learning About Different Holidays
• The Gift of Giving: How Donating Makes a Difference
• Walking Together: Unity in Diversity
• Our Planet, Our Home: Actions to Protect Earth
• Everyone Can Lead: Leadership for Boys and Girls
• Music Makes Us One: Exploring Music from Around the World
• Our Ancestors' Stories: Learning From History
• The Magic of Movies: Understanding Representation in Film
• Playing Without Winning: The Joy of Play
• The Library: A World of Knowledge for Everyone
• The Right to Rest: Understanding the Importance of Leisure
• The Joy of Discovery: Encouraging Curiosity
• Growing Together: The Importance of Community Gardens
• The History of Toys: Toys From Around the World
• The Colors of the World: Exploring Art from Different Cultures
• We All Need Help: Understanding Dependency and Support
• Learning from Animals: Lessons in Compassion and Care
• The Value of Work: Appreciating All Jobs
• Everyone's Voice Counts: Encouraging Participation
• Anti-Semitism Today: Identifying and Combating
• Saving Our Friends: Endangered Animals and Conservation
• Sun, Moon, and Stars: Learning About Astronomy and Cultures
• The World of Comics: Exploring Stories and Messages
• Our Digital World: The Importance of Being Kind Online
• Let's Move: The Benefits of Different Sports
• Understanding Weather: The Science and Its Impact
• Crafting for a Cause: Making Things to Help Others
• The Power of Patience: Waiting Can Be Rewarding
• Our Earthly Treasures: Conserving Natural Resources
• The Stories We Tell: The Importance of Narratives in Culture

🌍 The World Through Social Justice Topics

Exploring the vast landscape of social justice topics for students offers a unique opportunity to engage with the pressing issues shaping our world today. Each social justice topic serves as a window into the experiences and challenges faced by diverse communities, fostering empathy, understanding, and a deepened sense of global citizenship among students. From the elementary classrooms where the seeds of awareness are planted to the rigorous debates of college seminars, topics of social justice play a pivotal role in shaping the minds and hearts of the next generation. By delving into these topics, students embark on a journey of growth, equipped with the knowledge and compassion necessary to navigate the complexities of social justice with grace and determination. Let us continue to curate and engage with social justice topics that not only inform but inspire action and change, ensuring that every student can find their voice in the chorus calling for equity and justice in our shared world.

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• Social Justice
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Type of Information You Need

Where to look for research.

• Voter Education

What kind of information will you need?

By  using various kinds of information,  you can develop a good picture of your topic and  write about it convincingly . 

• Definitions of words or concepts
• Historical information 
• Biographical data (e.g. dates of birth & death, parents' names)
• Demographic data or population statistics 
• Experimental data & studies 
• Book or film reviews
• Essays or opinion pieces
• Literature reviews 
• Academic/ scholarly articles

As the subject of social justice is very large, you will probably have more success researching it if you focus on a narrower topic within it. Below are a few ideas for focusing your research.

Civil Rights:

• Affirmative Action
• Brown v. Board of Education
• Housing Policy
• Voting Rights Act 
• Americans with Disabilities Act
• Black Lives Matter Movement 

Law Enforcement & Criminal Justice:

• Adult Sentencing for Juveniles 
• Police Brutality
• Wrongful Conviction
• Mass Incarceration
• Mandatory Minimums

Immigration:

• Amnesty / Refugees
• Border Security
• Immigrant Labor
• Migrant Workers / Farm Workers
• Deportation 

Income Inequality:

• Homeless Rights
• Social Welfare Reform
• Minimum Wage (Federal or State)
• Affordable Care Act / Health Care Reform
• Student Debt Crisis 
• Labor Unions

Gender Inequality:

• Pay Gap  
• Women's Health Care
• Roe v Wade 
• Maternity Leave (or Paternity Leave)
• Online Harassment (example: Gamergate) 

LGBT Rights:

• Marriage Equality 
• Same Sex Adoption
• Obergefell v. Hodges
• Transgender Discrimination
• Conversion Camps 
• Violence Against Transgender Persons 

Other Cultural, Ethnic, & Gender Minority Issues:

• Portrayal in Media & Popular Culture
• Unequal Representation in Government
• Cultural Appropriation 
• Erasure from History 
• Targeted Assaults (i.e. Hate Crimes) 

Reference books

• Include  encyclopedias, dictionaries, almanacs, biographies, directories, and atlases .
• Great for setting a foundation for your understanding of a topic.
• These are usually reliable sources of widely accepted, factual data. 

Academic Journals  

• Collections of research articles, case studies, literature reviews, reports, experimental studies, and other writing. 
• Released primarily in print, but are usually available on electronic databases .
• Come out periodically - usually annually, quarterly, or monthly.
• They usually rely heavily on research or experimentation , and are written for academic communities. 
• Contain what are widely referred to as " scholarly articles ."

Newspapers and Magazines

• Information that is  current or topical  can be found in news or magazine articles. 
• Published in  magazines, newspapers, or websites , and are read by a wide variety of readers. 
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50 Social Justice Topics | Best Essay Writing Ideas

The phrase social justice may sound simple, but it covers a pretty diverse scope of issues affecting our society. These include religion, income equality, race, sexual orientation, and gender, among many others. Since these are issues we encounter every day, you will, on countless times in your student life, get assigned a social justice project. Note, this is regardless of what course you may be taking. Therefore, it’s wise to equip yourself with a selection of great social justice topics, and also know how to go about the writing process beforehand. Fortunately, you happen to be at the right place. Check out the roundup of great social justice research topics, as well as a few tips to guide you through the process below.

A List of Social Justice Topics

The key to writing an exemplary social justice research paper is equipping with a list of good social justice topics you are both interested in and that have plenty of information sources. On that note, check out the list below

General Social Justice Topic Ideas

• What impact does diversity have on social justice?
• Define social justice
• How a corporate policy can affect the staff’s mental health
• What is your take on fundraisers? Are they real charities or money laundering projects?
• Explain the background and reasons that often lead to employee riots
• What should immigrating foreigners expect? A better life or condemnation?
• Explain the connection between globalization and the increase in substance abuse rates
• Describe the political side of most modern wars.
• Obesity as an obstacle to one’s social life
• Increasing unemployment as the direct consequence of economic recessions
• The impact of global warming on small island nations such as the Maldives
• History and the progression of the idea in Western political thought
• Globalization on international hospitality and tourism and how it impacts the local population
• Non-governmental organizations, are they positive activists of change?
• LGBTQ + pride movement
• Describe the negative impact of societal beauty standards
• What is the extent of abuse and neglect in orphanages, care homes, and orphanages

Good Social Justice Debate Topics

• Can peace exist without war?
• Define the relationship between social media and the increased cases of suicide
• Reverse discrimination- a myth or reality?
• A world of peace- is it real, or is it just a far-fetched fantasy?
• Is the issuing of green cards a privilege or a necessity?
• Should we perceive it as sex work or paid rape?
• The church and the state- is it possible for them to remain separate?
• Will gun control laws help reduce mass shootings?
• Is consent a valid concept in the porn industry?
• Building a wall between the US and Mexico? Logical or racist?
• The immunization debate; should vaccination be mandatory?

Social Justice Speech Topics

• Who pays the price of war and terrorism?
• Talk about white privilege in the media
• Can social media help society overcome the problem of illiteracy?
• Talk about child abuse prevention strategies in the US
• The societal impact on teenage smoking
• Dating violence among university and college students
• The effect of TV on infant child development
• The issue of discrimination; do existing policies adequately protect citizens?
• Problems brought about by illiteracy
• Economic issues in developing countries and their link to the US economy
• Address discrimination in sports

Social Justice Topics in Education

• Why is peace education rare than shooting classes
• Describe the mistreatment or abuse of autistic kids in elementary schools
• Should our educational system be flexible enough to accommodate the evolving world, or is it a much wiser idea to retain the old standards?
• Discrimination against the female gender or non-citizens in our education system
• The impact of illiteracy on our community today
• The impact of bullying and anxiety development in teenagers
• Social media as the new form of bullying
• How accessible is our educational system, the poor, migrant works, refugees, and other minority groups?
• Mandatory uniform as a means to wipe out student identity
• Can social media help our society overcome the problem of illiteracy?
• Free education for everyone, will it ever become a reality

Thoughts On Social Justice Essay Writing

Writing an essay on social justice is not only a regular part of your student life but is meant to train you into a functioning adult in society. Writing on different social justice research topics will also help you keep up with the trends and changes taking place in our society. Therefore, to write the perfect social justice essay ensure you

Choose Social Justice Topics Wisely

When it comes to writing on social justice, it’s wise to choose a topic relevant to the community at that time. For instance, all social justice topics on our list directly impact society today. Therefore, choosing to write on any of them will cause controversy because not everyone has the same opinion as you. Hence, your audience, in this case, your professor, will be curious to see how you handle a particular social justice issue.

But other than being relevant, good social justice topics usually have plenty of research material. So apart from choosing a topic related to 2023, make sure whatever you opt to write about won’t leave you all drained.

Invest in Research

Social justice topics such as bullying in school usually have plenty of press. In that breath, you want to make your essay on social justice as unique and as memorable as possible. Therefore, instead of writing what everyone knows, go the extra mile in doing your research. For instance, if your social justice topic of choice is bullying, choose to address the psychological part of it, instead of the regular effects most students do.

Support Your Stance with Examples

As noted earlier, social justice mainly focuses on issues that affect our everyday lives. It is all about things that take place in our community regularly. Therefore, read the relevant college essay examples to help your audience relate to the social justice topic you’ve chosen to write about on a personal level. For instance, if you are talking about climate change, use examples that will hit close to home, such as increased energy costs. This way, your audience understands just how critical climate change is and why they should take action!

Keep your social justice essay very simple. Once you are done, revise and edit it to confirm that it is flawless. To make sure you submit a plagiarism-free paper and excellent grades, we advise you to hire our essay writers .

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64 Examples of Social Issues Topics for 2024

May 21, 2024

Writing assignments asking students to engage with social justice/social issues topics target skills vitally important to success in college and beyond. They require writers to demonstrate critical, ethical, and dynamic thinking around demanding topics that present no quick and easy solution. Often, they will call for some amount of research, building textual and media literacy and awareness of the research process. In other words, these kinds of essays can be valuable in teaching students how to think and learn for themselves. But another, underappreciated learning outcome of these essays has to do with their function as communication.

This last feature can be easy to overlook in the context of writing assignments. Questions of audience, authority, and impact seem less significant when you know your teacher must read your essay. However, taking these questions seriously can not only enhance your odds of writing an excellent essay, but could also foster skills instrumental to real-world writing situations.

This article provides a list of social justice topics carefully selected to demonstrate the range and scale of available subjects. It also explains how you might approach writing about these issues with an eye for defining them and understanding the audience. Identifying a great topic that interests you enough to write about is an important early step. But what’s equally or even more important is to understand how to write about it clearly, directly, and persuasively.

How to Write a Successful Essay Grappling with Social Issues Topics

Writing about social issues topics is best improved through asking questions about purpose, context, and outcome. Why this topic and not another? Who is the audience, what do they know, and where might they stand on an issue? What are the typical ways others address the issue? What knowledge, perspective, or plan of action has been missing from that conversation? Why is this topic important to think about? Why is this essay important to read? These questions are crucial to delimiting which social justice topics to focus on and the strategy for writing about them. Answering them in the process of selecting a topic and developing a writing plan can help achieve the following components of good essays:

1) Defining the Issue

A frequent problem with student writing involves tackling questions or issues that are overly broad or vaguely defined. When selecting from social issues topics, it’s actually a smart strategy to think small. Rather than purporting to solve world peace, essays work better when drilling down into more localized and easily defined issues. This will help to communicate clearly what the issue is, convince the reader of its relevance, and successfully indicate that a short piece of writing could meaningfully contribute to the conversation around the issue.

2) Finding and Using Evidence

In many cases, essays on social issues topics will require some amount of research. When incorporating secondary evidence, it’s vital to find sources that are relevant to the topic and signal their credibility. However, even if research is not formally required, it can help toward establishing the purpose of a piece of writing within a larger discussion. Looking toward how others typically address an issue can help toward understanding whether an essay should aim to fill a gap in knowledge, supply a missing perspective, or outline actions that have not been proposed.

Successful Essay Grappling with Social Issues Topics (Cont.)

3) understanding audience.

Student essayists are not overly incentivized to think about questions of audience. However, understanding audience can help toward both defining an issue and acknowledging the purpose of writing. The most important thing to reflect on is the audience’s reason for reading a piece of writing. Why should they care about this social issue and what the essay will say about it? Understanding the reason for reading will help toward envisioning the ideal reader. Then, the essay’s language and arguments can be tailored to what that ideal reader already knows about the topic and their likely attitudes and beliefs.

4) Making an argument

This step follows the others and builds upon each. After clearly defining an issue that is appropriate in scope, an essay should clearly state its purpose or position. It should then interpret relevant evidence to support that position or fulfill its purpose. Then, it should aim to convince the audience by organizing evidence and reasoning into paragraphs structured around topic sentences that support the purpose or position. As these steps make clear, the argument is the essay. Making an argument entails justifying the act of writing itself, as well as the reader’s decision to follow the writer in focusing on an issue from a unique vantage point.

The following list of examples indicates some of the range of social issue essay topics. When considering these or other examples, writers should consider how they can foster purposive essays that understand how they are entering and changing the conversation around the issue.

Example Social Issues Topics – Tech and Labor

Artificial intelligence and digital technology.

• The environmental impact of emerging AI technologies and industries.
• Whether AI is a paradigm-shifting revolution or part of a long, gradual history of technology-assisted creative or technical work.
• The biases that exist in AI systems and data and ways of redressing them.
• The emergent use of AI tools in modern warfare.
• How a specific political movement or group of activists has embraced digital communication technologies to advance a cause.
• How digital self-publishing has affected trends and systems in the publishing industry.
• How social media algorithms promote addictive behaviors and their effect on minors.
• A surprising or disturbing effect of government and corporate digital surveillance practices.

Social Issues Topics (Continued)

Economic and labor issues.

• Causes and effects of unionization in industries connected to the gig economy.
• Disparities in wages between men and women affecting a key industry like tech.
• How changes in minimum wage policies affect other wage earners.
• The impact of globalization on labor rights and standards in the film industry.
• Comparing the outcomes of universal basic income and guaranteed minimum income as novel social welfare programs.
• How faculty and graduate student unionization movements respond to shifting labor and ideological conditions at universities.
• What geographical factors and/or trends in property ownership shape income inequality within a select area?
• Job fields under threat by automation and AI and strategic responses to the prospect of job replacement.

Example Social Issues Topics –Education and the Environment

• The effects of the COVID pandemic on textual and media literacy in children and young adults.
• How educators are responding to the challenges and opportunities of generative AI.
• Areas of learning affected by bans on “critical race theory” and LGBTQ-related topics in schools.
• How digital culture has affected the attention spans of young learners.
• The sources of increased student debt and its effects on the culture of higher education.
• The history and educational role of political protest on college campuses.
• How the end of affirmative action could affect the role colleges have played in promoting wide social mobility.
• The source of debates around “school choice” and how it is changing the face of education.

Environment and Sustainability

• Geopolitical tensions salient to the transnational effort to combat climate change.
• Protest and advocacy strategies adopted by environmental advocates and different ways of measuring their effectiveness.
• Solutions for the disproportionate environmental burdens on marginalized communities.
• Whether mass consumer behavior or the practices of the economic elite are most responsible for climate crises.
• Comparing the effectiveness of political optimism and pessimism in efforts to redress climate change.
• Environmental challenges that result from destructive practices of modern warfare including ecocide.
• Global meat consumption, its contribution to climate change , and proposed solutions.
• The benefits and drawbacks of green capitalist and “de-growth” movements as radically contrasting approaches to combatting climate change.

Example Social Justice Topics – Human Rights and Geopolitics

Human rights and equality.

• How the end of Roe v. Wade has changed the political landscape around women’s reproductive rights.
• Whether cultural or legal solutions could work best to prevent violence against women.
• The alliance between feminists and political conservatives that has emerged in the clash over LGBTQ rights.
• How news media outlets have influenced widespread political efforts to curtail the rights of transgender people.
• Tensions between private corporations and governments around diversity and inclusion efforts.
• The effect of enhanced police oversight by civilians on the disproportionate use of force against minority communities.
• Barriers to housing, employment, or health services faced by people with disabilities.
• How exploitative work practices affecting minors exist despite legal efforts to curtail them.

International and Geopolitical Issues

• How migrant crises have influenced new border and immigration policies.
• How contemporary proxy wars differ from earlier methods of international conflict.
• Tensions that exist between global humanitarian aid agencies and actors in Global South countries that receive aid.
• How efforts to ensure affordable access to medicines across the world were affected by the COVID pandemic.
• How globalization has changed the world distribution of wealth inequality.
• Weighing the humanitarian costs of solar and electric energy production against those of the oil industry.
• How cultural differences around gender and sexuality influence global movements for women’s equality and LGBTQ rights.
• How authoritarian and/or religious political movements have become internationalized.

Example Social Justice Topics – The Legal System and Government

Justice and legal system.

• Restorative justice alternatives to traditional carceral approaches in the legal system.
• Efforts to eliminate cash bail and their potential effect on disparities in pretrial detention and bail practices.
• Legal challenges that new technologies have created in terms of defining or prosecuting crime.
• Methods of preventing and prosecuting police brutality and harassment.
• How the locations of prisons affect local communities and economies.
• Ways to combat mass incarceration through rethinking policing and sentencing standards.
• Academic, professional, and legal services in prisons and their effect on imprisoned populations.
• Mental health challenges present in the legal and carceral systems.

Politics and Governance

• Methods of global governance that have emerged to address transnational challenges like climate change and public health.
• Questions related to freedom of speech principles that have emerged in the digital age.
• Mutual aid efforts that address areas of public need that have been unaddressed through traditional political methods.
• How participatory media encourages broader civic engagement and government transparency.
• Political solutions for addressing the phenomena of food deserts or food apartheid.
• Responses of local governments to sharp increases in homelessness after the COVID pandemic.
• The internationalization of culture wars and political polarization around issues relating to race/ethnicity, gender, and sexuality.
• Philosophies about the conflict between ideals of multicultural openness and respect for cultural differences.

Final Thoughts – Social Issues Topics

The above social justice topics provide a sense of the large range of urgent issues an essay might topic. However, it’s best to reflect on how a piece of writing can define an issue so as to make clear that it is capable of doing something meaningful with it. That could entail looking for similar, more niche issues to address. Or it could mean deeper thought about an issue for which the writer anticipates they could provide missing information, perspectives, or plans of action. While many readers care about many topics, it’s vital to understand how an essay can create a tangible relationship with an ideal reader. Only then can a writer spur others to think or act in novel and potentially transformative ways.

Additional Resources

• Good Persuasive Speech Topics
• Debate Topics
• Argumentative Essay Topics
• 60 Senior Project Ideas for High Schoolers
• 101 Topics for the Science Fair 
• 100 Creative Writing Prompts 
• High School Success

Tyler Talbott

Tyler holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Missouri and two Master of Arts degrees in English, one from the University of Maryland and another from Northwestern University. Currently, he is a PhD candidate in English at Northwestern University, where he also works as a graduate writing fellow.

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As part of a new series profiling participants in SSRC’s Criminal Justice Innovation Fellowship program, Romaine Campbell talks about his research on police and prison policies. This is a cross-posting with  Arnold Ventures .

Recently, the Social Science Research Council (SSRC), with support from Arnold Ventures (AV), launched the Criminal Justice Innovation (CJI) Fellowship program , which supports early-career researchers who are exploring what works to make communities safer and the criminal justice system fairer and more effective. 

“These CJI fellows will spend the next three years investing in their own policy-relevant research, as well as conducting policy analyses for AV that will directly inform our work,” Jennifer Doleac , executive vice president of criminal justice at AV, says. “We are eager to know if particular policies and programs are working, and this group of researchers will figure that out. I’m thrilled to get to work with these brilliant, talented scholars.”

According to Anna Harvey , president of the SSRC, this new fellowship program will uniquely foster innovative and rigorous causal research on criminal justice policies. “By supporting ‘people, not projects,’ the CJI fellowships will give these exceptional young researchers the time and freedom to pursue novel and creative approaches to evaluating criminal justice policies and practices. We can’t wait to see what they produce,” she says. 

In part one of a new series profiling the CJI fellows, AV spoke with Romaine Campbell, a Ph.D candidate in economics at Harvard University whose work addresses racial disparities in the criminal justice system.

Romaine Campbell: Police Behavior and Community Safety

A labor economist by training, Campbell will produce research as a fellow through the CJI fellowship program over the next two years before joining the faculty at Cornell University’s Brooks School of Public Policy. His research will focus on how federal scrutiny impacts police behavior and community safety, as well as the effects of higher education in prison on the outcomes of people who are incarcerated, among other topics. 

Campbell, who is originally from the Caribbean, says that he has seen how rigorous empirical research can help to explain the things that are important for his community. “A lot of my work looks at how we can improve law enforcement in the United States,” he says. “Policing serves an important role in ensuring the public safety of communities, but increasingly we’re aware of the social costs that can sometimes come with policing. My work examines policies that can help balance the important work that officers do with trying to mitigate the harms that come out of the excesses of policing.”

In 2023, Campbell published a working paper on the results of federal oversight of policing in Seattle. Using administrative data from the Seattle Police Department, the paper found that federal oversight resulted in a 26% reduction in police stops in the city — mostly by reducing stop-and-frisk style stops. Importantly, that reduction had no impact on the rates of serious crime or other community safety measures. 

As part of the new fellowship, Campbell expects to expand his work on the impacts of police oversight. By working with other police departments across the country, he will explore how officers respond to federal investigations, how it affects their behavior, and what types of policing are actually effective for crime reduction. Some policymakers, Campbell notes, have expressed concerns that adding oversight to police departments causes them to pull back from policing, which can damage community safety. As such, policies are needed that reduce the harms of policing while also allowing officers to address serious crime and build trust with the communities they serve. “As our society considers the best ways to improve policing,” he says, “it’s going to be important to document the types of policies that can achieve this without having deleterious effects for communities.” 

Additionally, working in partnership with the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, Campbell and colleagues intend to explore the impact of Brady Lists — public-facing records of information about police misconduct, decertification, use-of-force reports, and other metrics — to understand how prosecutors use such information in charging decisions in their cases. 

Separately, Campbell and colleagues plan to launch a project to understand how the provision of higher education in prison affects short- and long-term outcomes of people who are incarcerated, especially their social and economic mobility. He will focus on Iowa, where agreements with the state’s department of corrections, department of education, and workforce development agency will provide him with the necessary data. 

Campbell says that rigorous research is important for decision-making about public policy in the criminal justice system. “When you operate in public policy spaces, you really want to build out evidence-based policy,” he explains. “We can all have our feelings and intuitions about what will happen when a policy goes into effect, but the gold standard should be to implement policies that are supported by data.”

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Focusing on the “Social” in Social Justice Research

• Published: 25 July 2023
• Volume 36 , pages 337–351, ( 2023 )

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• E. Allan Lind   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8625-8886 1  

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I describe what I see as a very strong connection between fairness perceptions and reactions that show engagement with social entities and social relationships. A brief review of studies on perceived fairness and the fair process effects illustrates how very social is the reaction to fair or unfair treatment—that is, how perceptions of fairness have a strong impact on how people view their inclusion and safety in the social group or relationship in which the treatment occurs. I suggest that this much-observed connection between fairness and group engagement raises some interesting questions about how perceived fairness affects some traditional group process phenomena. I discuss research questions that arise with respect to fairness and social identity process, fairness and obedience to authority, and fairness and conformity. Investigations of these questions, I argue, would give the field a stronger foundation in the basic social psychology of fairness and it would re-invigorate the groups aspect of social psychology as a discipline.

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What Should I Know Before Studying Criminal Justice? 10 Things to Keep in Mind

By Hope Rothenberg on 05/16/2024

If you're interested in studying criminal justice, odds are pretty high that you care about making a positive impact on your community. As laws evolve and reform takes hold, there's no question that it's an interesting—and an important—time to learn more about the criminal justice system we all live in.

“All of the justice careers are so interesting,” says Eileen Carlin, Professor of Criminal Justice at Rasmussen University. “No matter what you choose to go into, whether you wind up as a victim advocate or a parole officer, you’re going to love it.”

Whether you’re looking to explore anything from family services to security management, a criminal justice degree could be a perfect way to start. But what can you expect from a criminal justice degree program?

Here are 10 things to know before studying criminal justice.

1. It's a bigger field than you may realize

The justice system spans from crime prevention to legal careers to corrections and rehabilitation. A lawyer, a private investigator, a crime victim advocate , a social work assistant—these can all fall under the realm of criminal justice.

Depending on the role, you may need additional education beyond an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree in criminal justice to pursue some of the above career paths. It is important to check the education and work experience requirements for any role you’re interested in.

“There’s so much you can do with it,” Carlin says. “I’m just so proud of our students. A lot of them have gone on to law school—and that’s not easy. They’re just amazing.”

If you’re interested in that path, check the bachelor’s degree major, Law School Admission Test ® (LSAT ® ) score, and GPA required for any law schools you might apply to.

Carlin says many students go on to work as parole and corrections officers, police officers and 911 dispatchers. 1 “It’s the best part of my job,” Carlin says. “Students will stay in touch and ask me for letters of recommendation, and I see them get into these professions so quickly.”

Graduates with an associate's degree may consider roles in investigation and security services, probation and parole and individual and family services. Possible career paths for graduates with a bachelor’s degree include becoming a crime victim advocate, security manager, corporate security supervisor, court clerk or a security officer.

2. Most justice careers involve a ton of writing

This is the main thing Carlin wishes all her students knew before studying criminal justice—pretty much every role is writing-heavy.

“Court clerks are writing constantly; victim advocates need to record everything that happens when they meet with a victim; Judges, defense attorneys and juries all rely on police reports…If there’s even one mistake, one word spelled wrong, you can jeopardize a case,” Carlin says.

Because of this need for precision, justice studies programs really need to include lots of training in writing. Carlin explains that sometimes students come into the program expecting a law enforcement career to be totally hands-on.

“You’re used to watching cop shows where they spend maybe ten minutes responding to a call, then it sort of cuts away,” Carlin laughs. “What they don’t show you is because of that call, those officers will spend the next 3-4 hours writing a report. The secretary doesn’t do that. We do it.”

But for Carlin, the writing is actually pretty soothing. “I don’t mind writing reports, especially if you can get comfortable. But sometimes you’re sitting in the patrol car, sort of sideways, typing on a computer while wearing 25 pounds of gear, which does feel more like a chore.”

3. Some programs are made for working adults

Going to school (or back to school) is a big commitment. But what many prospective students don't realize is that you can work on it without putting your life on hold.

Criminal justice degree programs like the ones offered at Rasmussen University are online, and they're specifically designed to fit into the schedule of a working adult’s life. The format of the courses can enable you to schedule schoolwork around your other responsibilities as you complete your degree.

4. There are multiple criminal justice degree paths

When it comes to choosing a criminal justice degree program, you'll likely come across two main pathways: an associate's degree in criminal justice or a bachelor's degree in criminal justice . These are two separate programs that differ in a few ways. Here's a brief breakdown of each, using the Rasmussen University programs as an example.

Criminal Justice Associate's Degree

Created to help you earn your degree online and prepare to protect and serve your community, the associate's degree program requires about half as many credits as the bachelor's degree program, and it can be completed in a few as 18 months. 1

Designed to help students understand the history and development of the criminal justice system and its effect on society, an associate's degree in criminal justice could lead to roles in investigation and security services, probation and parole and individual and family services. For more on that, check out the Criminal Justice Associate’s Degree program page.

Criminal Justice Bachelor's Degree

A bachelor's degree in criminal justice requires about twice as many credits as an associate's degree, and subsequently takes roughly twice as long to complete. That said, you can still complete the program in as few as 36 months with no previous experience or credits. 2

Since it’s a higher degree level, completing a criminal justice major in a bachelor's degree program could lead to additional roles and opportunities in the field. Get more details at the Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree page.

5. You’ll be exposed to diverse coursework

In any comprehensive criminal justice program, you’ll learn through live interactive sessions with faculty and peers, and engage in real-world projects like analyzing real interrogation videos.

From studying human behavior to diving deep into the law, criminal justice coursework covers a wide range of topics and learning formats. Some example courses? Cultural Diversity and Justice, Values-Based Leadership in Criminal Justice, and Mental Health and Substance Abuse in Criminal Justice. For detailed descriptions, take a look at the Rasmussen University 2023 - 2024 course catalog .

6. Your instructors might be intimidating

Once you head down a criminal justice degree pathway, you may be surprised to find you'll be taught by real-life criminal justice professionals. The curriculum for the Rasmussen University criminal justice programs is developed and refreshed with the assistance of industry subject matter experts—which is to say, experts who have lots of experience in different criminal justice careers.

These instructors bring years of experience in law enforcement, narcotics, combating human trafficking and corrections to the classroom—and they'll be equally committed to your success as a criminal justice student. Rather than be intimidated, take it as an opportunity to learn as much as possible from those with experience in the field, and form lasting connections you can carry through your career.

7. You won't just be writing papers and taking tests

In a program like Rasmussen’s, criminal justice students practice career-ready criminal justice skills through realistic scenarios that include police ride-alongs, interrogation analysis videos and drafting search warrants.

Yes, there’s still a lot of writing to do—but Rasmussen’s program was designed to help students understand the day-to-day realities of each career area they are working toward. 

8. You'll gain a variety of skill sets

While it may seem like a rigid or straightforward career path, a criminal justice program can teach you a range of valuable interpersonal and transferable skills that can make you a more effective worker across a variety of roles. By pursuing a criminal justice degree, you can expect to learn and accomplish the following.

• Strong foundational knowledge. Your coursework is ultimately designed to help you understand the history and development of the criminal justice system and its impact on society. At the end of it all, you'll be able to truly understand what criminal law is and the legal procedures required to enforce it.
• Serving with integrity. You'll develop an understanding of the relationships—and tensions—between the criminal justice system and the diverse populations it serves. This awareness will help you act ethically, responsibly and with the right amount of personal character.
• Quick critical thinking. You'll be equipped to apply critical-thinking skills and appropriately react to fast-paced, constantly changing issues in criminal justice—including everything from security to juvenile justice to domestic violence.
• Compassionate communication. Whether you’re helping a coworker complete paperwork or speaking with crime victims, strong communication skills are key to a successful criminal justice career, and you’ll have every opportunity to improve yours.

As you make your way from the classroom to a career in the field, you'll find yourself relying on the skills listed above and many more—and sometimes the most critical ones will be the ones you least expect.

9. Continuing education is really encouraged, and sometimes reimbursed

“While I was a police officer, I knew I’d retire, and I’d still be fairly young, so I got my master's degree,” says Carlin. “My department paid for it. It’s very common, almost every department gives some form of tuition reimbursement. It helps to have that educational background if you want promotion.”

The level of education encouraged often depends on the specific department and state. In some places, the more formal education you have, the more options you’ll have.

“In New Jersey for example, you get hired, and then the department sends you to the police academy,” continues Carlin. “Education helps there. You’re more likely to get called back. But in Minnesota, you put yourself through the skills academy after graduating a program.”

While the standards are different everywhere, Carlin says a foundational associate's or bachelor’s level criminal justice degree, students can pursue work throughout the justice and corrections systems—leading to a variety of criminal justice career opportunities to explore.

10. The criminal justice system isn't perfect

Of course, you already know this. And it's a big part of why you're motivated to study the current criminal justice system and make a positive difference in your community. Whether you opt for an associate's degree or a bachelor's degree, you're embarking on a meaningful path—and one that can lead you to a whole range of places.

So you might be wondering—how do these programs work? How much does a criminal justice program cost? Get those answers and read more at Rasmussen’s online Criminal Justice Degree program page.

LSAT ® is a registered trademark of LAW SCHOOL ADMISSION COUNCIL, INC. Law School Admission Test ® is a registered trademark of Law School Admission Council, Inc. 1 Rasmussen University’s Criminal Justice Associate’s and Criminal Justice Bachelor degree programs are not designed to meet the educational requirements for professional licensure or certification in any state. In Minnesota, the Criminal Justice Associate’s degree program does not meet the standards established by the Minnesota Peace Officer Standards and Training Board for persons who seek employment as a peace officer. For further information on professional licensing requirements, please contact the appropriate board or agency in your state of residence. Additional education, training, experience, and/or other eligibility criteria may apply. 2 Completion time is dependent on transfer credits accepted and the number of courses completed each term.

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About the author

Hope Rothenberg

Hope Rothenberg is a creative copywriter with agency, in-house, and freelance experience. She's written about everything from area rugs to artificial intelligence, and a ton in between.

Posted in General Justice Studies

• justice studies education
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