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Race and Social Justice Case Collection

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

Theme I: Protest/Leadership 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Theme II: Diversity and Inclusion

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

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

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

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

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

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

Theme III: History and Urban Politics

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

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

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

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

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

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

Theme IV: Criminal Justice

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

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

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

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

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

Theme V: Other Marginalized Communities

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Toolkit for Case Studies on Diversity and Social Justice Education

Paul Gorski and Seema Pothini argue for a “case method” approach to challenging teaching scenarios. The case method uses real-life scenarios to help educators practice seeing student circumstances and behaviors through an equity lens, taking many contextual factors into account. Case Studies on Diversity and Social Justice Education includes 35 school- and classroom-based scenarios that address a variety of issues related to identity and diversity. The book also includes a seven-step process for analyzing these case studies, as identified in this excerpt. This toolkit highlights one scenario and provides a guide to applying the case study-analysis model.

Essential Questions

• What is the case method of developing teacher practice?
• How does the case-analysis process help us develop our skills when assessing challenging student scenarios?
• On your own or with colleagues, read the case study, “(Racist) Terms of Endearment.” In this scenario a high school math teacher overhears a white student calling an African-American classmate the n-word. When the teacher confronts the student who used the n-word, he claims that he was using it as a term of endearment—a claim that is not explicitly contested by the “friend” to whom he’s directing it
• Reflect on the scenario or discuss it with colleagues. Use these questions and points for consideration to guide your thinking.
• Follow the steps in the Case Study Analysis Worksheet to practice the seven-step approach and develop a plan of action. Refer back to the article to see how each step is applied to the case involving Samantha and Ms. Grady.
• Check out the book Case Studies on Diversity and Social Justice Education (Routledge, 2014) for more school- and classroom-based case studies addressing issues like race, class, ability, gender, sexual orientation and religion.
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Race and Social Justice Case Collection

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

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

Theme I: Protest/Leadership

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

Theme II: Diversity and Inclusion

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

Theme III: History and Urban Politics

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

Theme IV: Criminal Justice

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

Theme V: Other Marginalized Communities

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

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

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Case Studies: 2019-2020

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

Case 1: A Battle For Due Rehabilitation.  

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

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

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

Case 2: Co-existing With The System

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

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

Case 3: Land Of The Unknown?

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

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

Case 4: Preventing Communal Disharmony Through Social Justice Lawyering

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

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

Case 5: Fight Against Human Trafficking In Jharkhand

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Case 8: The lost boy finally returns home

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

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

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

Case 9: Rights Of Homosexuals To fair investigation

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

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

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A Case Study Exploring Supervisee Experiences in Social Justice Supervision

Volume 12 - Issue 1

Clare Merlin-Knoblich, Jenna L. Taylor, Benjamin Newman

Social justice is a paramount concept in counseling and supervision, yet limited research exists examining this idea in practice. To fill this research gap, we conducted a qualitative case study exploring supervisee experiences in social justice supervision and identified three themes from the participants’ experiences: intersection of supervision experiences and external factors, feelings about social justice, and personal and professional growth. Two subthemes were also identified: increased understanding of privilege and increased understanding of clients. Given these findings, we present practical applications for supervisors to incorporate social justice into supervision.

Keywords: social justice, supervision, case study, personal growth, practical applications

Social justice is fundamental to the counseling profession, and, as such, scholars have called for an increase in social justice supervision (Ceballos et al., 2012; Chang et al., 2009; Collins et al., 2015; Dollarhide et al., 2018, 2021; Fickling et al., 2019; Glosoff & Durham, 2010). Although researchers have studied multicultural supervision in the counseling profession, to date, minimal research has been conducted on implementing social justice supervision in practice (Dollarhide et al., 2021; Fickling et al., 2019; Gentile et al., 2009; Glosoff & Durham, 2010). In this study, we sought to address this research gap with an exploration of master’s students’ experiences with social justice supervision.

Social Justice in Counseling      Counseling leaders have developed standards that reflect the profession’s commitment to social justice principles (Chang et al., 2009; Dollarhide et al., 2021; Fickling et al., 2019; Glosoff & Durham, 2010). For instance, the American Counseling Association’s ACA Code of Ethics (2014) highlights the need for multicultural and diversity competence in six of its nine sections, including Section F, Supervision, Training, and Teaching. Additionally, in 2015, the ACA Governing Council endorsed the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies (MSJCC), which provide a framework for counselors to use to implement multicultural and social justice competencies in practice (Fickling et al., 2019; Ratts et al., 2015). All of these standards reflect the importance of social justice in the counseling profession (Greene & Flasch, 2019).

Social Justice Supervision      Although much of the counseling profession’s focus on social justice emphasizes counseling practice, social justice principles benefit supervisors, counselors, and clients when they are also incorporated into clinical supervision. In social justice supervision, supervisors address levels of change that can occur through one’s community using organized interventions, modeling social justice in action, and employing community collaboration (Chang et al., 2009; Dollarhide et al., 2021; Fickling et al., 2019). These strategies introduce an exploration of culture, power, and privilege to challenge oppressive and dehumanizing political, economic, and social systems (Dollarhide et al., 2021; Fickling et al., 2019; Garcia et al., 2009; Glosoff & Durham, 2010; Pester et al., 2020). Moreover, participating in social justice supervision can assist counselors in developing empathy for clients and conceptualizing them from a systemic perspective (Ceballos et al., 2012; Fickling et al., 2019; Kiselica & Robinson, 2001). When a supervisory alliance addresses cultural issues, oppression, and privilege, supervisees are better able to do the same with clients (Chang et al., 2009; Dollarhide et al., 2021; Fickling et al., 2019; Glosoff & Durham, 2010). Thus, counselors become advocates for clients and the profession (Chang et al., 2009; Dollarhide et al., 2021; Gentile et al., 2009; Glosoff & Durham, 2010).

Chang and colleagues (2009) defined social justice counseling as considering “the impact of oppression, privilege, and discrimination on the mental health of the individual with the goal of establishing equitable distribution of power and resources” (p. 22). In this way, social justice supervision considers the impact of oppression, privilege, and discrimination on the supervisee and supervisor. Dollarhide and colleagues (2021) further simplified the definition of social justice supervision, stating that it is “supervision in which social justice is practiced, modeled, coached, and used as a metric throughout supervision” (p. 104). Supervision that incorporates a focus on intersectionality can further support supervisees’ growth in developing social justice competencies (Greene & Flasch, 2019).

Literature about social justice supervision often includes an emphasis on two concepts: structural change and individual care (Gentile et al., 2009; Lewis et al., 2003; Toporek & Daniels, 2018). Structural change is the process of examining, understanding, and addressing systemic factors in clients’ and counselors’ lives, such as identity markers and systems within family, community, school, work, and elsewhere. Individual care acknowledges each person within the counseling setting independent of their environment (Gentile et al., 2009; Roffman, 2002). Scholars advise incorporating both concepts to address power, privilege, and systemic factors through social justice supervision (Chang et al., 2009; Gentile et al., 2009; Glosoff & Durham, 2010; Greene & Flasch, 2019; Pester et al., 2020).

It is necessary to distinguish social justice supervision from previous literature on multicultural supervision. Although similar, these concepts are different in that multicultural supervision emphasizes cultural awareness and competence, whereas social justice supervision brings attention to sociocultural and systemic factors and advocacy (Dollarhide et al., 2021; Fickling et al., 2019; E. Lee & Kealy, 2018; Peters, 2017; Ratts et al., 2015). For instance, a supervisor practicing multicultural supervision would be aware of a supervisee’s identity markers, such as race, ethnicity, and culture, and address those components throughout the supervisory experience, whereas a supervisor practicing social justice supervision would also consider systemic factors that impact a supervisee, in addition to being culturally competent. The supervisor would use that knowledge in the supervisory alliance and act as a change agent at individual and community levels (Chang et al., 2009; Dollarhide et al., 2021; Fickling et al., 2019; Gentile et al., 2009; Glosoff & Durham, 2010; E. Lee & Kealy, 2018; Lewis et al., 2003; Peters, 2017; Ratts et al., 2015; Toporek & Daniels, 2018).

Researchers have found that multicultural supervision contributes to more positive outcomes than supervision without consideration for multicultural factors (Chopra, 2013; Inman, 2006; Ladany et al., 2005). For example, supervisees who participated in multicultural supervision reported that supervisors were more likely to engage in multicultural dialogue, show genuine disclosure of personal culture, and demonstrate knowledge of multiculturalism than supervisors who did not consider multicultural concepts in supervision (Ancis & Ladany, 2001; Ancis & Marshall, 2010; Chopra, 2013). Supervisees also reported that multicultural considerations led them to feel more comfortable, increased their self-awareness, and spurred them on to discuss multiculturalism with clients (Ancis & Ladany, 2001; Ancis & Marshall, 2010). Although parallel research on social justice supervision is lacking, findings on multicultural supervision are a promising indicator of the potential of social justice supervision.

Models      In recent years, scholars have called for social justice supervision models to integrate social justice into supervision (Baggerly, 2006; Ceballos et al., 2012; Chang et al., 2009; Collins et al., 2015; Glosoff & Durham, 2010; O’Connor, 2005). However, to date, only three formal models of social justice supervision have been published. Most recently, Dollarhide and colleagues (2021) recommended a social justice supervision model that can be used with any supervisory theory, developmental model, and process model. In this model, the MSJCC are integrated using four components. First, the intersectionality of identity constructs (i.e., gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, abilities, etc.) is identified as integral in the supervisory triad between supervisor, counselor, and client. Second, systemic perspectives of oppression and agency for each person in the supervisory triad are at the forefront. Third, supervision is transformed to facilitate the supervisee’s culturally informed counseling practices. Lastly, the supervisee and client experience validation and empowerment through the mutuality of influence and growth (Dollarhide et al., 2021).

Prior to Dollarhide and colleagues’ (2021) model for social justice supervision, Gentile and colleagues (2009) proposed a feminist ecological framework for social justice supervision. This model encouraged the understanding of a person at the individual level through interactions within the ecological system (Ballou et al., 2002; Gentile et al., 2009). The supervisor’s role is to model socially just thinking and behavior, create a climate of equality, and implement critical thinking about social justice (Gentile et al., 2009; Roffman, 2002).

Lastly, Chang and colleagues (2009) suggested a social constructivist framework to incorporate social justice issues in supervision via three delineated tiers (Chang et al., 2009; Lewis et al., 2003; Toporek & Daniels, 2018). In the first tier, self-awareness , supervisors assist supervisees to recognize privileges, understand oppression, and gain commitment to social justice action (Chang et al., 2009; C. C. Lee, 2007). In the second tier, client services , the supervisor understands the clients’ worldviews and recognizes the role of sociopolitical factors that can impact the developmental, emotional, and cognitive meaning-making system of the client (Chang et al., 2009). In the third tier, community collaboration , the supervisor guides the supervisee to advocate for changes on the group, organizational, and institutional levels. Supervisors can facilitate and model community collaboration interventions, such as providing clients easier access to resources, participating in lobbying efforts, and developing programs in communities (Chang et al., 2009; Dinsmore et al., 2002; Kiselica & Robinson, 2001).

Each of these supervision models serves as a relevant, accessible tool for counseling supervisors to use to incorporate social justice into supervision (Chang et al., 2009, Dollarhide et al., 2021; Gentile et al., 2009). However, researchers lack an empirical examination of any of the models. To address this research gap and begin understanding social justice supervision in practice, the present qualitative case study exploring master’s students’ experiences with social justice supervision was undertaken.

We selected Chang and colleagues’ (2009) three-tier social constructivist framework in supervision for several reasons. First, the social constructivist framework incorporates a tiered approach similar to the MSJCC (Ratts et al., 2015) and reflects social justice goals in the profession of counseling (Ceballos et al., 2012; Chang et al., 2009; Collins et al., 2015; Glosoff & Durham, 2010). Second, the model is comprehensive. In using three tiers to address social justice (self, client, and community), the model captures multiple layers of social justice influence for counselors. Finally, the model is simple and meets the developmental needs of novice counselors. By identifying three tiers of social justice work, Chang and colleagues (2009) crafted an accessible tool to help new and practicing school counselors infuse social justice into their practice. This high level of structure matches the initial developmental levels of new counselors, who typically benefit from high amounts of structure and low amounts of challenge in supervision (Foster & McAdams, 1998).

The research question guiding this study was: What are the experiences of master’s counseling students in individual social justice supervision? We used a social constructivist theoretical framework and presumed that knowledge would be gained about the participants’ experiences based on their social constructs (Hays & Singh, 2012). The ontological perspective reflected realism, or the belief that constructs exist in the world even if they cannot be fully measured (Yin, 2017).

We selected a qualitative case study methodology because it was the most appropriate approach to explore the experiences of a single group of supervisees supervised by the same supervisor in the same semester. In this approach, researchers examine one identified unit bounded by space, time, and persons (Hancock et al., 2021; Hays & Singh, 2012; Yin, 2017). Qualitative case study research allows researchers to deeply explore a single case, such as a group, person, or experience, and gain an in-depth understanding of that identified situation, as well as meaning for the people involved in it (Hancock et al., 2021; Prosek & Gibson, 2021).

In this study, we selected a case study methodology because the study’s participants engaged in the same supervisory experience at the same counseling program in the same semester, thus forming a case to be studied (Hancock et al., 2021). Given the research question, we specifically used a descriptive case study design, which reflected the study goals to describe participants’ experiences in a specific social justice supervision experience. Case study scholars (Hancock et al., 2021; Yin, 2017) have noted that identifying the boundaries of a case is an essential step in the study process. Thus, the boundaries for this study were: master’s-level school counseling students receiving social justice supervision from the same supervisor (persons) at a medium-sized public university on the East Coast (place) over the course of a 14-week semester (time).

Research Team      Our research team for this study consisted of our first and third authors, Clare Merlin-Knoblich and Benjamin Newman, both of whom received training and had experience in qualitative research. Merlin-Knoblich and Newman both identify as White, heterosexual, cisgender, middle-class, and trained counselor educators/supervisors. Merlin-Knoblich is a woman (pronouns: she/her/hers) and former school counselor, who completed master’s and doctoral coursework on social justice counseling and studied social justice supervision in a doctoral program. Newman is a man (pronouns: he/him/his) and clinical mental health/addictions counselor, who completed social justice counseling coursework in a master’s counseling program before completing a doctorate in counselor education and supervision. Our second author, Jenna L. Taylor, was not a part of the research team, but rather was a counseling student unaffiliated with the research participants who assisted in the preparation of the manuscript. Taylor identifies as a White, heterosexual, cisgender, and middle-class woman (pronouns: she/her/hers) with prior experience in research courses and on qualitative research teams. Merlin-Knoblich was familiar with all three participants given her role as the practicum supervisor. Taylor and Newman did not know the study participants beyond Newman’s interactions while recruiting and interviewing them for this study.

Participants and Context      Although some scholars of some qualitative research methodologies call for requisite minimum numbers of participants, in case study research, there is no minimum number of participants sufficient to study (Hays & Singh, 2012). Rather, in case study research, researchers are expected to study the number of participants needed to reflect the phenomenon being studied (Hancock et al., 2021). There were three participants in this study because the supervisory experience that comprised the case studied included three supervisees. Adding additional participants outside of the case would have conflicted with the boundaries of the case and potentially interfered with an understanding of the single, designated case in this study.

All study participants identified as White, heterosexual, cisgender, middle-class, and English-speaking women (pronouns: she/her/hers). Participants were 23, 24, and 26 years old. All the participants were students in the same CACREP-accredited school counseling program at a public liberal arts university on the East Coast of the United States. Prior to the study, the participants completed courses in techniques, group counseling, school counseling, ethics, and theories. While being supervised, participants also completed a practicum experience and coursework in multicultural counseling and career development.

All participants completed practicum at high schools near their university. One high school was urban, one was suburban, and one was rural. During the practicum experience, participants met with Merlin-Knoblich, their supervisor, for face-to-face individual supervision for 1 hour each week. They also submitted weekly journals to Merlin-Knoblich, written either freely or in response to a prompt, depending on their preference. Merlin-Knoblich then provided weekly written feedback to each participant’s journal entry, and, if relevant, the journal content was discussed during face-to-face supervision. Simultaneously, a university faculty member provided weekly face-to-face supervision-of-supervision to Merlin-Knoblich to monitor supervision skills and ensure adherence to the identified supervision model. The faculty member possessed more than 15 years of experience in supervision and was familiar with social justice supervision models.

Merlin-Knoblich applied Chang and colleagues’ (2009) social constructivist social justice supervision model in deliberate ways throughout the supervisees’ 14-week practicum experience. For example, in the initial supervision sessions, Merlin-Knoblich introduced the supervision model and explained how they would collaboratively explore ideas of social justice in counseling related to their practicum experiences. This included defining social justice, discussing supervisees’ previous background knowledge, and exploring their openness to the idea.

Throughout the first 5 weeks of supervision, Merlin-Knoblich used exploratory questions to build participants’ self-awareness (the first tier), particularly around their experiences with privilege and oppression. During the next 5 weeks of supervision, Merlin-Knoblich focused on the second tier, understanding clients’ worldviews. They discussed sociopolitical factors and examined how a client’s worldview impacts their experiences. For example, Merlin-Knoblich discussed how a client’s age, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, family structure, language, immigrant status, gender identity, sexual orientation, and other factors can influence their experiences. Lastly, in the final 4 weeks of supervision, Merlin-Knoblich focused on the third tier of social justice implications at the institutional level. For instance, Merlin-Knoblich initiated discussions about policies at participants’ practicum sites that hindered equity. Merlin-Knoblich also explored the role that participants could take in making resources available to clients, advocating in the community, and using leadership to support social justice. Table 1 summarizes how Merlin-Knoblich implemented Chang and colleagues’ (2009) social justice model.

Merlin-Knoblich addressed fidelity to the supervision model in two ways. First, in weekly supervision-of-supervision meetings with the faculty advisor, they discussed the supervision model and its use in sessions with participants. The faculty advisor regularly asked about the supervision model and how it manifested in sessions in an attempt to ensure that the model was being implemented recurrently. Secondly, engagement with Newman occurred in regular peer debriefing discussions about the use of the supervision model. Through these discussions, Newman monitored Merlin-Knoblich’s use of the social justice model throughout the 14-week supervisory experience.

Data Collection      We obtained IRB approval prior to initiating data collection. One month after the end of the semester and practicum supervision, Newman approached Merlin-Knoblich’s three supervisees about participation in the study. He explained that participation was an exploration of the supervisees’ experiences in supervision and not an evaluation of the supervisees or the supervisor. Newman also emphasized that participation in the study was confidential, entirely voluntary, and  would not affect participants’ evaluations or grades in the practicum course, which ended before the study took place. All supervisees agreed to participate.

Case study research is “grounded in deep and varied sources of information” (Hancock et al., 2021) and thus often incorporates multiple data sources (Prosek & Gibson, 2021). In the present study, we identified two data sources to reflect the need for varied information sources (Hancock et al., 2021). The first data source came from semistructured interviews with participants, a frequent data collection tool in case study research (Hancock et al., 2021). One month after the participants’ practicum experiences ended, Newman conducted and audio-recorded 45-minute individual in-person interviews with each participant using a prescribed interview protocol that explored participants’ experiences in social justice supervision. Newman exercised flexibility and asked follow-up questions as needed (Merriam, 1998).

The interview protocol contained 12 questions identified to gain insights into the case being studied (Hancock et al., 2021). Merlin-Knoblich and Newman designed the interview protocol by drafting questions and reflecting on three influences: (a) the overall research question guiding the study, (b) the social constructivist framework of the study, and (c) Chang and colleagues’ (2009) three-tier supervision model. Questions included “In what ways, if any, has the social justice emphasis in your supervision last semester influenced you as a counselor?” Questions also addressed whether or not the emphasis on social justice at each tier (i.e., self, client, institution) affected participants. Appendix A contains a list of all interview questions.

The second data source was participants’ practicum journals. In addition to interviewing the participants about experiences in supervision, we also asked participants if their practicum journals could be used for the study’s data analysis. The journals served as a valuable form of data to answer the research question, given their informative and non-prescriptive nature. That is to say, although participants knew during the study interviews that the interview data would be used for analysis for the present study, they wrote and submitted their journals before the study was conceptualized. Thus, the journals reflected in-the-moment ideas about participants’ practicum and social justice supervision. Furthermore, this emphasis on participant experiences during the supervisory experience aligned with the methodological emphasis on studying a case in its natural context (Hancock et al., 2021). All participants consented for their 14 practicum journal entries (each 1–2 pages in length) to be analyzed in the study, and they were added to the interview data to be analyzed together. Such convergent analysis of data is typical in case study research (Prosek & Gibson, 2021).

Data Analysis      We followed Yin’s (2017) case study research guidelines throughout the data analysis process. We transcribed all interviews, replaced participants’ names with pseudonyms, and sent participants the transcripts for member checking. Two participants approved their interview transcripts without objection. One participant approved the transcript but chose to share additional ideas about the supervisory experience via a brief email. This email was added to the data. The case study database was then formed with the compiled participants’ journal entries, the additional email, and the interview data (Yin, 2017).

Next, we read each interview transcript and journal entry twice in an attempt to become immersed in the data (Yin, 2017). We then independently open coded transcripts by identifying common words and phrases while maintaining a strong focus on the research question and codes that answered the question (Hancock et al., 2021). We compared initial codes and then collaboratively narrowed codes into cohesive categories representing participants’ experiences. This process generated a list of tentative categories across data sources (Yin, 2017). Throughout these initial processes, we attended to two of Yin’s (2017) four principles of high-quality data analysis: attend to all data and focus on the most significant elements of the case.

We then independently contrasted the tentative categories with the data to verify that they aligned accurately. We discussed the verifications until consensus was met on all categories. Lastly, we classified the categories into three themes and two subthemes found across all participants (Stake, 2005). During these later processes, we were mindful of Yin’s (2017) remaining two principles of high-quality data analysis: consider rival interpretations of data and use previous expertise when interpreting the case. Accordingly, we reflected on possible contrary explanations of the themes and considered the findings in light of previous literature on the topic.

Trustworthiness      We addressed trustworthiness in three ways in this study. First, before data collection, we engaged in reflexivity through acknowledging personal biases and assumptions with one another (Hays & Singh, 2012; Yin, 2017). For example, Merlin-Knoblich acknowledged that her lived experience supervising the participants might impact the interpretation of data during analysis and noted that these perceptions could potentially serve as biases during the study. Merlin-Knoblich perceived that the supervisees grew in their understanding of social justice, but also acknowledged doubt over whether the social justice supervision model impacted participants’ advocacy skills. She also noted her role as a supervisor evaluating the three participants prior to the study taking place. These power dynamics may have influenced her interpretations in the analysis process. Newman shared that his lack of familiarity with social justice supervision might impact perceptions and biases to question whether or not supervisees grew in their understanding of social justice. We agreed to challenge one another’s potential biases during data analysis in an attempt to prevent one another’s experiences from interfering with interpretations of the findings.

In addition, we acknowledged that our identities as White, English-speaking, educated, heterosexual, cisgender, middle-class researchers studying social justice inevitably was informing personal perceptions of the supervisees’ experiences. These privileged identities were likely blinding us to experiences with oppression that participants and their clients encountered and that we are not burdened with facing. Throughout the study, we discussed the complexity of studying social justice in light of such privileged identities. We spoke further about our identities and potential biases when interpreting the data.

Second, investigator triangulation was addressed by collaboratively analyzing the study’s data (Hays & Singh, 2012). Because data included both interview transcripts and journals, we confirmed that study findings were reflected in both data sources, rather than just one information source (Hancock et al., 2021). This process helped prevent real or potential biases from informing the analysis without constraint. We also were mindful of saturation of themes while comparing data across participants and sources during the analysis process. Lastly, an audit trail was created to further address credibility. The study recruitment, data collection, and data analysis were documented so that the research can be replicated (Hays & Singh, 2012; Roulston, 2010).

In case study research, researchers use key quotes and descriptions from participants to illuminate the case studied (Hancock et al., 2021). As such, we next describe the themes and subthemes identified in study data using participants’ journal and interview quotes to illustrate the findings. Three overarching themes were identified in the data: 1) intersection of supervision experiences and external factors, 2) feelings about social justice, and 3) personal and professional growth. Two subthemes, 3a) increased understanding of privilege and 3b) increased understanding of clients, further expand the third theme.

Intersection of Supervision Experiences and External Factors      One theme evident across the data was that participants’ experiences in social justice supervision did not occur in isolation from other experiences they encountered as counseling students. Coursework, overall program emphasis, and previous work experiences were external factors that created a compound influence on participants’ counselor development and intersected with their experiences of growth in supervision. Thus, external factors influenced participants’ understanding of and openness to a social justice framework. For example, concurrent with their practicum and supervision experiences, participants completed the course Theory and Practice of Multicultural Counseling. While discussing their experiences in supervision, all participants referenced this course. For example, Casey explained that exposure to social justice in the multicultural counseling course while discussing the topic in supervision made her more open and eager to learning about social justice overall.

Participants’ experiences prior to the counseling program also appeared to intersect with and influence their experiences in social justice supervision. Kallie, for instance, previously worked with African American and Latin American adolescents as a camp counselor at an urban Boys and Girls Club. She explained that social justice captured the essence of viewpoints formed in these experiences, saying, “I really like social justice because it kind of is like the title for the way I was looking at things already.” Casey grew up in California and reported that growing up on the West Coast also exposed her to a mindset parallel to social justice. Esther described that though she was not previously exposed to the term “social justice,” studying U.S., women’s, and African American history in college influenced her pursuit of a counseling career. This influence is evident in Esther’s third journal entry, in which she described noticing issues of power and oppression:

My own attention to an “arbitrarily awarded power” and personal questioning as to what to do with this consciousness has been at the forefront of my mind over the past two years. Ultimately this self-exploration led me to school counseling as a vehicle to advocate and raise consciousness in potentially disenfranchised groups.

This quote highlights how Esther’s previous studies in college may have primed her for the content she was exposed to in social justice supervision.

Feelings About Social Justice      The second theme was a change in participants’ feelings toward social justice over the course of the semester. Two of the participants expressed that their feelings toward social justice changed from intimidation and fear to comfort and enthusiasm. Initially, Casey explained that social justice supervision created feelings of intimidation. Casey felt fear that the supervisor would instruct her to be an advocate at the practicum site, and that in doing so, Casey would upset others. However, Casey reported that she realized during supervision that social justice advocacy does not necessarily look one specific way. Casey said, “I think a lot of that intimidation went away as I realized that I could have my own style integrated into social justice.” Kallie expressed a similar pattern of emotions, particularly regarding examining clients from a social justice perspective. When asked to explore clients through this lens in supervision, an initial uncomfortable feeling emerged, but over the course of practicum, Kallie reported an attitude change. In the sixth journal entry, Kallie explained that she was focusing on examining all clients through a social justice lens, and “found it to be significantly easier this week than last week.”

Esther also shared evidence of changed emotions during social justice supervision. Initially, Esther reported feeling excited, but later, she was confused as to how counselors could use social justice practically. Despite this confusion, Esther shared that she gained new awareness that social justice advocacy is not only found in individual situations with clients, but also in an overall mindset:

Something I will take from it [supervision] . . . is you incorporate that sort of thinking into your overall [approach]. You don’t necessarily wait for a specific event to happen, but once you know the culture of a place, you have lessons geared towards whatever the problem is there.

Despite these mixed feelings, Esther’s experience aligns with Casey’s and Kallie’s, as all reported experiencing a change in emotions toward social justice over the course of supervision.

Personal and Professional Growth      Participants also demonstrated changes in professional and personal growth throughout the supervision experiences, the third theme identified. In early journal entries, they reported nervousness, doubt, and insecurity regarding their counseling skills and knowledge. Over time, the tone shifted to increased comfort and confidence. This improvement appeared not only related to overall counseling abilities, but specifically to participants’ understanding of social justice in counseling. For example, in Esther’s second journal entry, she noted the influence that social justice supervision had on the ability to recognize oppression and bring awareness to it at practicum. Esther wrote, “Just having this concept be explicitly laid out in our plan has already caused me to be more attentive to such issues.”

Similarly, professional growth was evident in Kallie’s journal entries over time. In the fourth journal entry, Kallie described discomfort and nervousness when reflecting on clients’ sociopolitical contexts. However, in the ninth journal entry, Kallie described an experience in which she adapted her counseling to be more sensitive to the client’s multicultural background. Casey also highlighted growth with an anecdote about a small group she led. Casey explained that the group was for high-achieving, low-income juniors intending to go to college:

In the very beginning, I remember thinking—this sounds terrible now, but—“It’s kind of unfair to the other students that these kids get special privileges in that they get to meet with us and walk through the college planning process.” ’Cause I was thinking, “Wow, even kids who are high-achieving but are middle-class or upper-class, they could use this information, also. And it’s not really fair that just ’cause they’re lower class, they get their hand held during this.” But, throughout the semester, realizing that that’s not necessarily a bad thing for an institution to give another one a little extra help because they’re gonna have a deficit of help somewhere else in their life, and it really is fair. It’s more fair to give them more help ’cause they likely aren’t going to be getting it at home. . . . So, by having that group, it actually is making a greater degree of equity . . . through supervision and through processing all of that, [I learned] it was actually evening the board out more.

     Participants also expressed that their professional growth in social justice competencies was intertwined with personal growth. Casey reported that supervision increased her comfort when talking about social justice issues and led to the reevaluation of personal opinions. Similarly, Kallie summarized:

I am very thankful that I had that social justice–infused model because it changed the way I think about people. . . . It kinda opened my eyes in a way I had not anticipated practicum opening my eyes. I didn’t expect that—social justice. I didn’t realize how big of an impact it would actually have.

Increased Understanding of Privilege      Participants reported that understanding their privilege was one area of growth. During practicum, participants considered their areas of privilege and how these aligned or contrasted with those of clients. For example, in Esther’s third journal entry, she noted that interactions with clients made her more aware of personal privileges, which led her to create a list regarding gender identity, socioeconomic background, and sexual orientation. Casey and Kallie further described initially feeling resistant to the idea of White privilege. Casey explained:

I was a little resistant to the idea of White privilege originally, which I’ve since learned is a normal reaction. ’Cause I’ve kind of had the thought of “No! It’s America! All of us pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and everyone has the same opportunity,” which just isn’t the case. And so that definitely had a huge influence on me—realizing that I have huge privileges and powers that I did not, maybe didn’t want to, recognize before.

After initial resistance, participants reported that they transitioned from feeling shame about White privilege to an increased understanding and excitement to use privilege to create change.

Increased Understanding of Clients      Lastly, participants also reported specific growth in their understanding of the clients whom they counseled. Participants believed they were better able to understand clients’ backgrounds and experiences because of social justice supervision. Kallie described how reflecting on clients’ sociopolitical contexts helped her better understand clients. She noted that the practice became a habit, saying, “It just kinda invaded the way I look at different people and see their backgrounds.” Casey also described an increased understanding of clients by sharing an example of a client who was highly intelligent, low-income, and Mexican American. Casey learned that the client intended to go to trade school to become a mechanic and was not previously exposed to other postsecondary education options like college. Casey described this realization as “a big moment” and said, “My interaction with him, for sure, was influenced by recognizing that there was social injustice there.”

The purpose of this study was to explore counseling students’ experiences in social justice supervision. Findings indicated that participants had meaningful experiences in social justice supervision that impacted them as future counselors. Topics of privilege, oppression, clients’ sociopolitical contexts, and advocacy were reportedly prominent in the participants’ supervision and influenced their experiences.

Despite many calls for social justice supervision in the counseling profession (Baggerly, 2006; Ceballos et al., 2012; Chang et al., 2009; Collins et al., 2015; Glosoff & Durham, 2010; O’Connor, 2005), this is the first known study about supervisees’ experiences with social justice supervision. It represents a new line of inquiry to understand what social justice supervision may be like for supervisees. Findings indicate that participants wrestled with understanding social justice and viewed it as a complex topic. They also suggest that participants found value in making sense of social justice and using it as a tool to better support clients individually and systemically. Similar to research on multicultural supervision, participants indicated that receiving social justice supervision was a positive experience and impacted personal and professional growth (Ancis & Ladany, 2001; Ancis & Marshall, 2010; Chopra, 2013; Inman, 2006; Ladany et al., 2005).

Notably, findings align with some, though not all, of Chang and colleagues’ (2009) delineated tiers in the social justice supervision model. Some of the themes reflect the first tier, self-awareness. For example, participants’ feelings about social justice (Theme 2) and increased understanding of privilege (Theme 3a) highlight how the supervisory experience enhanced their self-awareness as counselors. As their feelings changed and knowledge of privilege grew, their self-awareness improved, a critical task in becoming a social justice–minded counselor (Chang et al., 2009; Dollarhide et al., 2021; Fickling et al., 2019; Glosoff & Durham, 2010). Participants’ increased understanding of clients (Theme 3b) reflects the second tier in Chang and colleagues’ (2009) model, client services. In demonstrating an enhanced understanding of clients and their world experiences, the participants reported thinking beyond themselves and into how power, privilege, and oppression affected those they counseled.

The final tier of the social justice supervision model, community collaboration, was not evident in participant data about their experiences. Despite the supervisor’s intent to address this tier through analyses of school and district policies, as well as community advocacy opportunities, themes about this topic did not manifest in the data. This theme’s absence may suggest that the supervisor’s efforts to address the third tier were not strong enough to impact participants. Alternatively, the absence may suggest that participants were not developmentally prepared to make sense of social justice at a systemic, community level. Instead, their development matched best with social justice ideas at the self and client levels.

Participant findings did align with previous research about supervision. For example, Collins and colleagues (2015) studied master’s-level counseling students and found that their lack of experience in social justice supervision led them to feel unprepared to meet the needs of diverse clients. In this study, the presence of social justice supervision helped participants feel more prepared to support clients, as evidenced in the subtheme of increased understanding of clients . Furthermore, this study reflects similar findings from multicultural supervision research. We found that multicultural supervision was associated with positive outcomes of being prepared to work with diverse clients and engaging in effective supervision (Chopra, 2013; Inman, 2006; Ladany et al., 2005). This pattern is reflected in the current study, as participants reported positive experiences in social justice supervision. Ancis and Ladany (2001) and Ancis and Marshall (2010) found that incorporating multicultural considerations into supervision increases supervisees’ self-awareness and encourages them to engage clients in multicultural discussions. These same results were evident in the present study, with participants reporting personal and professional growth, such as stronger awareness of White privilege and greater willingness to examine clients’ sociopolitical contexts. Findings also reflect general research on supervision, which indicates that supervisees typically experience personal and professional growth in the process (Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, 2011; Watkins et al., 2015; Young et al., 2011).

Furthermore, study findings also align with assertions from supervision scholars regarding the value of social justice supervision. They support Chang and colleagues’ (2009) claim that social justice supervision can increase counselor self-awareness and build an understanding of oppression. Additionally, the findings also reflect Glosoff and Durham’s (2010) assertion that social justice in supervision helps supervisees gain awareness of power differentials. Finally, Ceballos and colleagues (2012) posited that social justice supervision will help counselors develop empathy for clients as counselors conceptualize clients in a systemic perspective. The participants’ enhanced understanding of White privilege and their clients’ contexts supports each of these ideas. Though findings are not generalizable, they appear to confirm scholars’ ideas about social justice supervision and suggest that the approach can be a positive, beneficial experience for counselors-in-training.

Limitations      Study findings ought to be considered in light of the study’s limitations. First, although case study research focuses on a single identified case by definition and is not designed for generalization (Hays & Singh, 2012), the case in this study consisted of a demographically homogenous population of only three participants lacking racial, gender, and age diversity. This lack of diversity influenced participants’ experiences and study findings. Second, although the supervisor in this study did not conduct the semistructured interviews with participants in an attempt to prevent bias, participants were aware that Merlin-Knoblich was collaborating on the study, and this knowledge may have influenced their reported experiences. Merlin-Knoblich and Newman also began the study with acknowledged biases toward and against social justice supervision, and although they engaged in reflexivity and dialogue to prevent these biases from interfering with data analysis, there is no way to verify that this positionality did not influence the interpretation of findings. Lastly, our privileged identities served as a potential limitation while studying a topic like social justice supervision. Our racial, educational, class, language, and sexual identity privileges continually blind us to the experiences of oppression that others, including supervisees and clients, face. Seeking to know these perspectives better can increase our understanding of the implications of social injustices in society.

Implications for Counselor Educators and Supervisors      The positive participant experiences illuminated through this study suggest that supervision based on this model may yield positive experiences for counselors-in-training, such as supporting students in developing self-awareness, understanding of clients’ sociopolitical contexts, and advocacy skills (Chang et al., 2009). Although the supervisor in this study used social justice supervision in individual sessions with participants, counselor educators may choose to apply social justice supervision models to group or triadic supervision. Counseling supervisors in agency, private practice, and school settings may also want to consider using social justice supervision to support counselors and subsequently clients (Baggerly, 2006; Ceballos et al., 2012; O’Connor, 2005). Furthermore, counselor educators teaching doctoral students may want to incorporate social justice supervision models into introductory supervision courses. Including these models into course content may in itself increase student interest in social justice (Swartz et al., 2018).

Regardless of the setting in which supervisors implement social justice supervision, the findings suggest practical implications that supervisors can consider. First, supervisors appear to benefit from considering social justice supervision models in their work (Chang et al., 2009; Dollarhide et al., 2021; Gentile et al., 2009). The findings in this study, plus previous research indicating positive outcomes for multicultural supervision (Chopra, 2013; Inman, 2006; Ladany et al., 2005), suggest that social justice supervision may potentially benefit counseling. Second, supervisors using social justice supervision may encounter supervisee confusion, discomfort, and/or enthusiasm when introduced to social justice supervision. These feelings also may change over the course of the supervisory relationship when learning about social justice. Third, supervisors ought to be mindful of all three tiers of Chang and colleagues’ (2009) social justice supervision model and a supervisee’s developmental match with each tier. As seen in this study, supervisees may be best matched for the first and second tiers of the model (self-awareness and client services), but not the third tier (community collaboration). Supervisors would benefit from assessing a supervisee’s potential for understanding community collaboration before deciding to infuse its focus in supervision.

More research is needed to understand social justice supervision. A variety of future studies, including different models, methods, and settings, would benefit the counseling profession. For example, a study implementing the social justice supervision model proposed by Dollarhide and colleagues (2021) can add to the needed research in this field. Additional qualitative studies with diverse supervisees in different counseling settings would be helpful in understanding if the experiences participants reported encountering in this study are common in social justice supervision. Quantitative studies on social justice supervision interventions would also add to the profession’s knowledge on the value of social justice supervision. Lastly, studies on supervisees’ experiences in social justice supervision compared to other models would highlight benefits and drawbacks of multiple supervision models (Baggerly, 2006; Chang et al., 2009; Glosoff & Durham, 2010).

In this article, we explored master’s-level counseling students’ experiences in social justice supervision via a qualitative case study. Through this exploration, we identified three themes reflecting participants’ experiences in social justice supervision: intersection of supervision experiences and external factors, feelings about social justice, and personal and professional growth, as well as two subthemes: increased understanding of privilege and increased understanding of clients. Findings suggest that social justice supervision may be a beneficial practice for supervisors and counselor educators to consider integrating in their work (Chang et al., 2009; Dollarhide et al., 2021; Gentile et al., 2009; Pester et al., 2020). Further research across contexts and with a range of methodologies is needed to better understand social justice supervision in practice.

Conflict of Interest and Funding Disclosure The authors reported no conflict of interest or funding contributions for the development of this manuscript.

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Semistructured Interview Questions

• What brought you to this counseling program?
• Where did you complete your practicum?
• How would you describe the population you worked with at your practicum?
• What previous experience, if any, did you have with social justice prior to individual practicum supervision?
• During individual practicum supervision on campus last semester, what were some of your initial thoughts and feelings about a social justice–infused supervision model?
• In what ways, if any, did those thoughts and feelings about social justice change throughout your supervision experience?

These next three questions address three areas of social justice that were incorporated into your individual practicum supervision model: self, students (clients), and institution (school or school districts).

6. Do you think that the emphasis on social justice related to self (i.e., your power, privileges, and experience with oppression) in individual practicum supervision on campus had any influence on you?

• If yes, what influence did this emphasis have on you?
• If no, why do you think that’s the case?

7. Do you think that the emphasis on social justice related to others (i.e., the sociopolitical context of students, staff, etc.) in individual practicum supervision on campus had any influence on you?

8. Do you think that the emphasis on social justice related to institution (i.e., your practicum site, school district) in individual practicum supervision on campus had any influence on you?

• In what ways, if any, has the social justice emphasis in your individual practicum supervision influenced you as a counselor?
• In what ways, if any, has the social justice emphasis in your individual practicum supervision influenced your development as a person?
• How would you define social justice?
• Is there anything else you would like to add regarding your experience in a social justice–infused model of supervision last semester?
• Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Clare Merlin-Knoblich , PhD, NCC, is an associate professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Jenna L. Taylor, MA, NCC, LPC-A, is a doctoral student at the University of North Texas. Benjamin Newman, PhD, MAC, ACS, LPC, CSAC, CSOTP, is a professional counselor at Artisan Counseling in Newport News, VA. Correspondence may be addressed to Clare Merlin-Knoblich, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28211, [email protected].

Recent Publications

• Bridging the Gap: From Awareness to Action Introduction to the Special Issue March 18, 2024
• “A Learning Curve”: Counselors’ Experiences Working With Sex Trafficking January 17, 2024
• Ableist Microaggressions, Disability Characteristics, and Nondominant Identities January 17, 2024
• Using the Cultural Formulation Interview With Afro Latinx Immigrants in Counseling: A Practical Application January 17, 2024

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Black Lives Matter

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

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

The shooting of Trayvon Martin

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

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

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

The choking of Eric Garner

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

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

The shooting of Michael Brown

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Campaign Zero

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Social Media

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

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

#BlackLivesMatter

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

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

#AllLivesMatter

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

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

Collaborations

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

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

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

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

Black Lives Matter in Schools

Seattle Schools

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

BLM Course at NYU

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

Choice Program at Brown University

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

Anti-Defamation League

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

San Francisco schools

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

Black Lives Matter in Magazines

Yes! Magazine

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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2.1: Social Justice Case Study Prewriting

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• Christina Branson, Robert Ian Jones, Jon Parrish Peede, and Summer Boyd Vertrees

Social Justice Case Study Prewriting

TTW = The Teacher Will

TSW = The Student Will

Course, Student, and Modality:

ENGL 101: Writing Across Disciplines

First-Year College Students

Face-to-face class

Time Frame: ·

Time: 1.25 hours

Project: Case Study

Objectives:

TSW collaboratively build an outline for the case study project

TSW use AI to generate selected ideas in an ethical manner

TSW cite AI

AI Tool and Other Materials/Supplies:

Generative AI Tool (i.e. Chat GPT)

How to Cite AI Handout

Access to Canvas

Access to Google Docs

Rationale for Implementation of AI:

Chat GPT is used for this lesson to demonstrate how generative AI can be used in an ethical manner to support collaborative prewriting work.

Overview of Learning Activities and Tasks

TTW introduce the learning activities for the day by reminding students of the characteristics of the case study as a genre

TTW direct students to the Canvas page with information about the case study project and the two case study choices related to social justice issues

TTW place students in groups of two or three

TSW gather in their groups and decide which of the two case studies they want to pursue

TSW carefully read their chosen case study

TSW open the outline template for the case study project in Google Docs and make a copy for their group

TSW brainstorm three possible actions for the issue in their case study and capture those solutions in the outline template

TSW use Chat GPT to generate ideas for consequences for each of the three possible actions. If they are given positive consequences, they will add negative consequences. If they are given negative consequences, they will add positive consequences.

TSW capture the best ideas from Chat GPT in their outlines in their own words

TSW vote on the recommended plan of action for their case study based on the possible actions

TSW record their choice on their outlines

TSW make notes on the rationale for their choice of recommended plan of action on their outlines

TSW cite Chat GPT as a source at the bottom of their outlines

Criteria for Success

Students can refer to this checklist for their work on this lesson:

• ___ We used the outline template from Google Docs to capture out group’s ideas
• ___ We have three possible actions on our outline
• ___ We have both positive and negative consequences for each possible action
• ___ We have a recommended course of action
• ___ We have notes for our rationale on this recommendation
• ___ We cited Chat GPT at the bottom of our outline

Social Justice Forum- Resources for Context and Education

• Major Documents and Articles
• Adverse Childhood Experiences & Trauma
• Black Maternal Health and Childcare

Case Study/Career and Lifestyle Development - Music Careers, Expanding the Possibilities

Inclusion-cut-out-people1 ©  Oui Si  ( https://www.flickr.com/photos/43541286@N00/9538877714 ).  CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 DEED

• Eyes can tell: Assessment of implicit attitudes toward AI art This study surveys art viewer's attitudes of AI-generated art and human-generated art, comparing the two, and exploring the question of the essential nature of artistic creativity.
• Advancing Equity in Arts Entrepreneurship A Case Study on Gender Equity and Empowerment in Music Production This article investigates barriers faced by women and minorities in Canada's music industry, highlighting the importance of technical and business skills in overcoming systemic discrimination.
• Career challenges facing musicians in the United States This study describes and analyzes the economic challenges that the majority of musicians in the US face.
• Over the Rainbow: A Career Development Group for LGBTQ+ Over the Rainbow: A Career Development Group for LGBTQ+ Teens This article proposes a career group counseling model designed to address the unique needs of LGBTQ+ Teens.
• Gun Violence Exposure and Posttraumatic Symptoms Among Children and Youth This investigates the psychological impact of gun violence on children, revealing that exposure to gun violence is significantly associated with other forms of victimization, with implications for mental health support and trauma-informed services.
• The Limits of Resilience and the Need for Resistance: Articulating the Role of Music Therapy With Young People Within a Shifting Trauma Paradigm This article discusses how trauma-informed practices is capable of perpetuating colonial power dynamics with its emphasis on individualized interventions, and proposes a case study in how music therapy can provide alternatives.
• The Career Development Needs of Elementary School Students This study contributes to the field of early career awareness among elementary students by surveying how elementary students’ self-perceptions change relative to career development.
• << Previous: Black Maternal Health and Childcare
• Last Updated: Apr 18, 2024 6:57 PM
• URL: https://libguides.trinitydc.edu/socialjusticeforum

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Social Justice Studies

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

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

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

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

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

UMass Boston

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• Social Justice Case Study Competition

UMass Boston Social Justice Case Study Competition

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

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

The competition will take place in one phase.

Social Justice Case Study Response Competition

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

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

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

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

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

UMB Social Justice Case Study Response Competition

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

Eligibility

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

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

What is a social justice case study competition.

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

What is the purpose of this competition?

How will the competition be judged.

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

Who should I contact if I have a question?

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

When will I hear back regarding my submission?

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

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

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

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Social Justice Case Study

Social justice case study:.

Social justice is a broad term which is associated with the application of justice within the life of the human society on its all levels. It is characterised with the fair and lawful fulfilment of duties and tasks, the life according to the norms of the human society and the fair relations between the different social classes. For example, the social justice touches upon the issues of business, the relations of the employer and employee, the law, the relations between the crime and punishment, etc. In the economic sciences social justice means the equality of the people in the distribution of the limited resources.

When there is no equality in these relations, they are treated like the unfair ones. In addition, social justice is one of the major parts of ethics and it is also characterised as honesty and kindness if we speak about the human traits of character.The problem of social justice is extremely difficult and has numerous concepts in different philosophies and studies. The explanation of social justice in different branches of philosophy and religion are different, so it is impossible to define the single objective characteristics of the term.Speaking about the social justice in the modern meaning we understand the equality of all the people before the law; the supply of the basic needs for people to support their life; a high level of the social protection; the supply with the workplace of every unemployed; the supply with the good salary; the free excess to education, health care services, sport activities, cultural issues, etc.Social justice is a problematic issue which does not have a single explanation.

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Moreover, it is even called unrealistic, because the world and the human society are too far from social justice, because there are always people who suffer because of the certain abuse and inequality in all spheres of life. A good case study on social justice is a profound investigation of the topic and the student is supposed to cover the problem in detail and solve the problem of the case in the appropriate way.One should find out about the cause and effect of the problem on social justice and define the major obstacles which cause the topic and brainstorm the best methods which would break these obstacles and normalise the situation.The process of case study writing is a serious challenge for students, so they require additional piece of advice in the form of a free social justice case study example organized by the experienced writer online. It is wise to look through a free social justice case study sample and find the best manner of writing, the way of the analysis and composition of the paper.

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