For many years, different experiences and studies have proved that society is indeed created in such a way that it gives some people more access to resources compared to others. The inequality in access to resources creates a societal imbalance where the people who have been denied access to specific resources demand equal treatment and recognition. There is no perfect society, and in every community, there exists a section which has various privileges compared to others. In the modern world, different initiatives have been undertaken to ensure everyone is treated equally. Even though the fruits of the efforts to ensure equality are already being witnessed, there are some forms of social injustice that still exist in modern societies. An analysis of social justice requires one to understand some of the most common terms in the field of social justice, the different forms of injustice that exist in the modern world, and the impacts that oppression has on societies.
Definition of Terms
A comprehensive study of social justice is made possible by the interpretation and understanding of some of the significant terms used. Some of the terms that are utilized frequently include oppression, privilege, dominant group, allies, subordinate group, and empowered target group members. As it is evident throughout many societies around the world, there exists a group of people or sections of a particular society that has more access to vital resources compared to others. Such a group is a dominant group, and in most cases, it forms the majority of the society. A dominant group also has a higher social status compared to other groups, and it has the power to influence and control the value system and rewards in any society ( Batac, 2016 ). A section of society is referred to as dominant mainly because it has several privileges that other groups do not have. Privileges are advantages over other groups that are available only to selected people or the dominant group. A particular person or section of society cannot be said to be dominant if they do not hold special privileges over others. A discussion about dominant groups cannot be complete without the analysis and understanding of what subordinate groups are. A subordinate group refers to a group of people or part of a society that has less power compared to others ( Batac, 2016 ). In most instances, subordinate groups do not have any influence on society, and dominant groups set the conditions that they live under within a society. According to sociology, allies are groups of people within a society who work towards the dismantling of any form of oppression that they experience or benefit. An ally may benefit from systemic oppression but still, work towards a cruelty-free society. For example, George Washington may be considered to be an ally because he used the instruments of power that he had to ensure that slavery has been brought to an end and also to protect the slaves who had fled from their masters. Social justice is a broad term, and its understanding requires essential terms to be grasped before deeply diving into its analysis.
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Forms of Oppression
Throughout world history, there are instances where oppression has been practiced by one group over another. For example, the apartheid regime in South Africa enabled the white minority to oppress the black majority. Oppression refers to the instances where one group misuses its advantages and privileges over another group ( Jone, 2016 ). Through power, one group can create systems that favor it while subjecting other groups to oppression. Oppression can take many forms with the most common ones including racism and religious persecution.
Racism
Racism has been a part of American society since the arrival of black slaves on the American continent. Racism is the discrimination or hostility towards a person’s race due to the belief that one’s race is superior to the other ( Jone, 2016 ). With the arrival of slaves in America, the majority white population did not consider blacks as their equals and subjected them to hard labor and inhumane treatment. Black people were not allowed to interact freely with the rest of the population and were denied any legal rights that could protect them against any injustice. Black people could not interact freely with the white majority because they were thought to be of an inferior race. There were explicitly designated places where black people could live and move freely, such as black only neighborhoods, schools, and train stations. Laws were also put in place to provide punishment to any African American person who was found in white only areas. Racism denied African Americans a lot of opportunities that they could have exploited for a better life. For example, the fact that they were restricted to black only schools meant that they could not get a quality education which could have enabled them to unlock other possibilities in the future. The fact that African Americans were restricted from living in different areas means that they could not get the chance to uplift their living standards. During the days of slavery, African slaves were bought and sold like commodities without their consent. In the early slavery days, oppression became systematic as laws and policies were created to oppress other parts of the population further. The residential segregation ordinance adopted in 1910 restricted African-Americans from living freely in white neighborhoods ( Jone, 2016 ). The reasons provided for coming up with such laws were that it prevented the spread of infectious diseases and protected the property of the white majority. Furthermore, the racial segregation laws enacted in the 19 th and 20 th centuries further continued the oppression against African Americans. It was illegal for African-Americans to interact freely with the white majority.
At the time when racism was at its highest levels in the United States, the non-Latino whites were the dominant group because they had unlimited access to various resources. They can be described as the dominant group during that period because they were able to enjoy several privileges among them access to quality education and also the freedom to move from one place to another without being victimized by the law. Since most good schools had been set aside for the white majority, they were able to get the best quality education that existed in the United States at the time. During slavery days, African Americans could not move freely without proper documentation, such as permission or consent from their owners. The white majority, on the other hand, could traverse the country without the need for documentation or permit. While African Americans were confined in poor neighborhoods, the white majority could move freely to any neighborhood of their choice without any conflicts with the law. While it was impossible for African Americans to buy residential spaces in posh areas even if they had the financial capability, non-Latino whites could easily acquire such properties. Also though there have been increased efforts to do away with racism in the United States, there are still many incidences that prove the existence of the vice. According to Jones, black students in the United States are always ridiculed and mistreated on account of their skin color. Black students in many schools around the United States receive worse punishments compared to their white counterparts whenever they get into trouble. For example, African American students are more likely to be suspended compared to their white counterparts even if they commit the same mistake. It is almost impossible for a black person in the United States to walk around or go shopping freely without being treated suspiciously by store owners (2018). Due to the potential effects caused by racism, more effort needs to be put in the fight against the vice. One of the ways to combat racism is through standing against rhetoric that promotes stereotypes. Standing up to stereotypes means fighting for equality and justice through legal means or peaceful demonstration. Another method is by showing empathy and support towards any person or group of people that are victims of racial oppression.
Religious Persecution
Religious persecution is the oppression of a group of people or a person for their religious beliefs or lack of religious beliefs ( Jone, 2016 ). Religious persecution has existed in the world for many years and can be traced back to the period where religion started spreading across the globe. Even though the United States is one of the most religiously tolerant societies in the world, there are a few incidences where people have been discriminated based on their religious beliefs. Before the heightened terrorist threats that face the country, everyone was treated equally despite their religion. However, after several terrorist activities which were linked to the Muslim faith, the majority Christian American population started treating Muslims differently. In other countries such as Nigeria, there has been increased animosity towards Muslims by the Majority Christians. This is as a result of the constant attacks by a terrorist group known as Boko Haram whose aim is to create an Islamic state that operates on strict Sharia laws. There is however no policies that were enacted that facilitated religious persecutions in the United States ( Jone, 2016 ).
The dominant group as far as religion in the United States is concerned is Christians because they are the majority and enjoy several privileges that other groups do not possess. For example, many people developed a negative attitude towards the Muslim religion after several terrorist attacks in the United States. Christians are also favored for jobs and political positions compared to their Muslim counterparts. Muslims, especially those with Arab origins are frequently subjected to scrutiny compared to their Christian counterparts. According to Fadel, Muslims generally have a comfortable life in the United States compared to many countries in the West. However, there are instances where there have been hate crimes targeted against them. There has been evidence of Muslim children being bullied more than other kids while mosques have been targeted and threatened vandalism and arson (2018). To fight religious persecutions, it is vital for everyone in American society to stand against religious stereotypes and also learn to be understanding and accommodative to everyone despite their religious beliefs.
Societal Impacts
It is evident that oppression has excellent effects on the balance of society. Through persecution, dominant groups see themselves as better than other groups in society. With time, the subordinate groups will start agitating for equal treatment and access to privileges, creating instability. In the end, an empowered target group will emerge. Empowered target groups are previous target groups that have been empowered. It is therefore essential for any society to ensure that oppression is kept at the lowest possible level and people are encouraged to live harmoniously with each other. Systematic oppression is the use of institutions within a society to mistreat a group of people based on various factors ( Batac, 2016 ). Viewing oppression as a system helps in fighting the vice from its roots. Once institutions that support oppression have been identified, it becomes easier to tackle the vice.
One of the notable figures that stood against oppression is Martin Luther King, Jr. in one of his famous speeches; he said, "The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people" ( Batac, 2016 ). According to Batac (2016 ), the bad people that Dr. King was referring to were the dominant group during the period of the civil rights movement while the good people were members of the subordinate group who did not make any efforts to stand up for their rights. The ‘good people’ also included some conservative members from the dominant group who were against the mistreatment of African-Americans and other minority groups. The statement is a wakeup call to everyone as it challenges everyone to stand up against injustices rather than staying silent. Silence does more harm than good as it may encourage oppressors to continue their oppression against other groups. By breaking the silence on discrimination and oppression, a person can initiate debates and movements that will eventually put an end to the oppression being witnessed.
Social justice is a broad field, and it requires one to understand various terms, different forms of oppression, and the impact of oppression in society. Oppression refers to the instances where one group misuses its advantages and privileges over another group. Through power, one group can create systems that favor it while subjecting other groups to oppression. Racism is the hostility towards a person's race due to the belief that one race is superior to the other. It is one of the many forms of oppression. Religious persecution is the oppression of a group of people or a person for their religious beliefs or lack of religious beliefs. The study of social justice is essential as it enables people to understand the different forms of oppression that exist and how to counter them.
References
Batac, M. A. (2016). Teaching communication activism: Communication education for social justice. Canadian Journal of Communication, 41 (2), 1-4. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.22230/cjc.2016v41n2a3040
Fadel, L. (2018, May 15). How Muslims, often misunderstood, are thriving in America. National Geographic , Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/05/being-muslim-in-america/
Jone, M. P. (2016). Equality and diversity in democracy: How can we democratize inclusively? Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: An International Journal, 35 (5), 350-363. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/EDI-04-2016-0030
Jones, B. (2018, June 6). Growing up black in America: here's my story of everyday racism. The Guardian . Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jun/06/growing- up-black-in-America-racism-education
