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Literature Review: Social Injustice and Racism

Tajah Williams

Albertus Magnus College

Professor Shiva Rezvan

June 22, 2020

Literature Review: Social Injustice and Racism

Introduction

Social injustice and racism are common today in various populations. The two social concepts lead to inequality in society. Social injustice is common in a society with a dominant population practicing discrimination due to power inclination. The concept of racism in social science also contributes to inequality. Racism is described as a social construct in society that effects sociopolitical, economic, and various contexts of legalities in society. Therefore, racism and social injustices greatly contribute to the persistent inequality in different social domains, employment platforms, and housing sectors. The concepts of discrimination are often understated, but it poses major problems related to social scientific conceptualization. This literature review will focus on racial and social injustice literature articles, the racial socialization literature, and its connection to social contexts, discrimination, and racial beliefs.

The concept of social injustice is connected to equality and human dignity. Also, the idea of racism is related to human dignity and recognition in society. Social injustice affects the quality of life as well as changes in life (Shultz & Mullings, 2006). Social injustice also intensively changes and shapes the psyche of various individuals, groups, and states. It relates to wealth and power distribution in various societies. Therefore, it results in marginalization and discrimination. Racism also contributes to marginalization, inequity, and discrimination (Diène, 2006). Therefore, it is also connected to the power-sharing and distribution in societies. Newly settled European whites implemented power and wealth establishment in the United States, the system of slavery. Therefore, the race was used to put the black people into slavery and denying them their human rights.

Racism is perpetuated in various ways. Despite the incorporation of social justice to deliberate people from racism and social injustice, the process has been complicated because of greedy in power and wealth among various communities. Also, different societies have a different perception of the concept of social justice; therefore, different racial groups have a different perception of social justice. Thus, the existing literature on social injustice and racism experience deficiencies because one racial group may attend to social injustice ignored by other racial groups. “Moreover, social injustice may go unnoticed or accepted as the way things are because of institutionalized and/or unconscious racism. Institutionalized racism is evident in the current immigration policy of President Donald J. Trump, which seeks to ban non-white immigrants and those from predominantly Muslim countries which also happen to be darker in hue from entry into the United States” (LeBow, 2018).

The concepts of social injustice ad racism coexist and are interconnected. Focusing on the field of family therapy and couple, social injustice and racism are connected to work. “Some clinicians, professors, supervisors, and training programs are inadequately attuned to individual, cultural, and institutional manifestations of racism. Believing in their own cultural, emotional, intellectual, social, and moral superiority, white people espousing social justice may engage in intentional or unintentional acts of micro racial aggression” (Watson, 2013). The literature review will also focus on the concept of social justice, diversity and inclusion, power and opportunities, and personal responsibilities.

The concept of social justice is related to equity and fairness in society. “By virtue of diversity and inclusion, social justice may be assumed, masking and/or justifying racial injustice. More to the point, individuals and organizations uphold diversity and inclusion on a daily basis without ample knowledge, understanding, and empathy for the enormity and trauma of ongoing racism” (Adams, 2013).

Diversity and inclusion are connected to social injustice and racism in that it does not automatically remove the taken-for-granted knowledge concerning the perception of social justice by different racial groups. The deep beliefs on natural differences among different races are deeply rooted in the American psyche; therefore, this is greatly contributing to social and racial injustices in the United States. Therefore, to trade-off the concept of social injustice and racism in various communities, for example, the United States, knowledge of diversity and inclusion must be established and cultivated in people.

“Politics, and the state, exist to defend white interests and identities" (Dyson, 2018). Consequently, the whites expect to be provided with various benefits concerning moral and social situations in regard to power and opportunities. The aspect of democracy was furnished in favor of white people while excluding the other groups, including the Native Americans and blacks. The whites can ensure that different political inclinations and social contributions benefit them. Social identity can be affected by racism, social injustice, and colonialism. The evaluation of social identity for the majority group in society leads to the marginalization of minority groups. Therefore, it contributes to inequity and discrimination. For example, the internalized superiority in white people results in the overestimation of the whites and the underestimation of the minor groups. “Social injustice also refers to extra power with minimal resources” (Ridgeway, 2014). "It is also about status; thus, Social constructs, such as race, gender, and class, are used to determine cultural beliefs about group differences regarding who is more valuable” (Ridgeway, 2014). “Higher respect and regard are then given to those groups deemed more valuable, structuring injustice based on social categories” (Ridgeway, 2014).

Conclusion

Social injustice and racism are underrated in society, but it causes various social problems, including discrimination and inequity. The existing literature on social injustice and racism succinctly describes the effects and the causation of social injustice and racism in society. However, there exist deficiencies in their relation to power and opportunities, social status, social identity, and qualified minorities. Therefore, the literature review focus on how the concept of social injustice is related to power and opportunities, social identity, and social status. The literature review also focuses on the magnitude of inequity and distribution in various societies and states, for example, in the United States. Thus, it is essential that future research studies focus on the connection of racism to social injustices and applying social justice theories to examine the magnitude and trade-offs.

Reference

Adams, M. (2013). Conceptual frameworks: Introduction. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, C. R.

Castaneda, H. W. Hackman, M. L. Peters, & X. Zuniga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice, 3rd ed. (pp. 1 – 5). New York, NY : Routledge.

Diène, D. (2006). Racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and all forms of discrimination:

Report. Geneva: UN.

Dyson, M. E. (2018). What truth sounds like: RFK, James Baldwin and our unfinished

conversation about race in America. New York, NY : St. Martin's Press.

LeBow, J. (2018). Editorial: The impact of the Trump Administration on families in the United

States. Family Process, 57, 589 – 593. https://doi-org.samuelmerritt.idm.oclc.org/10.1111/famp.12387

Ridgeway, C. L. (2014). Why status matters for inequality. American Sociological Review, 79, 1

– 16. https://doi-org.samuelmerritt.idm.oclc.org/10.1177/0003122413515997

Shultz, A. J., & Mullings, L. (2006). Gender, race, class and health: Intersectional approaches.

San Francisco, CA : Jossey‐Bass.

Watson, M. F. (2013). Facing the black shadow. Author.