This term refers to refers to increasing the spiritual, political, social, or economic strength of individuals and communities.
entitlement
The conscious or unconscious belief held by individuals or groups that they are deserving of particular benefits not equally enjoyed by other sectors of society.
equality
|
It's general premise is that people should be treated as equals on certain dimensions such as religion, politics, economics, social status, and culture. Also known as egalitarianism.
|
equity
This refers to Canadian policies that require or encourage preferential treatment in employment practices for certain designated groups: women, people with disabilities, Aboriginal peoples, and visible minorities. Employment equity goes beyond mere non-discrimination in requiring these specific groups be targeted for proactive treatment.
ethics
A set of concepts or principles that guide people in determining what behaviour helps or harms others; perceptions of right and wrong; the rightness or wrongness of actions, the virtue or vice of the motives that promote them, and the goodness or badness of the consequences of those actions.
ethnicity
Identity with or membership in a particular racial, national, or cultural group having religious, linguistic, and certain other traits in common and the observance of that group's customs, beliefs, and language
ethnocentrism
The belief in the inherent superiority of one's own ethnic group or culture and a tendency to view alien groups or cultures from the perspective of one's own.
fair-mindedness
The quality of exhibiting characteristics of impartial and unprejudiced judgement.
feminism
A broad term encompassing a range of social and political movements and philosophies concerned with sexual equality and the elimination of discrimination, stereotyping, objectification, and oppression of women and girls. Issues such as voting rights (suffrage), property rights, employment equity, pay equity, education equity, institutionalized sexism, sexual harassment, domestic violence, reproductive rights, and gender inclusive language are all examples of feminist causes.
gay
The preferred term for a person who engages in same sex relationships and identifies as a member of this community. It is preferred above the term "homosexual" as homosexual has scientific meanings that apply specifically to same sex behaviours and does not consider the person's identities and relationships.
gender-binary
The social construction of gender in most societies in the world where gender is a dichotomy between male and female. Male and female gender expectations, roles, and functions are generally very rigid and the presence of alternate gender constructions are usually denigrated, ignored, or made oblivious.
gender identity
This refers to the gender with which a person identifies (i.e., whether one perceives oneself to be a man, a woman, or describes oneself in some less conventional way), but can also be used to refer to the gender that other people attribute to the individual on the basis of what they know from gender expression indications (e.g., social behaviour, likes and interests, clothing, hair style). Gender identity may be affected by a variety of social structures.
gender-queer
Gender Queer can be a term to describe a gender identity that is not encompassed by traditional binary roles of male and female. This could be a person whose sense of self is the opposite of their perceived gender, such as a Transgendered person who is a “Male to Female” (T to F), or “Female to Male” (F to M). Additionally, the term can be used for someone who is poorly described by traditional labels, and also not completely described by the term “Transgendered”. Thus, someone whose sense of self is not wholly male or female, but embodies elements of each gender could also be described as Gender Queer.
genocide
Any of the following acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group such as: killing members of the group, causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group, deliberately inflicting on members of the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part, imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group, and forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
globalization
This refers to the increasing connectivity among countries and regions, including the integration and interdependence within economic, social, technological, cultural, political, and environmental spheres. Globalization is the outcome of many factors such as advanced technology, communication, and economic structures.
governance
|
This relates to decisions that define expectations, grant power, or verify performance. In business or non profits- governance relates to consistent management, cohesive policies, processes and decision-rights for a given area of responsibility. Global governance is the political interaction of transnational actors aimed at solving problems that affect more than one state or region when there is no power of enforcing compliance.
|
harassment
Repeated, objectionable conduct or comment, directed toward a specific person or persons, with the effect of creating an intimidating, humiliating, hostile, or offensive working or learning environment. Harassment may be physical, verbal, or social.
hate crime
Also known as bias-motivated crimes, this is when a perpetrator targets a victim specifically because of her or his race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, mental or physical ability, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender identity, or other characteristic. Hate crimes may also be targeted toward entire groups, such as in the case of religious persecution, ethnic cleansing, or genocide.
hegemony
The political dominance of one power over others in a group in which all are supposedly equal; how one group maintains power. In the context of Social Justice 12, hegemony specifically refers to a situation in which a worldview or cultural belief is so dominant in a society that individuals in that society take it as self-evident, and are not even aware that other ways of thinking are valid.
heterocentrism/heterosexism
|
The assumption that heterosexual orientation is better than other sexual orientations and therefore deserving of public acceptance and legal privilege.
|
heteronormativity
The institutions, policies and beliefs that reinforce the rigid categories of male and female as determining our sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender roles in a heterosexual manner.
homophobia
An irrational fear, dislike, or hatred of homosexuality or homosexuals, or of people or behaviours perceived to be homosexual. Homophobia manifests itself as prejudice, discrimination, harassment, and/or acts of violence. Homophobia can exist at personal, institutional, and societal levels. Also transphobia: fear, dislike, or hatred of transgendered or transsexual people.
humanitarianism
The belief that people’s duty is to promote human welfare, based on the assumption that all human beings deserve respect and dignity and should be treated as such.
identity
A sense of self, acceptance, belonging, and citizenship. Identity is understood to be evolving as a result of a number of influences (e.g., migration, media, technology, pluralism). Identity becomes a social justice issue when one group’s identity is diminished (e.g., as a result of cultural imperialism or globalization), or when two or more groups’ identities are in conflict.
individual racism
The beliefs attitudes, and actions of individuals that support or perpetuate racism. Individual racism can occur at both an unconscious and conscious level, and can be both active and passive.
institutional racism
Institutionalized Racism is the process of purposely discriminating against certain groups of people through the use of biased laws or practices. Often, institutionalized racism is subtle and manifests itself in seemingly innocuous ways, but its effects are anything but subtle.
internalized racism
The phenomenon which occurs when victims of racism, through coercion or conditioning, turn racist attitudes and actions in against themselves or their racial/ethnic group. For specific examples go to the Re-Evaluation Counseling Communities website.
intersex
A congenital anomaly of the reproductive and sexual system. Intersex people are born with external genitalia, internal reproductive organs, chromosones and/or endocrine systems that include characteristics of both biological genders.
"-isms"
The list of terms ending with "-ism" which represent philosophical, political or moral doctrines or belief systems.
lesbian
The preferred term for a woman who engages in same sex relationships and identifies as a member of this community.
LGBTQ
An acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and queer or questioning. As a collective term, LGBTQ is also used to avoid specific sexual orientation labels, and to recognize that issues of harassment and discrimination are common to people of all sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expression.
marginalization
This is exclusion from full and meaningful participation in society. A form of oppression, marginalization can be experienced at an individual level, a community level, and/or at a policy level.
misandry
The hatred of men or boys.
misogyny
The hatred of women or girls.
oppression
|
This refers to the injustices and disadvantages some individuals or groups suffer as a consequence of intentional or unintentional practices within a society. Oppression can take many forms including, but not limited to, exploitation, marginalization, powerlessness, cultural imperialism, economic imperialism, and violence.
|
pansexual
One who is attracted to some members of all genders to varying degrees. The prefix "pan", from the Greek for all, indicates the belief that there are many genders.
participatory democracy
When people participate in decision-making and continue to create opportunities for others to get involved.
power
The real or perceived ability or potential to make choices and to bring about significant change in a society or in people’s lives. Power can be based on a dominance of sex, age, race or ethnicity, sexual orientation, mental or physical ability, socioeconomic class, geography, etc. Power can also be conferred on an individual by a group, and can be used for the benefit of others. An inequity of power is one of the most common causes of social injustice.
prejudice
A prejudice is a prejudgment, an assumption made about someone or something before having adequate knowledge to be able to do so with guaranteed accuracy. The word prejudice is most commonly used to refer to a preconceived judgment toward a people or a person because of race, social class, gender, ethnicity, age, disability, political beliefs, religion, sexual orientation or other personal characteristics. It also means beliefs without knowledge of the facts is most commonly used to refer to a preconceived judgment toward a people or a person because of and may include any unreasonable attitude that is unusually resistant to rational influence.
privilege
An entitlement or benefit enjoyed by a person afforded only by inclusion within a small but powerful group or class and not through any achievement, talent, or effort on their part. Privilege is afforded to this small group only at the disadvantage of others.
queer
Originally a pejorative term for gay, now being reclaimed by some gay men, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered persons as a self-affirming umbrella term.
questioning
To be unsure of, or to re-examine one's previously assumed sexual orientation or gender identity.
race
A word applied to refer to the assigned six major populations of modern humans, which bear some different physical characteristics but no important genetic differences.
racial and ethnic identity
Identification with distinct groups based on characteristics such as physical appearance (particularly color), ancestral heritage, cultural affiliation, cultural history, ethnic classifications, and the social, economic and political needs of a society at a given period of time. Racial categories subsume ethnic groups. For example, the US Census Bureau chooses to recognize six races: White, Black, Latino/Hispanic, Asian, Native and other. When it becomes convenient for the United States government to make a category for a new race, a new race is added. Note: the first categorization of race included only White and Colored. As it became more convenient for those in power to make more categories, more were made.
racism
The belief that the genetic factors which constitute race, ethnicity, or nationality are a primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that ethnic differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.
resiliency
The positive capacity of people to cope with stress and adversity.
respect
A positive feeling of esteem for a person of other entity (such as a nation or a religion), and also specific actions and conduct representative of that esteem.
restorative justice
This emphasizes repairing the harm rather than punishing the perpetrator. Restorative justice solutions are usually arrived at via dialogue and co-operation among all affected parties. It focuses on the needs of victims and offenders, instead of satisfying abstract legal principles or punishing the offender.
rights
Legal, social, or ethical principles of freedom or entitlement; that is the fundamental normative rules about what is allowed of people or owed to people, according to some legal system, social convention, or ethical theory.
sex
The biological determination of female or male.
sexism
The belief or attitude that one sex is inherently superior to, more competent than, or more valuable than the other. It can also include this type of discrimination in regards to gender. Sexism primarily involves hatred of, or prejudice towards, either sex as a whole or the application of stereotypes of masculinity in relation to men, or of femininity in relation to women.
sexual orientation
This refers to a person’s feelings of sexual or romantic attraction. There are many labels that individuals use to describe their sexual orientation, including, but not limited to, lesbian, gay, bisexual, straight, and pansexual. Concepts of and terminology for sexual orientation vary from culture to culture and have evolved over time.
sizism
A form of discrimination based upon the size of a person's body.
social justice
The full participation and inclusion of all people in society, together with the promotion and protection of their legal, civil, and human rights. The aim of social justice—to achieve a just and equitable society where all share in the prosperity of that society—is pursued by individuals and groups through collaborative social action.
social safety net
Non-contributory transfer programs seeking to prevent the poor or those vulnerable to shocks and poverty from falling below a certain poverty level. Safety net programs can be provided by the public sector (the state and aid donors) or by the private sector (NGOs, private firms, charities, and informal household transfers).
society
A population of humans characterized by patterns of relationships between individuals that share a distinctive culture and/or institutions.
speciesism
Assigning different values or rights to beings on the basis of their species membership. Speciesism is manifested both on a universal level (i.e., the belief that humans have intrinsic rights over all animals—see anthropocentrism) and in categorizing groups of animals (e.g., some animals are for food, some are to be used as tools, some are for entertainment, some are for companionship). The concept of speciesism is used mostly in relation to animal rights advocacy.
stereotype
Preconceived notions about a person or group of people based on their characteristics such as their sex, age, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, or physical or mental ability.
stewardship
This is an ethic that emphasizes co-operative planning and management of resources in the interest of long-term sustainability. This ethic is most commonly manifested as environmental stewardship, focussing on the responsible management of natural resources to ensure that they are available for current and future generations.
structural racism
Structural racism/racialization refers to a system of social structures that produces cumulative, durable, race-based inequalities. It is also a method of analysis that is used to examine how historical legacies, individuals, structures, and institutions work interactively to distribute material and symbolic advantages and disadvantages along racial lines.
systemic analysis
A technique of social analysis and an approach to understanding a situation or reality of injustice. Systemic analysis focusses on analysing the roles of institutions (e.g., legal, education, media), infrastructures, and belief systems within a society that may or may not create unjust situations. It shifts the focus from individuals and their personal experiences to social dynamics of power imbalance, exclusion, marginalization, etc.
systemic change
Looks at the 'whole' and how the parts impact on each other. Coordinates and makes adjustments to the system to achieve shared goals.
transformation
Long-term broad social change.
transformational leadership
A philosophy of social change that focusses less on short-term goals and more on broader social change and higher order intrinsic needs. Under transformational leadership, group members work together in a setting that inspires the individuals in that group to work toward a common good.
transformational practice
Practice that focuses on broader social change and higher order intrinsic need.
transgender
Pertaining to someone who does not identify with conventional categories of male or female, but combines elements of both or moves between the two; sometimes used as a general, inclusive term, and sometimes as synonymous with or opposed to more specific terms such as transsexual, transvestite etc.
transphobia
The irrational fear and hatred of all individuals who transgress, violate or blur the dominant gender categories in a given society. Transphobic attitudes can lead to discrimination, violence and oppression against all members of the queer community, not just gender non-conforming individuals.
transsexual
A person whose gender self-image contradicts with the physical gender he/she was born with; one who lives as a different gender than was assigned at birth and has changed or is in the process of changing his/her physical sex by undergoing medical treatment such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and/or sex reassignment surgery (SRS).
transvestite
A person who dresses and acts in a style or manner traditionally associated with the opposite sex and is unrelated to sexual orientation or gender identity.
two-spirit
A modern term for a traditional North American Aboriginal (First Nations, Inuit, Native American and Metis) concept implying a masculine spirit and a feminine spirit in the same body. Two-spirited individuals were found in many, but not all, pre-contact Aboriginal communities, and played important societal and spiritual roles within their communities. Their social function varied from nation to nation. In many clans or communities, the presence of a person of two-spirits would raise the status of the clan. The concept of a person of two-spirits is not present in all Aboriginal communities.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948, partly in response to the atrocities of World War II.
violence
Extreme force; action intended to cause destruction, pain, or suffering; widespread fighting; injustice, wrong.
white privilege
In critical race theory, a way of conceptualizing racial inequalities that focuses as much on the advantages that white people accrue from society as on the disadvantages that non-white people experience.
womyn
The feminist spelling of the word "women" so as not to contain the word "men".
worth
The measure of value
