Social Justice Personhood: Rhetoric and Responsibilities
This course offers an opportunity to develop and enact a philosophy of living devoted to social justice, all the while grappling with the life you have lived and the life you want to live, considering home, community, state, and national settings.
I like to think of our classroom as laboratory in which we examine the underpinnings and realities of such an undertaking.
To help us in this venture, we
- turn to major thinkers and issues in contemporary social justice discourse, so that we can
- develop as social justice beings,
- understand (in)justices and their points of contention, in order to
- position our commitments analytically and persuasively, and to
- evaluate their impact in our communities and countries, and on ourselves.
.
We acknowledge the complexity of such a task. We will conceptualize it theoretically, personally, and rhetorically so that we don’t risk oversimplifying.
Social justice has, after all, proved elusive for so many people in so many settings for so long that we must recognize its cognitive and behavioral complexity. (I stoop to the mundane and provide a summary checklist to help in this endeavor.)
We begin with boundary-crossing–to the discipline of political science, where we thankfully glean our theoretical principles from Danielle Allen and her very recent Justice by Means of Democracy.
Here is our Social Paradigm, explained in theoretical discourse: Danielle Allen offers theory and practice for
*an overarching ideal of justice and human flourishing,
*supported by a connected society,
*designed to maximize bridging relationships and
*to make connections with many communities”—
*for the purpose of opening possibilities and
*contributing to an egalitarian participatory constitutional democracy.
Cannot these theoretical principles be foundational for our social justice enterprise? We aim to flourish, we support others in doing so; we connect socially, so that we may fortify relationships and make them varied and plentiful; we explore possibility; we participate fully and equally and democratically. This is how we bring the theoretical home to our hearts and souls. We treat Allen’s text as resource material, ventured into courageously, as she writes for a political science discourse community as advanced as our own.
We structure social justice further by turning to the personal and examining the “paradigm” I develop in Creating a New Civility (U of Akron Press, 2020). (The “new” in my title signals a civility consonant with the principles of Allen’s justice; the word civility carries baggage, after all.)
We study five processes by which to live a civil life, one that creates civility, and, yes, that nurtures human flourishing—interrogating identity, living mindfully, listening harmoniously, developing compassion, and reasoning well.
We’ll delve into these processes that I believe help bridge relations, make connections, and open possibilities. We explore the research and reasoning behind them, and practice each until they seem not “practiced” but second nature. (Forewarning: readers tell me that interrogating identity to arrive at fairness, for example, is easier said than done. Would that not be so, given the elusiveness of social justice? Still, one flourishes gradually, as do flowers, and Leo-the-late-bloomers.)
My final chapter on reasoning well segues nicely to the rhetorical, as I explain reasoning by working through a rhetorical analysis of “new civility” itself,
using the methodology of Lloyd Bitzer, who describes the dynamics of the “The Rhetorical Situation,” and that of Kenneth Burke, who describes “a philosophy of language and human relations” that he calls “Dramatism,” through which he analyzes the dynamics of acts themselves, thus completing our rhetorical focus on situations. Never again will you remain quiet when people say “It’s all Rhetoric!”
Altogether, you are provided with
- a theoretical/personal/rhetorical approach to analyzing the texts you read from the list below, and to acts you commit and witness,
- the ability to think through the personal, social, economic, and political climate in which you live–
- in order to develop your own social justice philosophy.
I see our classroom as a site, and you as a member, of a community of social-justice seekers, interested in discussing and debating issues that develop through our processes of reading and writing and talking—and of observing and living life. At times I will ask you to work in small groups.
In a number of seminars, I ask you to choose from one of two suggested texts that treat similar issues. Can we have a discussion on that issues coming from the perspective of what different authors have to say on the subject? Not to mention your own varied perspectives! We surely want to practice doing so, as social justice is about meaning-making when group members have a common interests, different points of view and backgrounds (represented by different textual material we bring to the discussion) to get to our goal—understanding that serves us all.
We will use the tools of rhetorical situations and acts, of a “new civility” paradigm, and of tenets of justice by means of democracy—all for the purposes of analyzing what you observe and of articulating the meaning you make from reading the assigned texts. Although I spend many paragraphs here setting up our framework, we’ll spend no more than a single seminar delving into these foundational issues, and return to them as relevant.
Assignments
* Social Justice Personal Narrative (20%)
* Ten Habits for Social Justice, modeled on Richard Haass, The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens, New York: Penguin 2023 (20%)
*Book Review, book to be selected from list below (20%)
* A Personal Social Justice Manifesto, a consideration of social justice issues, declaring intentions, advocacies, motives, and explanations (25%)
* A Social-Justice Tracking Journal, regular entries, to include reading responses (15%)
Student Learning Outcomes
After completing this course you will be able
To understand (something of) the many challenges of achieving social justice
To understand major issues a society faces in working toward the achievement of social justice
To understand three frameworks (theoretical, personal, and rhetorical) for considering and positioning social justice challenges in order to reach understandings
To develop, explain, and breathe life into, to the extent possible, ten habits that contribute to social justice
To gather tools for analyzing one’s personal social justice backgrounds and experiences
To articulate one’s personal social justice journey
To articulate one’s philosophy of social justice, with motives, intentions, advocacies, and explanations
To review and evaluate how published texts of various kinds contribute to the cause of social justice, using close reading, theoretical analyses, and other relevant methods
To facilitate meaning-making and decision-making in groups whose members come from different places, points of view, ethnicities, gender preferences, beliefs, and so forth
To participate in a community of social justice seekers, understanding something of the give-and-take among members who hold differing life experiences and perspectives, and to appreciate—indeed, to absorb them, make meaning of them, and suggest courses of action to remedy injustices
To evaluate how and why published texts contribute (or not) to the advancement of social justice, and its
Texts:
You’ll find the texts offer insights into the substance of daily living. They cover a range of genres, times, and perspectives—each offering a lens into challenges of achieving social justice. You’ll encounter a diversity of issues, voices and themes.
Danielle Allen, Justice By Means of Democracy, U of Chicago Press, 2023.
(Provides a framework for social justice study [primarily as resource])
Joy Marsella, Creating A New Civility. U of Akron Press, 2020.
(Addresses the personal and suggests a civil way of living a socially just life.)
Lloyd Bitzer. “The Rhetorical Situation.” Philosophy and Rhetoric 1, no. 1(January 1968), 1- 14.
Kenneth Burke, “The Five Key Terms of Dramatism” in The Grammar of Motives (1945) in Bizzell and Herzberg’s The Rhetorical Tradition, pp. 992-1043. Boston: St. Martins, 1991.
(Two rhetorical “models” to help with meaning-making-Situations and Acts)
Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance
Walt Whitman, Song of Myself
(Social Justice Forerunners–choose one)
Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt. The Tyranny of the Minority. New York: Crown, 2023.
Timothy Snyder. On Tyranny:Twenty Lessons for the Twentieth Century. New York:Duggan Books, 2017.
(Social Justice and the 2024 Elections–choose one)
Colson Whitehead. The Nickel Boys. New York: Doubleday, 2019.
Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye. New York: Vintage, 1970/forward, 2007.
(Egregious Injustice, race and gender–choose one)
12 poems by Kanaka Maoli, from different time periods and regions, from When the Light of the World Was Subdued, Our Songs Came Through: A Norton Anthology of Native Nations Poetry, Ed. by Joy Harjo. New York: Norton, 2020.
Joy Harjo, “Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings.” from book of same title. New York: Norton, 2015
Joy Harjo. Weaving Sundown in A Scarlet Light: 50 poems for 50 years. With forward by Sandra Cisneros. New York: Norton, 2023.
Kimmerer, Robin Wall, Maple Nation: A Citizenship Guide.” Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teaching of Plants. Canada: Milkweed, 2013, pp. 167-175.
(On Social Justice and Indigenous Populations)
Claudia Rankin, Citizen: An American Lyric, Graywolf, 2014, and several passages on the challenges of talking to strangers in Just Us: An American Conversation, Graywolf, 2020.
Richard Haass (see Ten Habits Assignment)
Robert B. Reich. The Common Good, New York: Knopf, 2018.
Lynette Ka’opuiki Paglinawam, “Ho’oponopono” in Noreen K. Mokuau, S. Kukunaokala Yoshimoto and Kathryn L. Braun, eds. Ka Mano Wai: The Source of Life. Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press, 2023, pp. 86-97.
(On Citizenry and Civics)
Todd May, A Decent Life: Morality for the Rest of Us. Chicago: U of Chicago Press, 2019, especially Chapter 5, “Politics and Decency.”
(On Morality and Justice)
The Ibram X Kendi Conundrum
Students read How to Be An Antiracist (One World/Random House, New York 2019) peruse his initial masterpiece Stamped from the Beginning: A Definitive History of Racism in America (New York: Nation World, 2016) and one of his follow-ups, such as Be Anti-Racist: A Journal for Awareness, Reflection, and Action or Antiracist Baby or How to Raise an Antiracist, and more.
[Extracurricular suggestion]
Cf. with David Grann, Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. New York: Vintage, 2017, the Martin Scorsese film, the movie reviews, and the numerous, essays, opin ion pieces, and articles that have followed.
Cf. with Nita Prose, The Maid, and the Netflix movie “Maid” along with accompanying commentary.
On Contemporary Social Justice: A Dozen Books, A Dozen Issues (choose one for book review project)
Ned Blackhawk. The Rediscovery of America: Native People and the Unmaking of U.S. History. Yale UP. (2023)
Matthew Desmond, Poverty by America. Crown, 2023.
Kathryn J. Edin et al. The Injustice of Place: Uncovering the Legacy of Poverty in America. Mariner, 2023.
Garza, Cristini Riveria. Liliana’s Invincible Summer: A Sister’s Search for Justice. Hogarth. 2023.
Arline T. Geronimus. Weathering: The Extraordinary Stress of Ordinary Life in an Unjust Society. Little Brown Spark, 2023.
Amanda Montei, Touched Out: Motherhood, Misogyny, Consent, and Control. 2023.
Jessica Nordell, The End of Bias, A Beginning: The Science and Practice of Overcoming Unconscious Bias. Holt, 2021.
Heather Cox Richardson, Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America. New York: Viking 2023.
Greta Thunberg, ed. The Climate Book. Penguin, 2023.
John Valliant. Fire Story: A True Story From A Hotter World. Knopf. 2023. Poetry.
Isabel Wilkerson. Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. Random House, 2020. Paired with Ava DuVernay’s latest film that focuses on Wilkerson, on the process of researching and writing The Warmth of Other Suns.
Kikada E. Williams. I Saw Death Coming: A History of Terror and Survival in the War Against Reconstuction. Bloomsbury, 2023.
Extracurricular:
John Lee Clark. How To Communicate. Norton, 202. Poetry. [Protactile educator]