Practical Justice: Principles, Practice and Social Change

Description

This volume engages with questions of justice and equality, and how these can be achieved in modern society. It explores how theory and research can inform policy and practice to bring about real change in people's lives, helping readers understand and interrogate patterns and causes of inequality, while investigating how these might be remedied. Chapters outline ways in which theories of justice inform and are factored into effective actions, programmes and interventions. The book includes an international selection of case studies. These range from global inequalities in development and health to cross-border conflict; from gender justice to disability violence; from child protection to disability-inclusive research; from illicit drug use to torture prevention; and from prison wellbeing to sexual and reproductive health and rights. Together, contributors explore: how social science and humanities scholarship can lead to a better understanding of, and capacity to respond to, key social issues and problems the importance of normative reflection and a concern for principles of justice in pursuit of social change the importance of community voice and grassroots action in the pursuit of justice, equity and equality. Envisioning a better world - in which concern for the just treatment of all trumps the pursuit of privilege and inequality - Practical Justice: Principles, Practice and Social Change will appeal to students and academics in disciplines as diverse as philosophy, political science, sociology, anthropology, geography and education, and in fields such as policy studies, criminology, healthcare, social work and social welfare. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Notes on Contributors Acknowledgements Practical justice: by way of introduction Background From principles to practice This book In conclusion Part I Perspectives and accounts 1 Concepts of justice and practical injustices Distributive justice Historic injustice Relational justice The locations of practical justice Practices required to give effect to acknowledged rights Conclusion Notes References 2 ‘Homeless women’: histories of emotion and justice Pity and anxiety: ‘homeless women’ considered Justice and righteous anger: letters from ‘homeless women’ Justice, compassion and shame: the ‘homeless woman’ out of work Fear and contempt, fascination and pity: the ‘woman vagrant’ Conclusion Note References 3 Worlds apart and still no closer to justice: recognition and redress in gendered disability violence Introduction Gendered disability violence Exclusion and entrenchment in the spaces of justice Why do we need an inclusive justice-based approach? Mandates for practical justice in gendered disability violence Conclusions Notes References 4 Supporting mental health in low-income communities: implications for justice and equity Introduction Mental health and treatment justice Poverty, pathology and welfare The medicalisation of distress Antidepressant medications Conclusions Acknowledgements Notes References 5 Critical theories of justice and the practice of torture prevention Introduction Critical theory and human rights Ecological, situational and systems theories The practice of torture prevention Some new theoretical resources for rethinking agency Concluding thoughts Notes References 6 Poverty in rich countries: damage, difference and possibilities for justice Explaining poverty: agency and structure Theorising justice and poverty: recognition, respect, rationality Claiming practical justice: trauma and damage Theorising justice and poverty, reprised: desire Conclusion References 7 Engaging global institutions to achieve practical justice: the case of sexual rights Introduction Sexual rights in technical spaces Sexual rights in legal spaces Sexual rights in political spaces Integrated nature of the three streams Conclusion Acknowledgement References Part II From principles to practice 8 Practical justice in social work and social welfare: contested values Introduction: some historical fragments Rawls against Nozick – social welfare and the neo-liberal backlash Professions, power and social justice Practical cases: disability services and refugee settlement Personal is (still) political: partnership, progress and social justice Note References 9 A just child protection system – is it possible? Introduction Child protection system challenges Conceptions of child protection Alternative conceptualisation of the child protection system Disproportionality Conclusion Notes References 10 Collaborative disability-inclusive research and evaluation as a practical justice process Introduction Right to participate in research about disability Collaborating in disability-inclusive research Spinal Cord Injury Australia research My Choice Matters evaluation Implications of collaboration for practice justice Acknowledgements References 11 Justice and the political future for Indigenous Australians Introduction Justice and rights Indigenous struggles Discrediting Indigenous self-determination Indigenous sovereignty Recognition and reconciliation politics The limits of recognition Recognition and political power Indigenous resurgence in Australia Restoration and nationhood The challenge ahead Notes References 12 The serendipity of justice: the case of unaccompanied migrant children becoming ‘adult’ in the UK Introduction A sociological discourse of rights and justice The multiple arbiters of social justice Discussion and conclusion Note References 13 Patient-reported measures as a justice project through involvement of service-user researchers Introduction Why service-user involvement is needed when developing patient-reported measures for people who use alcohol and other drugs Why is there a need for patient-reported measures in alcohol and other drug services? What does justice mean when working with service-user researchers? Conclusion Acknowledgements References 14 Unequal justice: the effect of mass incarceration on children’s educational outcomes in the USA – practical implications for policy and programmes Introduction Racial and social class differences in children’s experiences with parental incarceration Outcomes for children of incarcerated parents Plausible pathways between parental incarceration and negative outcomes for children Practical justice interventions: some ways forward Conclusion Acknowledgement Note References 15 Antimicrobial resistance, bacterial relations and social justice Introduction The beginnings of a global response Perfect policies and harsh realities – the case of India Discussion Notes References 16 Fostering change through the pursuit of practical justice in sexual and reproductive health and rights Introduction Early response to the HIV epidemic in India Legalisation of safe abortion in Mozambique Fostering change: lessons learned through the lens of practical justice References Index