Concepts of Social Justice in Community Psychology: Toward a Social Ecological Epistemology

Abstract

In this paper we address the pervasive tendency in community psychology to treat values like social justice only as general objectives rather than contested theoretical concepts possessing identifiable empirical content. First we discuss how distinctive concepts of social justice have figured in three major intellectual traditions within community psychology: (1) the prevention and health promotion tradition, (2) the empowerment tradition, and most recently, (3) the critical tradition. We point out the epistemological gains and limitations of these respective concepts and argue for greater sensitivity to the context dependency of normative concepts like social justice. More specifically, we point to a pressing need in community psychology for an epistemology that: (1) subsumes both descriptive and evaluative concepts, and (2) acknowledges its own embeddedness in history and culture without thereby reducing all knowledge claims to the status of ideology. Finally, we describe and demonstrate the promise of what we are calling a social ecological epistemology for fulfilling this need.

Community feeling and social interest: Adlerian parallels, synergy and differences with the field of community psychology

“…Among the varied scholars aligning themselves with critical psychology are prominent community psychologists, critical social theorists, feminists, postmodern and poststructuralists, and a host of others. Indeed, community psychologists such as Fondacaro and Weinberg (2002) declare that 'community psychology has always been a critical psychology in both its theoretical positions towards mainstream psychology and its political positions towards the community at large' (p. 483). As an important precursor to critical psychology, Jacoby utilised Freudian depth psychology as an analytic tool in critiquing the un-thought aspects of social practices such as counselling and psychotherapy.…”

“…Quantitative research aimed at testing Adlerian concepts did not begin in earnest until many years following Adler's death. Fondacaro and Weinberg (2002) argue that the field of community psychology has traditionally produced three intellectual traditions: (i) prevention and health promotion; (ii) power and empowerment and (iii) the critical tradition. Community psychology has attracted social activists and engages in political material, inclusive of advocating for concrete praxis.…”

Social Justice and Multicultural Issues: Implications for the Practice and Training of Counselors and Counseling Psychologists

“…Social justice reflects a fundamental valuing of fairness and equity in resources, rights, and treatment for marginalized individuals and groups of people who do not share equal power in society because of their immigration, racial, ethnic, age, socioeconomic, religious heritage, physical ability, or sexual orientation status groups (Fondacaro & Weinberg, 2002;Prilleltensky & Nelson, 1997). In order to address social justice issues, some counselors and counseling psychologists in the United States have adopted a professional commitment to ensuring global or international social change (Osborne et al, 1998).…”

Social Change: Toward an Informed and Critical Understanding of Social Justice and the Capabilities Approach in Community Psychology

“…In publications in the English language, we have not come across a community psychology book or article that presents historical, contemporary, and critical perspectives of social justice. Thus, similar to Riger's (1993) key critique of the lack of consistent usage of the term empowerment in community psychology, we argue that despite calls from scholars such as Fondacaro and Weinberg (2002), Walsh, Teo and Baydala (2014), and Evans, Rosen and Nelson (2014) to adopt a social justice framework, social justice remains insufficiently defined, operationalized, and critically examined in community psychology.…”

“…Although not universally accepted and by no means considered a central concept by most community psychologists (Fondacaro & Weinberg, 2002), the past several decades have seen a growing awareness of and interest in issues of power (e.g., Martın-Baro, 1994;Riger, 1993;Van Uchelen, 2000) and oppression and liberation (e.g., Bond, Hill, Mulvey, & Terenzio, 2000;Mankowski & Maton, 2010;Martın-Baro, 1994;Montero, 2007;Nelson & Prilleltensky, 2005, 2010Watts & Serrano-Garcia, 2003), leading some community psychologists in North America to focus on (and use the term) social justice as a tool to create social change in their scholarly endeavors (e.g., Albee, 1986;Evans et al, 2014;Fox & Prilleltensky, 1997;Prilleltensky, 2001Prilleltensky, , 2012Prilleltensky & Nelson, 1997;Sloan, 2010). Examples of writings on social justice include Prilleltensky's focal articles where he suggests that community psychology needs to move toward social action and social justice (2001) and where he links wellness to social justice through providing some historical underpinnings and identifies subtypes of justice (2012).…”