When one searches for a definition of the term “social justice,” the dictionary generally gives a vague and unsatisfying one. The Oxford English Dictionary calls it “justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society,” which leaves the reader wanting. As we search for a better meaning of the phrase, we begin to fill in the blanks, adding embellishment to these unvaried definitions, often through experience.
Ultimately, social justice is an umbrella term under which a plethora of categories falls—from gender and queer issues to environmentalism and food justice. During IHS’s annual Social Justice Week this year, the Social Justice Week Committee aims to expose students not only to all of those topics, but also to start the conversation about what social justice really is and how students can become involved. Social Justice Week will take place March 21–25, with presentations Tuesday through Friday during all periods of the day.
The student-run planning committee has been working since December to compile a list of presenters from Cornell, Ithaca College, employees from organizations like the Food Bank of the Southern Tier or the Advocacy center, and our very own students from Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA).
The presentation by SAGA will be comprised entirely of students who will offer an informational segment on gender and sexuality, which will be followed by a panel where members will discuss the personal experiences they’ve had with stereotypes. This panel is always a favorite as many are surprised to realize how relevant social justice is to their daily lives, and how by supporting those around them they can be a participant in social justice.
Another presentation that is on the not-to-miss list is by Ross Brann, a professor at Cornell in Judeo-Islamic relations. Professor Brann visited earlier in the year with IHS’ Israeli-Palestinian Peace Project, and in a similar presentation to the one he gave them, he will give a detailed account of how the conflict between Israel and Palestine arose, and he will describe the proposed solutions. The goal of Professor Brann’s presentation is not to share his views, but rather to provide students with an understanding of how the conflict came to be. Students are encouraged to develop their own opinions, potentially conducting their own research, digging deeper in the search for social justice on many of the issues presented over the week.
The goal of Social Justice Week is to involve the IHS community in a conversation. During this week, classes are invited to attend presentations, taking a break from global history or biology to focus on the current events that we rarely get a chance to discuss in class. The week’s planning committee hopes that students are exposed to issues and further develop their own definitions of social justice as they find ways to create change in their daily lives.
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