Social Justice Statement and Design Principles
SoALS' Draft Statement
Teaching and Learning for Social Justice
As educators and scholars in the School of Arts, Letters, and Sciences (SoALS) at National University, we strive to cultivate awareness of past and present actions that have established power hierarchies in the United States and other nations, leading to the harm, exclusion, and exploitation of Black/African American, Indigenous, Latina/o/x, Asian American, LGBTQI+ communities, women, and people with disabilities. Our daily curriculum has the potential to expose and denounce these oppressive structures of power, and we pledge to strengthen our commitment to promoting social justice in our teaching, writing, scholarship, and departmental structures.
We pledge to support the well-being of members of our community from historically oppressed and marginalized groups, acknowledging that those of us with the most institutional privilege bear the greatest responsibility to confront injustice, racism, and oppression.
We aspire to be a place where human rights are respected and where everyone can seek support, regardless of race, ethnicity, economic background, faith, gender identity, national and indigenous origins, political views, citizenship status, nontheistic beliefs, LGBQTIA+ identities, age, disabilities, veteran status, or any other forms of marginalization, abuse, or disenfranchisement.
We will foster challenging and thought-provoking conversations that articulate how our commitment to countering ongoing legacies of systemic inequity transforms our disciplines in intellectual and pedagogical contexts.
A concern for social justice will inform our curriculum, equipping our students with the knowledge, skills, values, and motivation to contribute to the elimination of equity gaps and social and environmental injustices in the United States and beyond.
(Note: This statement draws from language and phrases used by the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Offices at the University of Southern California, the State University of New York, the University of Arizona, the University of North Texas, and the University of Washington.)
Design Principles for Constructing
Social Justice Assignments
• Whenever and wherever, facilitate community building.
• Share who you are with your students (Humanize yourself).
• Actively center and ally with communities that are disproportionately impacted by systemic inequities: Latinx, Black/African American, Native American, LGBTQI+, veterans, and people with disabilities.
• Intentionally incorporate images that center social justice.
• Use inclusive language.
• Incorporate readings and other course materials that reflect the principles of Citational Justice, which promotes the inclusion of diverse voices and perspectives.
• Encourage students to share their lived experiences and perspectives and create a safe space for them to do so.
• Foster critical self-reflection and encourage students to examine their own biases and assumptions.
By following these design principles for social justice assignments, we can create a more equitable and inclusive learning environment that empowers all students to become agents of change in their communities and beyond.