Coming into this degree, I started my courses with the idea of social justice being large gatherings of loud people protesting for what they believe in. I pictured signs expressing discontent and megaphones advocating for change. I can remember news broadcasts of demonstrations, marches, and rallies with rows of police and sometimes the military to control the crowds. This was not, and still isn’t, a form of social justice work that appeals to me. I had difficulty identifying how I would be able to translate my education and learning out of the classroom and into the world without yelling and the possibility of arrest. What could I do quietly, contributing in ways that are small and discreet, that would still spark significant change and leave an impactful legacy?
HRSJ 5010 – Foundations of Human Rights and Social Justice provided me an educated interpretation and recognition of theory. With a solid foundational understanding of human rights, I knew I would be able to act in a way that suits my personality and abilities. I was able to see the bigger picture so that I can grasp where my small part fits into the grander scheme of things.
As I discuss in the human rights reflection, I had a difficult time with the material in this class, at first. Once I was able to broaden the base of my knowledge, supplement it with additional coursework, and apply skills in my practicum, I found myself thinking back to this class more and more. This course felt like working on a section of a puzzle, but not quite finding all the pieces. Coming back to it later, I find that I keep discovering where more and more pieces fit into the puzzle. There is great satisfaction in placing that missing piece and observing a cohesive scene.
HRSJ 5020 – Indigenous Ways of Knowing: Resurgence of Land Based Pedagogies and Practices showed me how a group of people are enacting social justice in a practical way over the long term. I feel like the class itself was a form of social justice. Reflecting on it now, I can see how learning about Indigenous land-based epistemology, law, and geography shifted how I perceive knowledge and who possesses it. This is important for social justice because diverse ways of knowing are valuable. Prioritizing voices that are quiet is inclusive and equitable; it allows for more evenly distributed representation.
Visiting Paul Lake and having an elder teach words, phrases, and expressions in his native tongue gave me a real-world and hands-on experience. We were shown how Indigenous knowledge is tied to the land; we weren’t told or lectured about it. Building our own drums with the teachings of a knowledge-holder was metamorphic and enlightening. He told us stories of how the materials teach him how to use them. He showed us, then let us try. He guided us when we made mistakes. Gifting those drums to Indigenous children in care was a humbling experience. We learned that you never keep your first drum; it must be a gift. You may keep other drums you make, but the first one does not belong to you. My western-notions of gift-giving shattered.
HRSJ 5030 – Problem Solving in the Field: Study Techniques and Methods showed me how to observe the world in a way that uncovers where, how, and why social justice work can be beneficial. I learned how to open my eyes, ears, and mind to objectively notice the world around me. I was given direct examples of exceptional and superior research on which to base further research. I acquired skills in how to synthesize information, develop a research plan, generate data, and structure analysis.
HRSJ 5210 – Law, Human Rights and Justice showed me the rich history of human rights and the philosophical underpinnings that are pivotal to understanding modern social movements and fights for justice. I have a new understanding of my place in time and an appreciation for the rights I take for granted that were not available to some of those in the past. What I do with this education, the information from this course, the degree I obtain really matters to future generations.
HRSJ 5130 – Body Rights: Systems and Social Movements This topic became so much larger than I had originally anticipated it to be. How the world and the people in it, the structures, the symbolism, and the environment affect the bodies in the world is a profound realization. I did not expect to become so conflicted about my opinion on issues. Being able to see and feel the world through the bodily experiences of others challenged me to embrace different perspectives I hadn’t previously considered.
Human rights violations affect the body. Through the experience and research of an anthropologist and an historian, I vicariously learned, felt, and embodied human rights and social movements. I became aware of issues that bodily affect large populations that I had never considered. I was exposed to myriad points of view that did not always coincide with my worldviews. I was challenged to reconsider how social justice can work in the favour of some and to the detriment of others. It was also pointed out to me how academia can be a form of social justice.
HRSJ 5260 – Moral Economies and Social Movements in Contemporary Capitalism was probably one of the most interesting and relevant courses I’ve ever taken. The title of the course became a running joke–how can economies be moral if they are capitalist? The political landscape at the time was fuel for animated discussions and provided real-time context to the topics.
The group project asked us to choose a theme, analyze it, and evaluate some of the movements that are working to provide solutions. As this class came at the end of my coursework, at the end of my degree, it was a wonderful opportunity to incorporate and amalgamate the knowledge of social justice I have gained over the course of my studies. We decided, as a group, to contrast/compare modern social movements with Indigenous moral economies. What we discovered in researching and creating the presentation was that both are valid, both have value, and both can be used in tandem as social justice.