How My Coursework Has Impacted My Understanding of Social Justice
Before entering the MA in Human Rights and Social Justice program, I understood social justice mainly as the fair distribution of resources and opportunities in society. However, through my coursework, I have come to realize that social justice goes far beyond material fairness. It involves challenging systems of power, recognizing historical injustices, and amplifying marginalized voices to build inclusive and equitable societies. My learning journey has expanded my understanding of social justice as both a philosophical framework and a lived practice.
Understanding Social Justice as Structural and Historical
In HRSJ 5010 – Foundations of Human Rights and Social Justice, I was introduced to the theoretical and historical foundations of social justice. Readings from scholars such as Nancy Fraser (2000) and Amartya Sen (2009) helped me understand that social justice cannot be achieved merely through redistribution—it must also address recognition and representation. I learned that inequality is not only economic but also cultural and political.
This insight changed how I view marginalization in my own context. Growing up in Nigeria, I saw how communities were excluded not just from resources but from political participation and cultural legitimacy. Understanding social justice as both economic and symbolic justice gave me new tools to analyze and respond to systemic inequities in meaningful ways.
Integrating Indigenous and Decolonial Perspectives
The course HRSJ 5020 – Indigenous Ways of Knowing: Resurgence of Land-Based Pedagogies and Practices deepened my understanding of social justice by connecting it with land, culture, and community well-being. Through the works of Leanne Betasamosake Simpson (2017) and Eve Tuck and K. Wayne Yang (2012), I learned that social justice must include decolonization—the restoration of Indigenous sovereignty and knowledge systems.
Participating in land-based learning experiences helped me see that justice is not only about policy reform but also about rebuilding relationships with the land and with each other. This perspective transformed my understanding of justice as not just a human-to-human matter but a relational and ecological responsibility.
The course also encouraged me to reflect on parallels between Indigenous experiences in Canada and the struggles of Indigenous communities in Nigeria, who face land dispossession and cultural erasure due to modernization and political corruption. This realization broadened my global view of social justice, reinforcing that struggles for equity are interconnected and require solidarity across borders.
Recognizing the Cultural Dimensions of Justice
In HRSJ 5160 – Social Justice and Culture, I learned that social justice is shaped by cultural narratives, media representations, and everyday practices. The course exposed me to critical cultural theory, helping me understand how stereotypes and social norms can perpetuate injustice.
For example, in one assignment, I analyzed how cultural representation influences perceptions of African identity in Western media. I argued that distorted portrayals contribute to global inequities by reinforcing narratives of inferiority and dependency. This project helped me see that social justice also requires cultural transformation—changing how societies see and value one another.
Linking Theory to Action through Experiential Learning
My understanding of social justice became more practical and action-oriented in HRSJ 5030 – Problem Solving in the Field and HRSJ 5260 – Moral Economies and Social Movement. These courses emphasized that achieving justice requires collective mobilization and systemic change.
In Problem Solving in the Field, I worked on case studies involving resource inequity and human rights violations. Drawing on my background in finance, I proposed a community-based economic empowerment model aimed at supporting women in low-income communities in Nigeria. This experience taught me that promoting justice means translating theoretical knowledge into tangible, community-driven solutions.
In Moral Economies and Social Movement, I studied how social movements challenge capitalist and colonial structures that perpetuate inequality. The works of David Graeber (2011) and Karl Polanyi (1944) deepened my appreciation for how economies reflect moral values. I learned that building a just society requires redefining economic systems to prioritize care, solidarity, and sustainability over profit.
Challenging Power and Promoting Responsibility
In HRSJ 5120 – Colonialism: Decolonization and Responsibility, I was particularly impacted by Glen Sean Coulthard’s (2014) Red Skin, White Masks, which argues that recognition without structural change only reinforces colonial power. This reading challenged me to see social justice as an ongoing struggle against entrenched systems rather than a fixed state of fairness.
It also reminded me that justice demands ethical responsibility—not just awareness but action. This lesson continues to shape my approach to advocacy and community work. I now understand that social justice involves holding institutions accountable while also transforming ourselves—our attitudes, privileges, and relationships.
A Holistic Understanding of Justice
Overall, my coursework has shaped my understanding of social justice as holistic, relational, and transformative. It is not limited to addressing immediate inequalities but extends to challenging the historical, cultural, and economic systems that produce them. I have learned that social justice is inseparable from human rights, decolonization, and environmental sustainability.
This learning has been both academic and personal. It has helped me connect my lived experiences of marginalization in Nigeria with the struggles of other oppressed groups globally. It has also motivated me to pursue a career that combines advocacy, education, and policy reform—particularly in designing strategies that dismantle financial and social barriers faced by vulnerable communities.
In essence, my coursework has transformed my understanding of social justice from a concept of fairness into a practice of solidarity and transformation—a lifelong commitment to creating systems that honor dignity, equity, and collective well-being.
References
Coulthard, G. S. (2014). Red skin, white masks: Rejecting the colonial politics of recognition. University of Minnesota Press.
Fraser, N. (2000). Rethinking recognition. New Left Review, 3(1), 107–120.
Graeber, D. (2011). Debt: The first 5,000 years. Melville House.
Polanyi, K. (1944). The great transformation. Beacon Press.
Sen, A. (2009). The idea of justice. Harvard University Press.
Simpson, L. B. (2017). As we have always done: Indigenous freedom through radical resistance. University of Minnesota Press.
Tuck, E., & Yang, K. W. (2012). Decolonization is not a metaphor. Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society, 1(1), 1–40.