Social Justice Commons^™

Decolonizing Community Re-Entry: Effective Case Studies Of Community-Led Programs And Services To Support Formerly Incarcerated Individuals In Canada, Ardavan Eizadirad, Rai Reece

Education Faculty Publications

Decolonizing re-entry programs require rethinking traditional approaches in supporting formerly incarcerated individuals and challenging colonial and deficit frameworks embedded in the criminal legal system, which often has an exclusive focus on punishment. This article names the risk factors and systemic barriers faced by equity-denied individuals during reintegration with a focus on the Canadian context. Two community-led programs in Ontario are highlighted as innovative case studies for effectively supporting reintegration of individuals exiting carceral institutions. Key characteristics of these programs which are offered by the Youth Association for Academics, Athletics, and Character Education (YAAACE) and Walls to Bridges (W2B) are outlined. …

The Power A Generation Holds: A Study On Students Generating Change In American Social Movements, Caroline E. Koziol

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

Social activism ebbs and flows throughout American history. In the contemporary period, high visual coverage of activism has contributed to frustrations over the apparent decrease in change despite perceptions of increased participation. Young activists in the classroom ask questions to learn from their predecessors. This paper focuses on answering, “How can students create sustained change through social activism?” The present work recenters activism in the role of students and higher education institutions, noting their potential for creating change through a formula for future activists to engage with. The proposed formula targets methods and theories to bolster success towards the cause …

The Crisis Of Safety, Well-Being, And Belonging Facing Lgbtq Children: Mad/Crip Of Color Critique Towards A Curriculum Of Radical Care, Jameson Goetz

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In this thesis, I turn toward the study of educational experience, defined broadly to include lived experiences both within and outside of formal schooling institutions. I approach curriculum as an ongoing project of self-understanding in which one becomes mobilized for engaged pedagogical action alongside others in the pursuit social justice. I am guided by the following question, foundational to the field of curriculum studies: for those of us who work alongside LGBTQ children, what knowledge is of most worth? Critically reflecting on ways of working alongside LGBTQ children in the pursuit of social justice, I formulate a mad/crip of color …

Liberated Learning Spaces: A Visual Playlist, Tarilyn R. Little

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Liberation can be defined as “the act of setting free” or “being free from limits on thoughts and behavior.” Both an action and a state of being, liberation has long been centered as a key function of education, particularly for those who live in historically and systemically marginalized identities. Despite the long-standing existence of liberation-focused pedagogies and activism aimed at transforming schools and students’ lived experiences, educational institutions in the United States have struggled to live out these ideals, often sustaining and replicating systems and practices of oppression. Drawing on historical and contemporary conversations in education and psychology, Liberated Learning …

Bridging The Gap: Harnessing Emerging Technology To Narrow The Academic Achievement Gaps Of Minority Students, Dionne Williams, Terence Vinson, Kristi Young, Danielle Williams, James R. Mixon

The Journal of the Research Association of Minority Professors

The academic achievement gap of Black, Hispanic, and Native American students has historically lagged as it relates to Caucasian students. This work defines academic achievement as standardized test scores, graduation rates, and college completion rates. The persistent educational disparities faced by minority students remain a significant challenge for school systems. The integration of technology offers a promising solution to help narrow these academic achievement gaps and provide equitable learning opportunities. Technology offers educators the ability to utilize self-paced instructional programming, ensuring that the educational needs and deficiencies of minority students are addressed. This work explores how innovative technological tools, ranging …

Transforming Education Through The Cohort Model In Graduate Schools Of Education, Kristi Young, James R. Mixon, Dionne Williams, Danielle Williams

The Journal of the Research Association of Minority Professors

The cohort model has emerged as a transformative approach in graduate schools of education for fostering a collaborative learning environment, providing professional networking opportunities, increasing community, and fostering a sense of belonging. This analysis is framed within Mead, Vygotsky’s, and Wenger’s theoretical framework on the interconnectedness of social interaction and cognitive development. Increased engagement, learning opportunities, promoting student success, enhanced leadership development, and improved program components are noted benefits of utilizing the cohort model in graduate schools of education. These authors noted some challenges to the cohort model, such as group dynamics and cohesion, diversity and inclusion, rigid structure, pressure …

Blackloving: The Culturally Responsive Engagement Practices Of Black Middle School Principals, Deandra L. Williams

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Black students are highly capable of learning and contributing to society when school communities are built on a foundation of love and there is meaningful school–family engagement. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how Black middle school principals engaged with Black families using BlackLoving culturally responsive family engagement practices as Black students transitioned from elementary to middle school in Boston Public Schools (BPS). The researcher employed Black Indigenous methodology, in the form of talking circles and memoing, to gather the stories of four former Black Boston public school principals (who were all men) and to explore their …

Mapping Food Justice: Urban Farms And The Examination Of Equitable Food Access, Aaron Avila, Mark Ayiah, Jake Stavely, Marc T. Sager, Maximilian K. Sherard, Anthony J. Petrosino

SMU Journal of Undergraduate Research

In this project, we worked alongside members from an urban farm in South Dallas to learn about issues related to food justice, urban farming, and food deserts. Using participatory design research methods, we created data visualizations showing how society can reduce inequities relating to food access produced in historically underserved neighborhoods. The research goals guiding this study are: a) to identify food deserts and urban farms in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan region (DFW) and b) to determine which urban farms service the needs of these food deserts. To identify food deserts, we took two steps: First, we used open-access data …

Trans* Student Experiences In Higher Education, Megan Chaffee, Deborah King

New York Journal of Student Affairs

This paper reviews literature on trans* students' experiences in higher education, examining their obstacles and institutional approaches to inclusion. The study investigates challenges regarding chosen names and pronouns, access to facilities, extracurricular involvement, and the impact of increasing anti-trans* legislation. Despite growing visibility, trans* students continue to report harassment, discrimination, and a decreased sense of belonging. The paper explores current Title IX interpretations and recommends that higher education administrators develop inclusive policies, enhance professional development, and create supportive campus environments that foster trans* students' academic success and overall well-being.

Beyond The Benefit: A Multi-Modal Narrative Study Of Black Women's Experiences With Employer-Sponsored Tuition Assistance, Britany Patricia Hamilton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the lived experiences of Black women engaging with employer-sponsored tuition assistance programs, focusing on how social, structural, and identity-based factors shape their educational and professional trajectories. While these benefits are often framed as neutral tools for career advancement, this study examines them through the intersecting lenses of race, gender, and labor, revealing deeper dynamics of access, value, and belonging. Guided by a qualitative narrative inquiry approach, this study employed a multi-modal data collection design involving video diaries, semi-structured interviews, and a focus group. Three participants, all Black women between the ages of 30 and 40, shared their …

Underlying Causes Linking Foster Care And The Criminal Justice System, Marcia D. Wheeler

Master of Arts in Human Services

This research expands on the ongoing statewide crisis within the foster care system that needs to be properly addressed to benefit future and current foster youth. Research has found a connection between foster care and prison, often referred as the “foster-care-to-prison-pipeline.” This study aimed to explore the impact of trauma experienced by current and former foster youth through a life course lens looking at crucial areas of development using a mixed methodology supported by theoretical theories that explored the connection between foster care and the criminal justice system. The results showed that current and former foster youth face many adversities …

Precarious Privilege: Exploring The Intersection Of White Teacher Habitus And Social Justice In International Schools, Kevin L. Workman

Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the underresearched phenomenon of White teacher allyship within an emergent diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) movement in international schools. Gaining momentum in 2020 as a digital, postcolonial counterstory, the movement exposed structural inequities and racism across the international school ecosystem. Applying an antiracist reading of Bourdieu’s (1977) theory of practice, the study analyzes how White teachers (n = 8) from diverse international contexts understand, experience, and assess their participation in DEIJ activities. Thematic analysis of interview data corroborated the digital voices, explicitly identifying White supremacy as a key force shaping the field’s doxa. The study …

Addressing Psychosocial Barriers To Participation In People Experiencing Homelessness: An Occupational Therapy Workshop, Preston E. Bender

Student Capstone Papers

This capstone project addressed the critical gap in occupational therapy education and practice regarding the psychosocial needs of people experiencing homelessness. Despite the occupational therapy profession’s emphasis on holistic, person-centered care, many occupational therapy practitioners and occupational therapy students report feeling a lack of self-efficacy and preparedness to navigate the complex psychological, social, and systemic barriers that hinder occupational participation among this population. This capstone project aimed to address the perceived unpreparedness among clinicians through the creation of an 8-hour interactive educational workshop. The workshop is grounded in the Model of Human Occupation and informed by the Bridging the Transition …

Racial Differences In Global Satisfaction At A Predominantly White Regional Comprehensive University, Philip B. Mason, Michelle Petrie

Teacher-Scholar: The Journal of the State Comprehensive University

In the face of tightening state funding and increased reliance on tuition and growing enrollment, regional comprehensive universities continue to focus on the retention of students. Underserved students continue to represent areas of growth in college enrollment at regional comprehensive universities; yet these students are often at the highest risk of attrition. Overall institutional satisfaction is among the most useful indicators of student persistence, but research demonstrates that students of color report lower levels of overall satisfaction than their white counterparts. Scholarship on college student persistence documents several variables that predict higher retention, progression, and graduation rates among students. Research …

Planting Roots: A Pedagogy Of Action, Veronica Rose Popp, Danielle Phillips-Cunningham

Feminist Pedagogy

We discuss how we put feminist pedagogies into action while developing a collaborative research and writing project about Nannie Helen Burroughs (1879-1961). We also explore how our collaborative research project influenced the development of a happy, fruitful, and long-lasting research partnership that broadens the conversation about incorporating feminist teaching practices into higher education. Burroughs set students on ways to find their own pathways, affecting change in ways they found most important. We engaged in our project with similar commitments.

Building An Inclusive Classroom: Digital Humanities (Dh) And Critical Disability Studies (Cds) In The Francophone World, Vidya H. Surti, Kaliane Ung

Feminist Pedagogy

The purpose of this co-authored article by a teacher and student is to contemplate the feminist implications of infusing Critical Disability Studies and Digital Humanities into the traditional humanities classroom. Furthermore, this article implements strategies for inclusive and flexible pedagogy. This article will contribute a case study for an interdisciplinary project of academic rigor, while mitigating student wellbeing through mechanisms of classroom autonomy.

Addressing Psychosocial Barriers To Participation In People Experiencing Homelessness: An Occupational Therapy Workshop, Preston Bender, Steven M. Gerardi, Lacey Spark

Summer 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

Despite the occupational therapy (OT) profession's emphasis on holistic, person-centered care, many OT practitioners and students report feeling a lack of self-efficacy and preparedness to navigate the complex psychological, social, and systemic barriers that hinder occupational participation in people experiencing homelessness (PEH). This capstone project aimed to address the perceived unpreparedness among clinicians through the creation of an 8-hour interactive educational workshop aligned with Experiential Learning Theory. The content is grounded in the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) and informed by the Bridging the Transition from Homelessness: A Social Justice Framework (BTTF), trauma-informed care (TIC), harm reduction, and diversity, equity, …

Helping Bipoc, Women, And First-Generation Students Maximize The Value Of Unpaid Internships, Ted Thornhill, Nicole Torres, Christina Van Wingerden

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Internships and practicums are a required component of nearly all degree programs in human services and its subfields—and most are unpaid. These unpaid positions often have a disproportionate impact for BIPOC and first-generation students, especially women—many of whom are economically disadvantaged and must work to support themselves and sometimes their families. Increased student activism, non-profit campaigns, and journalistic accounts show student frustration over their unpaid labor. Despite the righteousness of these students’ cause, the reality is that the implementation of an equitable, robust, and sustainable nationwide system of paid internships, in the near-term, is politically impracticable. Given that most human …

Navigating Early Intervention: The Experiences And Impact Of A Parent Coaching Model On Immigrant And Refugee Families In Rural Massachusetts, Emily Pleasant

Capstone Collection

Early Intervention (EI) programs play a critical role in supporting the developmental needs of children from birth to age three. This study explores the experiences of immigrant and refugee families engaging with EI services in rural Massachusetts, focusing particularly on the implementation and effectiveness of parent coaching models. Utilizing a mixed methods design that incorporates both narrative and phenomenological approaches, the research examines how families from culturally diverse backgrounds perceive and engage with EI services. This study discusses what barriers or facilitators they encounter throughout their journeys with Early Intervention. Preliminary findings suggest challenges related to language, cultural differences in …

Enhancing Client Intake Efficiency In The Removal Defense Program: A Nursing-Led Quality Improvement Initiative, Johnny Linares, Julia Tran Ngo, Daniel Orea, Atheana Yadira Lopez

Master's Projects and Capstones

This quality improvement project focuses on optimizing the intake process for the Removal Defense Program at a nonprofit immigration legal office serving asylum-seeking clients. The existing intake relied on unstructured, phone-call-based intake interviews that gathered incomplete information, leading to inconsistent documentation, reduced efficiency, and significant client processing delays. A structured, multilingual, and multiplatform new-client admission protocol coupled with the implementation of a client-facing resource guide for waitlist clients were co-developed and implemented using the Lippitt Change Theory framework. Utilizing a mixed methods approach, the study involved staff interviews and observational assessments with staff members from the program. Baseline intake process …

Counternarratives In Art Education: Portraitures Of Underrepresented Students A Decade After Graduation, Marianna Elrayes

Art Education Masters Theses

The research sought to better understand and advocate for underserved and underrepresented art students in public education through the utilization of counternarratives. How can we effectively resolve social justice issues in art education if we do not listen to the voices and perspectives of the students these issues directly impact? Foundational theory for this research has been the works by Paulo Freire (1970/2017), Antonia Darder (2012), and bell hooks (1994). Through the lens of critical theory, the research provided an overview of academic socio-political issues and oppressive systems in place perpetuating the stigma around underserved and underrepresented students. The research …

Farming With Data: Tracing Critical Tensions Using Data Science For Food Justice, Marc Sager, Maximilan Sherard, Anthony Petrosino

Publications

In this manuscript, we explore the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and equitable learning in higher education, focusing on data science as a subset of AI and social justice as the core theme of equity. Our investigation sheds light on the nuanced tensions inherent in employing data science for social justice. Rooted in situated perspectives of learning and consequential learning, our study employs an instrumental case-study methodology and analysis techniques from interaction and conversation analysis. Collaborating with three undergraduate students and an urban farm, the students used data science practices to highlight inequities surrounding food justice and access to food. …

Not Just A White People's Book Club: The Participatory Action Research Of An Educator Collaborative, Jessica E. Smedley

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This participatory action research (PAR) study investigated the learning and action of a racial and social justice book club composed of educators within a public school district. Over several years, the group engaged in collaborative cycles of inquiry, reflection, and systemic action to deepen understanding of racism, power, and equity in education. Framed by Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, Relational-Cultural Theory, and Transformative Learning Theory, this study explored how learning in community supported both personal and collective transformation. Findings highlight that the book club functioned as a relational and intellectual space where vulnerability, critical reflection, and mutual accountability fostered growth-fostering relationships …

Empowerment Through The Sisters Lifting As We Climb Network: Examining The Organization’S Impact On Black Women, Sharnay Hearn Davis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological case study examines the role of empowerment within the “Sisters Lifting as We Climb Network” through the experiences of Black women participants in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Utilizing in-depth semi-structured interviews, the research investigates the organization's origins, evolution, and social support mechanisms that foster empowerment, as well as participants' experiences with programs and activities over the past nine years. Additionally, the study identifies areas for organizational improvement to further enhance participant empowerment.

The findings of this research support the empowerment theory framework by clarifying the preconditions, processes, and outcomes of empowerment within the Network, which fosters sisterhood and enhances participants' …

Understanding The Experiences Of White Female Elementary School Teachers Who Promote Racial Equity And Justice In White Schools, Meredith Valentine

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

In this qualitative study, I conducted semi-structured interviews of six white, female elementary school teachers to better understand how and why they enacted principles of racial equity to challenge the status quo of whiteness with their predominantly white middle-class students and school community. Teachers felt they lacked a formal, structured education to feel confident in their teaching of racial and social justice concepts. Teachers used other forms of social justice teaching that they were more experientially familiar with, such as gender equity, language diversity, and (dis)ability, as a catalyst to discuss topics of racial justice. Each educator navigated their classroom …

How Are Teachers Leading Now? From Access To Activism: An Introduction To The Special Issue, Kaavonia Hinton, Jori S. Beck

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

In this introduction to a special issue on teacher leadership (TL), the editors argue that recent attacks against antiracist teaching have influenced TL. Thus, we offer an overview of several issues these collected authors explore related to TL, including access to TL for teachers of color; advancing equity through leadership teams; self-care for teacher advocates; and TL as advocacy, activism, and antiracist work.

Black Women Policymakers And Black Feminist Approaches In United States Gender-Based Violence Policies: Analyzing Policy Making, Institutional, And Social Media Discourse Through The Narrative Policy Framework, Gugu Selela

All Dissertations

This research study examines how gender-based violence (GBV) policy in the United States marginalizes Black women through race-neutral language and punitive frameworks. Despite facing disproportionate violence, Black women are often excluded from policy narratives, debates, and institutional priorities. Grounded in Black Feminist Thought and the Narrative Policy Framework, this study investigates how exclusion operates across legislative, digital, and institutional domains, and how Black women in public service resist and reshape GBV policy through care-centered, survivor-informed practices. Focusing on the U.S. South, the study uses a qualitative, multi-method design. It analyzes ninety-three Senate committee transcripts from South Carolina, North Carolina, and …

Social Justice & Advocacy In Human Services, Cailyn F. Green, Bernadet Dejonge, Nikki Golden, Kim Brayton, Carrie Steinman, Shannon Raybold

Milne Open Textbooks

Read this book online at: https://milnepublishing.geneseo.edu/social-justice-in-human-services/

Social Justice & Advocacy in Human Services delves into the complex realm of social justice, offering a deep dive into historical roots and theories to practical applications in the field. This text covers fundamental concepts, including power, privilege, and oppression, and explores critical issues like racism, gender, sexuality, poverty, religion, and disability in the context of the United States. The last section of the book hones in on the field of human services, discussing power, privilege, and bias in this context, and lastly exploring equitable distribution, human rights, and the systems and entry points …

Questioning In Contested Spaces And Cultural Currents In Popular Culture And Pedagogy: Book Bans, Music, Horror And Poetry, Anna Cohenmiller

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

Questioning in contested spaces and cultural currents in popular culture and pedagogy: Book bans, music, horror and poetry

How do the texts we encounter affect, and reflect, the cultures in which we live? How about the educational spaces and the communities we inhabit? How might we engage with popular culture texts to better understand today, and create more inclusive futures?

Illuminating Trauma & Resilience In Educational Spaces: Expanding Narratives To Promote Historical And Critical Civic Empathy At Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site, Chakakuan Johnson, Linda Nance, Byron Witherspoon

Dissertations

Abstract

The 1957 desegregation crisis at Little Rock Central High School marked a defining moment in the Civil Rights Movement and continues to symbolize the broader struggle for racial equality. This dissertation examines equity in educational spaces through a four-truth lens that was first articulated by the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission and explores forensic, personal, social, and healing truth. Using Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site (CHSC) and park interpretation as the focal point, our qualitative research study used reflexive thematic analysis to examine oral interviews, onsite observations, and various documents and artifacts, and to illuminate …