Social Justice: Theories, Issues and Movements

Contents: Introduction. I. Explorations in social justice: 1. Conceptions of Justice: Classic and Modern Forms. 2. Distributive Justice. 3. Retributive Justice. 4. Toward Transformative Justice. II. Issues in social justice: 5. Multiculturalism, Globalism, and Challenges to Developing Forms of Justice. 6. Environmental and Ecological Justice. 7. Indigenous/Postcolonial Forms of Justice. 8. Postmodern Forms of Justice. III. Struggles for social justice: 9. Legal Struggles and Social Justice. 10. Justice and Grassroots Struggles. 11. Emerging Conceptions of Justice in a Global Arena. Conclusion.

An eye for an eye, the balance of scales – for centuries, these and other traditional concepts exemplified the public’s perception of justice. Today, popular culture, including television shows like Law and Order, informs the public’s vision. But do age-old symbols, portrayals in the media, and existing systems truly represent justice in all of its nuanced forms, or do we need to think beyond these notions?

In Social Justice: Theories, Issues, and Movements, Loretta Capeheart and Dragan Milovanovic respond to the need for a comprehensive introduction to this topic. The authors argue that common conceptions of criminal justice – which accept, for the most part, a politically established definition of crime – are too limited. Instead, they show the relevancy of history, political economy, culture, critique, and cross-cultural engagement to the advancement of justice.

Drawing on contemporary issues ranging from globalization to the environment, this essential textbook  – ideal for course use – encourages practitioners, reformists, activists, and scholars to question the limits of the law in its present state in order to develop a fairer system at the local, national, and global levels. (jacket)