Social Justice Concentration Is a Pathway for Changemakers
Whitman College students have always cared about making a difference. Now, they can formally integrate that passion into their studies with the new Social Justice Concentration launched in Fall 2024. This concentration can be added to any major, allowing students to draw together social justice issues across disciplines like Psychology, Politics, Film and Media Studies, and more.
The Social Justice Concentration is led by faculty members including Lisa Uddin, Associate Professor of Art History and Paul Garrett Fellow.
“We’re providing a flexible but structured pathway,” says Uddin, who’s teaching the first course, Introduction to Social Justice (SJ 110). “Students will study systems of oppression, interrogate their own relationship to injustice and learn models for liberation and change, all while connecting theory and history to hands-on practice.”
Laying the Foundations of Social Justice
Introduction to Social Justice lays the groundwork for students by covering core topics like structural oppression, power and positionality, and social movements.
“This course is all about developing our social, political, and moral imaginations towards liberation and justice,” says Uddin. “We study conceptual tools, historical precedents and ourselves in the classroom with the goal of making knowledgeable and valuable contributions to social change.”
A major feature of the class is creating a proposal for a Project for Action and Change, where students apply what they’ve learned to a real world context, such as preparing an anti-racism workshop or developing a new program for a community organization. This project becomes a central thread for their studies, guiding them through the rest of the concentration.
Introduction to Social Justice students gathered in the Glover Alston Intercultural Center for a group writing project.
The Practicum Experience
To complete the concentration, students take Social Justice Practicum (SJ 310), which builds on their Project for Action and Change and includes a public presentation.
“The practicum is about connecting with the community,” Uddin explains. “Students share what they’ve learned, fostering dialogue on social change.”
This capstone course encourages students to reflect on their experiences, examine different approaches to social justice work, and present their insights.
Thematic Areas of the Social Justice Concentration
- Systems, Institutions and Policies: Explore how social structures impact inequality.
- Power, Positionality and Responsibility: Dive into social identities, power, and how differences like race and gender affect us.
- Social Movements and Liberation: Study past and present struggles against oppression and how social movements drive change.
Making a Real-World Impact
“Students who are drawn to this program are curious or already passionate about social change,” says Uddin. “They want to understand and address the injustices they have inherited, reproduced and survived.”
This concentration helps students examine their role in social structures and gain tools to create meaningful transformation. Graduates will leave equipped with both a deep understanding of social justice and practical skills to become advocates in their communities and beyond.
Through the Social Justice Concentration, Whitman College students align their studies with a commitment to responsible citizenship and ethical action in service of a better world. The program’s blend of theory, history and hands-on projects ensures they’re ready to work with others for social justice in whatever paths they choose.
Social Justice Concentration graphic by Anna Stone ’24