Helping to Promote Social Justice

Helping to Promote Social Justice is a richly informed and practical guide for advanced students and young professionals to become helpers capable of promoting social justice with whomever they collaborate with, mentor, serve and consult. Filled with insight and supplemental exercises, the book will direct readers to think critically and reflect on the broader social and political systems that create our current social injustices.

Beginning with a strong theoretical focus on power, social identity and intersectionality, the authors engage with readers’ assumptions on helping, their value systems and their understandings of power and privilege when helping communities in need. The rest of the book focuses on the application of these critical concepts, guiding future helpers to consider how to intervene, assess need, lead, build a team, address conflict and work to promote change from a position of social justice.

Written by academic faculty with expertise in teaching, coaching and consulting, Helping to Promote Social Justice should be considered essential reading for students in social work, psychology and counselling.

Debra A. Harkins is a professor of education and psychology at Suffolk University. Her current research interests include using action-based research and process consultation models with multicultural, underserved and diverse communities.

Kathryn J. Kozak recently received her doctorate in applied developmental psychology at Suffolk University. Her research focuses on ways in which people come to and engage in social justice work.

Lauren I. Grenier is a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at Suffolk University, where she works in the Community-Action Based Research lab under the mentorship of Dr. Debra A. Harkins. Lauren’s research focuses on social justice and critical experiential pedagogy, particularly in the context of higher education through service-learning.

Lynne-Marie Shea is a fourth-year clinical doctoral student in psychology at Suffolk University. Under the mentorship of Dr. Debra Harkins, Lynne’s clinical work revolves around community-based and systems-focused interventions for in-risk adolescents, and her research focuses on critical consciousness building, civic engagement, and holistic health and wellness.