Social Issues: Definitions

• These are definitions of terms related to social issues.

Activism

• Taking action to support or make a change for a political or social cause constitutes activism.

Advocacy

• Speaking or acting in support of a cause or idea is known as advocacy.

Allyship

• Allyship involves working with others to support and stand up for groups facing unfair treatment.

Discrimination

• Treating someone unfairly because of their race, age, gender, or other differences is discrimination.

Empathy

• Empathy is understanding and sharing someone else's feelings.

Equity

• Ensuring everyone gets what they need to be successful or treated fairly is the goal of equity.

Globalization

• Globalization refers to how people, ideas, and businesses from different parts of the world are connected and affect each other.

Heteronormativity

• The assumption that all people are heterosexual and that there are specific gendered behaviors for boys and girls, that are considered 'normal' is heteronormativity.

Human Rights

• Basic freedoms and rights that belong to all people, such as safety, education, and freedom of speech, known as human rights.

Inequality

• A situation where people don't have the same rights or opportunities signifies inequality.

Intersectionality

• How different parts of a person's identity (like race, gender, and class) combine to shape their experiences defines intersectionality.

Justice

• Treating people fairly and ensuring rules are fair for everyone is considered justice.

Marginalization

• Ignoring or leaving out people or groups, making them feel unimportant, leads to marginalization.

Oppression

• When a group is treated unfairly or cruelly for a long time, it is termed oppression.

Privilege

• Privilege means having advantages or opportunities that others might not have, often without realizing it.

Prejudice

• Judging someone unfairly before getting to know them constitutes prejudice.

Refugee

• A person who leaves their home country to escape danger, like war or natural disasters, is a refugee.

Social Construct

• An idea or belief that people in a society create and accept, like rules about gender roles, is a social construct.

Social Justice

• Social justice involves working to make sure all people are treated fairly and have the same opportunities.

Solidarity

• Standing together with others to support a shared cause defines solidarity.

Stereotype

• A belief about a group of people that isn't always true is a stereotype.

Stigma

• A negative or unfair opinion about someone because of a certain trait or condition creates stigma.

Sustainability

• Sustainability means taking care of resources so that they last for a long time and don't harm the planet.

Systemic

• Systemic describes something that affects an entire system, like a school or society, rather than just individuals.