The right to breathe: a sociological commentary on racialized injustice, borders and violence

Meikle, Paulette

doi:10.1108/edi-06-2020-0152

Cited by 5 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…As we reflect on the truncated life of George Floyd and the lives of so many Black and Brown Americans, the pain of the present reconnects us to the legacy of oppression. Yet, the prevailing rhetoric in the highest social and educational offices pronounces justice and dignity for all and equality for all facets of humanity, regardless of race, gender, religion, or creed (Meikle 2020). Universities are rife with intellectual forthrightness, political influence, analytic competencies, and academic infrastructure to address the structural biases related to inequality and perpetuation of dehumanizing social problems.…”

Section: University Social Responsibilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

University Social Responsibility: Challenging Systemic Racism in the Aftermath of George Floyd’s Murder

Meikle

Morris

2022

Administrative Sciences

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In this paper, we examine university discretionary interpretation of the 2020 social upheaval that emanated from George Floyd’s murder as an element of university social responsibility (USR) policymaking. The paper addresses two research questions: (a) What are university presidents’ implicit and explicit social justice responses to George Floyd’s death and the idealistic protests of 2020? (b) To what degree are principles of social justice embedded in universities’ intellectual roots and social responsibility? Using a sample of university presidents’ public statements in response to George Floyd’s death and the idealistic protests of 2020, we analyze the response and responsibilities of universities in the struggle for a just society. We cross-check mission statements and strategic plans to corroborate universities’ public statements with their institutional philosophies, mission, and action plans relating to discrimination against racial and ethnic minorities and systemic racism. We use critical discourse analysis and the Voyant Tool to perform a textual analysis of 62 university presidents’ letters and mission statements. They all denounced the dehumanization and inequitable treatment of Black people. An important implication of our work is the sharp difference in the depth and forthrightness of responses by university presidents across university types. Some presidential letters are forthright in their denouncement of the murder of George Floyd and systemic racism, while others were, at best, vague in their approach. Presidential letters disclose their institutions’ priorities, organizational identities, and social responsibility convictions. Overall, mission statements and strategic plans included addressing systemic racism and inequality. While there is no ordered symmetry between presidential narratives and institutional action, we anticipate social responsibility as a core institutional value. We argue for social justice anti-racist platforms as critical dimensions of USR. We call for university milieus that promote a fair and just society among all stakeholders.

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Section: University Social Responsibilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

University Social Responsibility: Challenging Systemic Racism in the Aftermath of George Floyd’s Murder

Meikle

Morris

2022

Administrative Sciences

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“…More than 40 years later, Black mothers in the United States still have this fear. Significant differences in perspectives and experiences of Black and White women have been discussed for generations (e.g., E. L. J. E. Bell & Nkomo, 2001; Breines, 2006; Collins, 2000; Cooper, 2000; hooks, 1994; Hurtado, 1989; May, 2020; Sholock, 2012; Terrell, 1940) and we will not rehash this literature here. Instead, we call for White women to be aware of these differences and, beyond awareness, to reject complicity and the spoils of anti‐blackness and White supremacy (hooks, 1994).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In her work on White anti‐racist feminism, Sholock (2012) argues that for effective coalition building, White women must acknowledge their privilege and admit ignorance and epistemic uncertainty in some situations. As social injustice is a collective problem that harms us all, we call for collective action in the war against it, as have many others (Collins, 2000; Cooper, 2000; Dar, Liu, Martinez Dy, & Brewis, 2020; Meikle, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Making Black Lives Matter in academia: A Black feminist call for collective action against anti‐blackness in the academy

Bell

Berry

Leopold

et al. 2020

Gender Work & Organization

105

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In this article, as have many Black women scholars in the past, we again call for collective action against anti‐blackness and White supremacy in the academy. Drawing from black feminist theory, we discuss the long history of Black women academics' activism against anti‐black racism and introduce the current movement: Black Lives Matter (BLM). Although BLM is often construed as resisting anti‐black violence outside the academy, it is also relevant for within the academy wherein anti‐blackness is likely to be manifested as disdain, disregard, and disgust for Black faculty and students. We discuss some of the ways in which anti‐blackness and liberal White supremacy are manifested in the lives of Black faculty and students, and propose that non‐Black allies have key roles to play in resisting them. Like second‐hand cigarette smoke that harms everyone in proximity, anti‐blackness and White supremacy harm us all, and a shared movement is needed to dismantle them.

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“…implies notions of justice and observing institutional readiness for systemic change. Irrefutably, a platform for halting the propagation of racial and gender disparities and other forms of social inequities [63]. Framing and responding to the question, how are we advancing our communities' social, environmental, and economic well-being through learning objectives, research, and community engagement?…”

Section: University Response To Social Justicementioning

confidence: 99%

Social Justice as a Dimension of University Social Responsibility

Meikle¹

2024

Sustainable Development

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This chapter examines social justice as an element of university social responsibility (USR). In the face of persistent structural inequality, I discuss strategies for promoting social justice as intentional university platforms. I then explore institutional philosophies on empowering agents of change for a socially just society. This includes the university supporting inclusive and equitable action for people who have been historically underserved by higher education. I posit “start at home” as a new perspective on social responsibility related to campus climate and environment for faculty, students, and staff from diverse backgrounds. Finally, I propose a university social responsibility (USR) typology for universities with a social justice dimension their mission. The method includes a literature review and a thematic analysis of diverse universities’ social justice stances and statements. Accordingly, the paper addresses three research questions. (a) How can social justice be explicitly included in Universities’ third mission policies and activities (processes and outcomes)? (b) How can universities, as change agents, help produce socially responsible students and citizens? (c) Is there a typology for social justice as social responsibility for universities to self-diagnose their position relating to the intersection of social justice, community engagement, and the shaping of fair and just future practitioners?

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The right to breathe: a sociological commentary on racialized injustice, borders and violence

Cited by 5 publications

References 2 publications

University Social Responsibility: Challenging Systemic Racism in the Aftermath of George Floyd’s Murder

University Social Responsibility: Challenging Systemic Racism in the Aftermath of George Floyd’s Murder

Making Black Lives Matter in academia: A Black feminist call for collective action against anti‐blackness in the academy

Social Justice as a Dimension of University Social Responsibility

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