Health and Social Justice

Social justice in public health holds the view that everyone deserves equal rights and opportunities, and the right to good health. Yet today, inequities in health are driven by unequal policies and practices based on the unequal distribution of money, power and resources among communities based on gender, class, race, place and other factors. Incorporating insights from the social sciences, this subject will engage with the social, political, economic and historical factors shaping the root causes of health inequities. Promoting social justice through strategies of health promotion, community development, empowerment and advocacy becomes a driving mission of public health. This subject will explore social justice concepts, issues and policy remedies – supporting the development of the necessary analytical tools and information to assess inequality and injustice and address historical and contemporary issues. Students will gain skills and competencies in public health advocacy, that focus on both individual and community level disadvantage, as well as social policy reform and community activism.