Introduction to Social Justice

History and Evolution of Social Justice

The concept of social justice first arose in the 19 th century during the
Industrial Revolution as attempts were made to promote more egalitarian
societies and reduce the exploitation of certain marginalized groups due
to the vast disparity between the rich and poor at the time. Social justice
initially focused on issues such as the distribution of capital, property, and
wealth due to the extreme levels of inequality and economic distress
prevalent at the time, resulting from the European social class structure.

Today, social justice has shifted towards a stronger emphasis on human

rights and improving the lives of disadvantaged and marginalized groups
that have historically faced discrimination in society. Many of these groups
have been discriminated against on the basis of factors such as sex, age,
wealth, ethnicity, heritage, social status, religion, and others. Social
justice often leads to efforts to redistribute wealth to some of the
underprivileged groups through providing income, jobs, and education
support and opportunities.

Social Justice and the Government

While activists and advocates significantly influence the widespread

emphasis on social justice in the world today, the actual implementation
of social justice policies is often left to administrators, such as the
government, non-profit organizations, foundations, or agencies within the
bureaucracy. Such organizations are responsible for shaping public policies
to address social justice issues, and as a result, political factors influence
the extent to which social justice plays a role in the policies shaped by the
government and administrators of the day.

Social justice initiatives can be pursued through many different types of

government programs via wealth and income redistribution, government
subsidies, protected legal status in employment, and even legalized
discrimination against privileged groups through fines and taxes or even
through purges historically. Social justice initiatives are commonly seen
in socialist and communist countries, which integrates them into their
economic policies, as well as in the platforms of left-leaning political
parties within democracies.

Five Principles of Social Justice

There are five main principles of social justice that are paramount to
understanding the concept better. Namely, these are access to resources,
equity, participation, diversity, and human rights.

1. Access to Resources
Access to resources is an important principle of social justice and refers to
the extent to which different socioeconomic groups receive equal access
to give everyone an equal start in life. Many societies offer a multitude of
resources and services for their citizens, such as healthcare, food, shelter,
education, and recreational opportunities. However, unequal access to
such services often exists.

For example, individuals from wealthy households among the upper and
upper-middle classes are often better able to afford to attend good
schools and access post-secondary education, which leads to a greater
chance of obtaining jobs with higher income in the future. In contrast,
those from the lower classes face fewer opportunities. It, in turn, limits
access to education for future generations and continues the cycle of
facing disadvantages.

2. Equity

Equity refers to how individuals are given tools specific to their needs and
socioeconomic status in order to move towards similar outcomes. It
contrasts with equality, where everyone is offered the same tools to move
towards the same outcome.

As such, often, things that are equal are not equitable due to the more
advanced needs of some individuals and groups. Social justice, integrated
with addressing equity issues, might include advancing policies that
provide support to overcome systemic barriers.

3. Participation

Participation refers to how everyone in society is given a voice and

opportunity to verbalize their opinions and concerns and have a role in
any decision-making that affects their livelihood and standard of living.
Social injustice occurs when a small group of individuals makes decisions
for a large group, while some people are unable to voice their opinions.

4. Diversity

Understanding diversity and appreciating the value of cultural differences

are especially important because policymakers are often better able to
construct policies that take into consideration differences that exist
among different societal groups. It is important to recognize that some
groups face more barriers in society, and by considering the inequities,
policymakers and civil servants will be in a stronger position to expand
opportunities for marginalized or disadvantaged groups.

Discrimination in employment on the basis of factors such as race,

gender, ethnicity, sex, age, and other characteristics are constant issues
in society, and enforcing policies to countermand discriminatory practices
are one way in which diversity is taken into consideration.

5. Human Rights

Human rights are one of the most important principles of social justice
and form a foundational part of the concept. Human rights and social
justice are certainly interrelated, and it is impossible for one to exist
without the other.

Human rights are fundamental to societies that respect the civil,

economic, political, cultural, and legal rights of individuals and
governments, organizations, and individuals must be held responsible if
they fail to ensure the upholding of these rights. They are extremely
important in many societies and are recognized internationally through
institutions such as the International Criminal Court and the United
Nations Human Rights Council.

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Counselors as Social Justice Advocates

By Laura Pignato

Laura Pignato, MS, is a third-year doctoral student (PhD in Counselor

Education & Supervision) at William & Mary.

Why is social justice important in counseling?

Counselors are trained to understand the importance of addressing and

preventing trauma symptomology, as well as the impact traumatic events
can have on the well-being of individuals and communities. Moreover, if
counselors are to practice culturally responsive, trauma-informed care—
including in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Military and Veterans
Counseling and School Counseling—with the attention such needed
practice deserves, then they must also address the historical and
sociocultural contextual factors that maintain social inequity and
generational trauma, marginalization of the most vulnerable individuals,
and continued disenfranchisement of communities and diverse groups,
both nationally and internationally.

Mental health inequities have become increasingly apparent, as illustrated

by the deleterious effects of racism, sexism, ethnocentrism on individual
mental and physical health outcomes, impeded access to culturally
responsive mental health services that address the above inequity, and
disproportionate rates of trauma symptoms reported by culturally diverse
groups and underserved communities. Furthermore, systemic oppression
and related generational trauma deteriorates potential for optimal growth
in both individuals and communities, which affects the ability to create
sustained change for an improved quality of living.

Counselors, as helping professionals and agents of social change with an

understanding of life span issues and intercultural communication skills
needed in an evolving pluralistic society, have a professional role and
ability to address mental health disparities rooted in oppression and
societal inequities. In addition, counselors are in a unique position to
advocate for sustained change within communities by dismantling barriers
that impede individuals’ optimal growth and community resilience.
Counselors can provide necessary connections within the community,
access to resources, and cultivation of resistance strategies aligned with
diverse client needs and local values by acting as collaborative allies and
practicing social justice counseling as the norm.

What is social justice in the counseling profession?

Social justice counseling has been referenced as the “fifth force” in

counseling (Ratts, 2009).1 Such a worldview requires counselors to act as
change agents through collaborative efforts in a multilevel framework and
active engagement with the local community to achieve a more just
world. Moreover, counseling professionals have defined social justice in
counseling as both an ongoing process and goal actualized through
culturally appropriate advocacy strategies that extend the social justice
worldview into everyday practices. These practices must strive to enable
empowerment on intrapersonal, interpersonal, and institutional levels
based on a historical and contextualized understanding of current issues
affecting individuals within the surrounding community. 2 3

Furthermore, a social justice orientation implies counselors need to

embody the mandated multicultural and social justice counseling
competencies through reflexivity and liberatory practices. 4 Importantly,
counselors embodying a liberation or “humanization” mindset recognize
the inherent strengths within all individuals and communities, and engage
in a participatory democratic process with clients that affirms an
individual’s power and agency while struggling for personal and collective
freedom limited by the dominant status quo.5 6

What are the current social justice and advocacy standards for
counselors?
Since the late 1970s, when counseling professionals first called for action
and implementation of a social justice education program within counselor
education, social justice advocates and leaders in the counseling
profession have taken substantial strides to integrate a social justice
worldview into the counseling field and governing ethical standards.

For example, the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of

Ethics indicates counselors have an ethical obligation to dismantle
potential barriers and obstacles that inhibit a client’s positive
development and potential for growth.7 Similarly, the American School
Counselor Association (ASCA) defines advocacy as a necessary
component in the Ethical Standards for School Counselors. 8 In these
standards, ASCA emphasizes school counselors’ role as collaborators with
and for students in achieving educational equity by dismantling perceived
barriers to access and opportunities.

Additionally, social justice and advocacy processes are described in the

accreditation standards set forth by the Council for Accreditation of
Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). CACREP noted all
accredited programs and individuals working within or graduating from
these counseling programs have the responsibility for engaging and
modeling “advocacy processes needed to address institutional and social
barriers that [impede] access, equity, and success for clients.” 9

These standards echo similar sentiments for the need to understand how
power and privilege influence the counselor and client in their everyday
lives and the therapeutic relationship. Counselors, supervisors, and
counselor educators need to engage in strategies that identify and
dismantle barriers, prejudice, and processes that maintain systemic
oppression. These standards recognize the need for education and
understanding of a multicultural perspective and knowledge of pluralistic
characteristics within and among diverse groups, as well as the
importance of social justice counseling and advocacy as a norm infused
throughout programs, rather than regulated into a single class.

How do social justice and advocacy relate to counseling competencies?

Beyond adhering to the above ethical and accreditation standards in

relation to social justice and advocacy by demonstrating foundational
knowledge and infusing social justice principles throughout counseling
programs, counselors must be social justice advocates within and beyond
the office through an active commitment to personal awareness, lifelong
learning, and assessing their counseling competencies.

Current counseling competencies imperative to social justice counseling

include the multicultural and social justice counseling competencies 4 and
the recently updated ACA advocacy competencies. 10 Counselors are
encouraged to build an ever-evolving “toolbox” or resources that reflect
social justice and advocacy counseling competencies and continuous
exploration for understanding and incorporating more emancipatory and
culturally responsive systemic frameworks into research, training, and
clinical practice.

Resources Toolbox for the Social Justice Advocate

 ACA Advocacy Competencies

 ALGBTIC Competencies for Counseling LGBQIQA Individuals

 ALGBTIC Competencies for Counseling Transgender Clients

 Competencies for Addressing Spiritual and Religious Issues in

Counseling

 Competencies for Counseling the Multiracial Population

 Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies

 Engaging Students and Supervisees in Social Justice

We Put Social Justice at the Heart of Counseling

If you are an aspiring counselor with a strong passion for social justice,
explore William & Mary’s Online Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Counseling.
Whether you want to pursue Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Military
and Veterans Counseling or School Counseling, this program is designed
to prepare culturally responsive social justice advocates ready to serve
any population with empathy and professionalism.

Sources

1. Ratts, M. J. (2009). Social justice counseling: Toward the

development of a “fifth force” among counseling paradigms. Journal
of Humanistic Counseling, Education and Development, 48.
Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.

2. Adams, M., Bell, L. A., & Griffin, P. (Eds.). (2007). Teaching for
diversity and social justice (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

3. Ratts, M. J., Toporek, R. L., & Lewis, J. A. (2010). ACA Advocacy

Competencies: A social justice framework for counselors.
Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.
 4. Retrieved on May 6, 2019, from
counseling.org/docs/default-source/competencies/multicultural-and-
social-justice-counseling-competencies.pdf?sfvrsn=20

5. Goodman, R. D., & Gorski, P. (2014). Decolonizing "multicultural"

counseling through social justice / edited by Rachael D. Goodman,
Paul C. Gorski. (International and cultural psychology series).

6. Freire, P. (2000). Pedagogy of the oppressed / Paulo Freire;

translated by Myra Bergman Ramos; with an introduction by Donald
Macedo. (30th-anniversary ed.). New York: Continuum.

7. American Counseling Association. (2014). ACA code of ethics.

Alexandria, VA: Author.

8. Retrieved on May 6, 2019, from

schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/Ethics/EthicalStandards2016.p
df

9. Retrieved on May 6, 2019, from

cacrep.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/2016-Standards-with-
citations.pdf

10. Retrieved on May 6, 2019, from counseling.org/docs/default-

source/competencies/aca-2018-advocacy-competencies.pdf?
sfvrsn=1dca552

11. Retrieved on May 6, 2019, from counseling.org/knowledge-

center/competencies

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WHAT IS SOCIAL JUSTICE IN COUNSELING

Social justice in counseling refers to the commitment of counselors to

promote fairness, equity, and equal opportunities for all clients —
especially those who are marginalized, oppressed, or disadvantaged by
social, cultural, or systemic inequalities. It expands the counselor’s role
beyond individual therapy to include advocacy, empowerment, and social
change within communities and society.

Definition
Social justice in counseling means striving to ensure that all individuals
have access to the resources, rights, and opportunities needed to achieve
well-being and self-determination. Counselors practicing social justice are
aware that clients’ psychological issues are often influenced by social,
political, and economic contexts — not just personal factors.

Core Principles

1. Equity – Providing fair treatment and access to opportunities by

recognizing and addressing systemic barriers.

2. Access – Ensuring that all individuals, regardless of background,

can obtain counseling and mental health services.

3. Participation – Encouraging clients and communities to have a

voice in decisions that affect their lives.

4. Harmony and Human Rights – Promoting respect, dignity, and

the elimination of discrimination and oppression.

In Practice

Social justice-oriented counselors:

 Acknowledge power, privilege, and oppression in the

counseling process.

 Advocate for clients in systems such as education, healthcare, or

the legal system.

 Empower clients to recognize and challenge social injustices

affecting them.

 Adapt interventions to be culturally and contextually relevant.

 Engage in community work and public policy efforts to address

structural inequalities.

Examples

 Helping a client who faces racial discrimination in the workplace

and supporting them in developing coping and advocacy skills.

 Working with schools to reduce bullying or bias against minority

students.

 Advocating for mental health resources in underserved rural or

low-income communities.
  Training to understand LGBTQ+ issues, refugee trauma, or
indigenous perspectives in counseling.

In the Malaysian Context

In Malaysia, social justice in counseling often involves:

 Promoting multicultural sensitivity and harmony among diverse

ethnic and religious groups.

 Promoting intercultural understanding and unity among ethnic and

religious groups

 Reducing stigma around mental health in rural or marginalized

communities

 Addressing educational inequalities in rural or low-income

communities.

 Advocating for gender equality and protection against domestic

violence.

 Supporting marginalized populations, such as Orang Asli

communities or refugees, to access counseling and mental health
care.

The Importance of Social Justice in Counseling

Social justice is an essential concept in modern counseling practice. It

emphasizes fairness, equality, and the recognition of social, cultural, and
economic factors that influence an individual’s mental health and well-
being. Counselors who adopt a social justice perspective understand that
personal problems are often linked to broader social issues such as
poverty, discrimination, gender inequality, and marginalization. Therefore,
their role extends beyond individual support to include advocacy and
empowerment for clients and communities.

One of the key reasons social justice is important in counseling is that it

promotes equity and access. Every individual, regardless of background,
deserves the right to receive quality counseling services. A social justice
approach ensures that marginalized and underserved populations—such
as those living in rural areas, minority groups, or persons with disabilities
—are not left behind. It also challenges systemic barriers that limit
people’s opportunities for mental, emotional, and social growth.
Moreover, integrating social justice makes counseling more effective
and relevant. When counselors acknowledge the social and cultural
realities of their clients, they can design interventions that are more
meaningful and respectful. Clients feel better understood and supported,
which enhances the therapeutic relationship and leads to better
outcomes. This approach also empowers clients to recognize their
strengths, advocate for themselves, and take part in positive social
change.

Social justice is also an ethical responsibility. Professional codes of

ethics, including those from the Malaysian Board of Counsellors,
emphasize respect for human rights, dignity, and diversity. Counselors
have a moral duty to stand against discrimination and injustice while
promoting inclusivity in all aspects of their work.

In Malaysia’s multicultural context, social justice in counseling is

especially significant. Counselors play a vital role in promoting harmony
among different ethnic and religious groups, addressing educational and
economic inequalities, and supporting vulnerable communities such as
women, refugees, and indigenous populations.

In conclusion, social justice is not just an ideal but a necessity in

counseling. It ensures fairness, enhances the effectiveness of counseling,
and contributes to a more compassionate and inclusive society.