The issue of environmental social justice is a combination of multiple factors. Climate change, the problems it brings, and the results of racial segregation have caused low-income, Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities to be more likely to face the adverse effects of environmental pollution. The need for change is evident, as all the reasons for the issues associated with environmental, and social justice are deeply rooted in the American system. The required transformations should be promoted not only by the government but by social institutions as well. A social institution is a network of interconnected social roles and norms built around fulfilling a critical social purpose (Kelley and Yu 5). The complexity of the problems demands various organizations to focus on each aspect. The state is a set of political-economic decisions among the social institutions relevant to developing environmental justice and climate.
The state has sufficient power to influence various aspects that may lead to social injustice. Among these is legislation, and in the context of the New Deal, the Civil Rights Bill was passed in 1964, which changed the view of labor (The 1964 Civil Rights Bill Explained in 8 Minutes). Discriminatory wages, conditions of ownership, and artificial segregation were outlawed, allowing black and indigenous people to make positive changes in their environment finally. In addition, they gained institutional power, and their voices now began to influence their security and access to education. The political institution had long restricted the rights of black Americans because it did not allow them to choose their jobs, places of residence, or even bus seats (Parker 2). Union legislation and votes have pushed society to reduce injustice (undefined [Educational Video Library]). Although public opinion is an informal institution, it does not allow people of color to achieve full social justice. Educational and governmental institutions must change to influence public opinion and change the continuing trends of racism.
The women’s rights movement arose as part of informal social institutions when it appeared that their rights continued to be sidelined despite being allowed to vote. The women who worked under harsh conditions (for example, factories) had the chance to create and promote alternatives based on collective work (Wolfington). Although it was not until 2018 that Mary Robinson declared that “Climate change is a man-made problem with a feminist solution,” women were already moving unions forward in the mid-60s and 70s (Tabary). Along with unions, women changed attitudes about justice: gradual empowerment allowed black women to choose the best education for themselves and their children (undefined [Educational Video Library]). Demands for reproductive and labor security allowed for a shift toward social justice. Women’s collective action stimulated the state to pass laws according to their wishes. Many black women and men were able to be educated, move to better neighborhoods, and develop families.
Thus, the chief social institution was the state, which directed legislation to equalize the social and economic rights of people of color. The Civil Rights Bill of 1964 opened up educational and employment opportunities for people of color and environmental justice. An oppressed group was empowered to change their lives, and the struggle for women’s rights contributed to this. In many ways, the trade union movement and the collective aspirations of women allowed not only all women but also men of color to advance in recognition of their rights.
Works Cited
“Equality: History of Women’s Movement.” YouTube, uploaded by Wolfington, Kelly, Web.
“How Climate Change and Environmental Justice Are Inextricably Linked.” The Washington Post, interview by Robin Rose Parker, Web.
Kelley, Jessica A., and Jiao Yu. “Social Change, Social Institutions, and Cohorts.” Annual Review of Gerontology and Geriatrics vol. 39 no. 1, 2018, 5-22.
Tabary, Zoe. “Climate Change Is a ‘Man-Made Problem With a Feminist Solution’: Former UN Rights Chief”. Global Citizen, Web.
“The 1964 Civil Rights Bill Explained in 8 Minutes.” YouTube, uploaded by Made From History, Web.
“This Union Cause: Animated History of the Labor Movement – by UAW.” YouTube, uploaded by Educational Video Library, Web.