Rethinking Social Justice: Theory and Action in an Age of Transition

This book offers a compelling and original rethinking of social justice at a moment of global uncertainty and transformation. Tracing the emergence and evolution of modern social justice discourse, it addresses two fundamental questions: what ends should we aspire toward, and what means are most effective in pursuing them? Moving beyond familiar critiques of injustice, the authors identify a shared, though often implicit, horizon that diverse traditions of thought all orient toward: contributive justice. This positive vision of social justice centers on the creation of social conditions that enable every individual and group to develop their capacities to contribute meaningfully to collective flourishing.Drawing on a wide range of philosophical, historical, and empirical sources, the book critically examines the strategies that have shaped social justice movements. It argues that, in the current transitional period, contentious and oppositional approaches are reaching a point of diminishing returns. In their place, the authors propose radical constructive agency: purposeful, collective efforts to build new social forms and institutions capable of supplanting anachronistic and unjust ones.Ambitious in scope yet accessible in style, this work brings clarity to complex debates while offering a hopeful and forward-looking framework for change. Its rigorous synthesis of key concepts and traditions, combined with its innovative theoretical contributions, makes it an essential resource for scholars, activists, and anyone seeking new pathways toward a more just and inclusive society.

Author: Michael Karlberg,Derik Smith
Publisher: Open Book Publishers
Published: 07/15/2026
Pages: 388
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.61lbs
Size: 9.21h x 6.14w x 1.05d
ISBN: 9781805119333

About the Author
Karlberg, Michael: - Michael Karlberg is a Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Western Washington University, with a focus on peace and justice studies. His interdisciplinary scholarship is focused on efforts to reconceptualize human nature, power, social organization, and social change in the pursuit of peace and justice. His current research is focused on contributive justice and radical constructive agency as ends and means of social transformation. A list of his publications can be accessed at https: //wp.wwu.edu/karlberg.Smith, Derik: - Derik Smith is a Professor in the Department of Literature at Claremont McKenna College. His work is focused on the analysis of American culture and, particularly, African American literary culture. He is the author of many articles, and the book, Robert Hayden In Verse: New Histories of African American Poetry and the Black Arts Era. His current scholarship addresses African American poetry and intellectual history, as well as the connection between critical race studies and the Baha'i Faith. Smith also teaches courses in and about American prisons. An overview of his publications (listed within his CV) can be downloaded at https: //www.cmc.edu/sites/default/files/2022-05/SmithD2021CV.doc

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