Teaching for Social Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Teaching for Social Justice - Essay Example History has been the mute witness to countless killings and wars waged on account of superficial differences. The principle of equality has been espoused the world over as an essential quality needed for fruitful coexistence and mutual benefit. Though no two individuals are "equal", on a set of any given parameters, as a principle, however, one has to respect and interact with the other on an equal footing. But this is always not the case because of many forms of discrimination prevalent in society to sanctify which efforts were launched to assign it a scientific basis. The shameful history of scientific racism in the 20th century is well known wherein fashionable genetic theories were quickly reflected in public policies, from compulsory sterilization in the US to Nazi death camps in Germany. Later, the notion of race was found to be a myth far removed from biological fact. Modern molecular genetics has established that genetic profiles cannot divide humanity into any definitive types. There arent any genetic markers for race or ethnicity. In fact intermingling of genes is a characteristic feature of the human species that has resulted due to years and years of travelling, trading, migration, pilgrimage, invasion and conquest. The nurture and active proliferation of inequality in varied forms and in many cultures can be related to or is a result of the arrogance of power. The subjugation of vast masses and the control it affords to those holding the reins of power, to write the destiny of hapless individuals, is a heady mix. It intoxicates the powerful with furthering their economic interests giving them a reason to stereotype the subjugated and the weak with irrational lies. 'They' are not capable; are unintelligent; carry many cultural disadvantages; do not fit the 'mould'; are below the par; less than average; these are some of the remarks hurled around to describe people from disadvantaged backgrounds, who live in utter poverty and neither have education nor 'hope' forcing them to accept their lot as something preordained or deserving of such pitiful condition.  Ã‚