Human Rights and Social Justice: Social Action and Service for the Helping and Health Professions

by Joseph Wronka

Offering a unique perspective that views human rights as the foundation of social justice, the third edition of Joseph Wronka's groundbreaking text (with instructor's manual) outlines human rights and social justice concerns as a powerful conceptual framework for policy and practice interventions, that are both proactive and reactive, for the helping and health professions. This highly accessible, interdisciplinary (if not phenomenological) text urges the creation of a human rights culture described as a "lived awareness" of human rights principles, including human dignity; nondiscrimination; civil and political; economic, social, cultural, and solidarity rights. This third edition has been updated robustly and covers some of the most pressing issues facing our world today, such as COVID-19, the growth of white supremacy in the U.S., extreme right populism, increasing mental illness and substance abuse, and destruction of natural habitats. The author has also incorporated more examples outside the U.S., reflecting the ever-increasing connectivity of our world. This text is applicable for a variety of courses within the disciplines of social work, psychology, sociology, public health, law, medicine, philosophy, political science, as well as the "newer" disciplines like peace studies, diversity and inclusion, world citizenship, and sustainable development. Scholars, activists, and practitioners will find it a valuable reference for years to come.

544 pages, Paperback

First published November 12, 2007

Reviews

[Melissa Lee-Tammeus · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you like debates about human rights and ethics and want to sound cool to your intellectual friends as you sip lattes at the local coffee bar, this book is for you. Yeah, it's that pretentious. There is some good stuff in here, though, really. I loved the trivia such as how Norman Rockwell was commissioned to paint the human rights in a series of paintings, which became quite famous. (Who knew the one with the older couple putting a turkey on the table surrounded by family had anything to do with the Declaration of Human Rights? Not me.) This book is great for reference as far as history, law, and justice issues that come up in practice. And around the dinner table. You will sound smart, I promise.