TO BEGIN with, what is social identity? What is Social Justice? And what is Social Transformation? Is there any connection between these processes? And what is the nature of their interconnectedness?
It is important to state from the onset that this piece is not a study into or of these concepts, it is rather a look into what they mean, and how they are interrelated, within the context of our struggle for social emancipation, in order to achieve a more complete humanisation of the human civilisation; that is within the context of our struggle to transform our living conditions. This is why, right from the very beginning, I speak of these phenomena as processes, rather than as concepts.
Social Identity:
So, what is Social Identity? By its very nature, social identity is the identity we acquire by virtue of belonging to, or being part of a group. It is thus an identity, or consciousness and or perception of self, that is informed by a group we are a part of. Such social identities include race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, being poor, being wealthy, among others. Social identities in this context include social classes, which play a key role in shaping the other social identities.
“Social justice is about ensuring equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities to everyone regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, religious background, nationality, social class, sexual orientation, physical traits, cultural traits, etc., among others. In this sense, it is thus about the distribution of wealth, opportunities and privileges in society. Underlying the social justice process are thus the basic principles and practices of equity, access, participation, inclusion, and human rights. What this means is that where these principles are non-existent, and or are being undermined, there can be no social justice.”
In this sense, we can contrast social identity to biological – for example being female or male- and or physical – for example living in a particular place – identities. Nevertheless, these biological and or physical identities are subjected to the effects and impacts of the social relationships and social interactions that underlie societal processes; thus, enabling the conditions for the production and reproduction of specific social identities.
Thus, social identity emerges in the context of interactions and relationships entered into in the course of those interactions, between and among members of a human community, a society; enabling the formation of groups and group identities.
The emergent social identities are then further subjected to, driven and shaped by, relationships entered into in the course of interactions within the group, as well as without the group – that is with other groups, within the society.
Because the character of the mode of production [how we produce the requirements to sustain our existence], and the nature of social relations of production [that is the relations that evolve as we interact with one another and with nature in order to produce those sustenance requirements], are essentially exploitative, they are characterised by exclusion, marginalisation, oppression, and repression, as integral by-products, and enablers; the emergent social identities become characterised by inequality, lack of equity, non-inclusiveness, and absence of justice. Thus, it is that at the heart of the social identity process are the issues of the absence, and consequent clamour for equality, equity, inclusion, and justice.
It follows that social identities are historically and socially constructed, and as such, they can be deconstructed, and reconstructed. More about this later.
Social Justice:
Now, we come to social justice. What does it mean? What does the process of justice look like? Or more importantly, what constitutes a socially just process?
“The social transformation process is therefore essentially about achieving social emancipation, and ensuring a society based on social justice, and equal and universal citizenship and residency rights for everyone, that is for every member of the society.”
Social justice is about ensuring equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities to everyone regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, religious background, nationality, social class, sexual orientation, physical traits, cultural traits, etc., among others. In this sense, it is thus about the distribution of wealth, opportunities and privileges in society. Underlying the social justice process are thus the basic principles and practices of equity, access, participation, inclusion, and human rights. What this means is that where these principles are non-existent, and or are being undermined, there can be no social justice.
We can now see that the way wealth, opportunities and privileges are distributed, and accessed, inevitably shapes, and is reinforced by the nature and character of social identities in society. This is why the question of social justice is intrinsic to the social identity process.
We can add, that achieving social justice requires a different type society and social organisation, one in which there is equal and universal citizenship and residency rights. The existing socioeconomic formation of capitalism, is however inherently incapable of enabling this, since it is exploitative in essence. Hence the quest for social transformation.
Social Transformation:
Social Transformation is the process of restructuring of all aspects of life of a people and society; ranging from culture [that is our way of life and of living]; through social relations [that is the relationships we enter into to make our way of life]; Politics [that is the processes and mechanisms we utilise to administer our society]; to Economy [that is how we produce the requires to sustain our way of life]; thus, ultimately changing our way of think, and our way of living.
“Each of these processes are social processes, that is they are processes that take place within the context of interactions and relationships between and among members of a society; and between members of society and their environment, that is between humanity and nature. The implication of these is that as social processes, they can be changed, discarded, replaced, etc.”
Social Transformation is essentially, a practical, action based, process of transition from one state or phase to another, in the life of an entity – in this case, society; and which takes place, or unfolds, through space and time – that is, it takes place over specific periods, and in specific locations.
The social transformation process is therefore essentially about achieving social emancipation, and ensuring a society based on social justice, and equal and universal citizenship and residency rights for everyone, that is for every member of the society.
For this to be achieved, the present exploitative socioeconomic formation of capitalism, and its intrinsic mode and relations of production, would have to be supplanted, and radically altered. The exploitation motif will have to be replaced by the utilisation motif; and the inherent mutually antagonistic competitive processes, replaced with cooperation and collaboration.
Conclusion:
Each of these processes are social processes, that is they are processes that take place within the context of interactions and relationships between and among members of a society; and between members of society and their environment, that is between humanity and nature. The implication of these is that as social processes, they can be changed, discarded, replaced, etc.
Secondly, inherent in the interconnectedness of the three processes is that social identities can be altered, and their character and nature radically changed, and transformed.
Third, that this radical alteration takes place within the context of social transformation, driven by the quest for social justice.
And finally, that the process of social transformation is the result and product of more or less conscious social organising and mobilisation efforts, that is the process of collective struggle, and social action, that is aimed at breaking down the current chains, achieving universal human emancipation, and birthing a new type of human society, based on new forms of social organisation, enabled by new mode and relations of production.
Comrade Gaskia is a member of the Secretariat of TPAP-M
