1.4 Equity in Human Development
In order to fully understand the human experience from conception to emerging adulthood, it is important to acknowledge and analyze how our social and environmental surroundings impact our development. How does the neighborhood I live in impact my access to learning? How do race and ethnicity relate to opportunities or barriers I may face in my early life? These questions bring up the notions of equity and social justice. Equity is defined as an ideal aimed at achieving fairness and justice by providing the conditions needed for people to thrive in their environments. Social justice is the belief that all people deserve equal rights, protections, and opportunities in society.
In this textbook, we acknowledge that a child’s development cannot be separated from the larger forces surrounding them. Significant social and environmental inequalities such as racism, classism, and ableism affect certain groups more than others. These issues need to be addressed directly if we want to achieve developmental justice for all children. We define developmental justice as the belief that children deserve respect, equal rights, and access to the optimal conditions they need to thrive. Developmental justice incorporates the ideal of equity and the beliefs that underlie social justice work.
In 1943, Abraham Maslow introduced his psychological theory, known as the hierarchy of needs, in an attempt to understand human motivation (figure 1.5). Maslow was a humanist who believed that people strive to be the best version of themselves. While the table structure somewhat demonstrates a rigid flow up the hierarchy, Maslow recognized that the order of one’s needs does not always follow a standard progression.
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Self-transcendence |
One’s dedication of energy to reaching a goal or state of consciousness that is higher than one’s concern for oneself Example: Feeling concern for social justice or global issues |
|---|---|
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Self-actualization |
One’s achievement of one’s full abilities or desires Example: Becoming a musician because of a love for music |
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Self-esteem |
One’s need to be valued by others and to contribute something to the world Example: Achieving an academic accomplishment |
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Love, acceptance, belonging |
One’s need for emotional connection, which drives human behavior Example: Getting married or being part of a sports team |
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Safety |
One’s primary need to feel secure and safe in one’s environment and relationships Example: Forming a positive attachment to a healthy caregiver |
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Physiological |
One’s primary need to maintain the body’s functions for survival Example: Seeking food and water above all else |
From a human development perspective, we can see how a child who lacks safety in their home or surrounding environment might have a difficult time self-actualizing. Or how a child who lacks regular access to food or water might struggle with their self-esteem or sense of belonging. While we certainly do not believe that children progress through this hierarchy predictably, we can confidently say that children who do not have their basic needs met experience some form of disruption or barrier to their development. Unfortunately, some children will experience more disadvantages than others over their lifetime.
Systemic Inequalities
Privilege and power structures play a significant role in how people interact with the world and thereby impact a child’s identity, physical and mental health, and development. Privilege is an advantage and opportunity based on social identity, which can be earned or unearned. Privilege can be seen as a special right or immunity denied to others, not within your group.
Oppression is the opposite of privilege. Oppression is a form of systemic injustice based on social identity resulting in individuals and groups facing social disadvantages and barriers. Oppression can be seen as negative treatment that is unjust or the feeling of being heavily burdened by negative conditions.
Children will experience varying levels of privilege and oppression based on their social identity groups. For example, a child may be born into a family with two parents and average or greater wealth, live in a safe neighborhood, and have access to quality health care and education. This child experiences privileges on many levels, and we can assume that they will have fewer disruptions to their development based on the opportunities available.
Children of color often have negative experiences based on their race or ethnic identity. They might be taunted at school by other children or be discriminated against in the school system. This treatment can impact a child’s self-esteem, attendance at school, or level of academic achievement. Their experience with race may be compounded by the burdens of poverty or by living in an unsafe neighborhood. The cumulative effects of these disadvantages are significant and can negatively impact development.
Intersectionality
Each person carries a variety of personal and social identities that can change over time. These identities are tied to specific experiences with privilege and oppression. Kimberlé Crenshaw (1989) developed the term “intersectionality” to describe how experiences with racism and sexism contribute to the marginalization of Black women, specifically in legal sectors of society. The term has been broadened in recent literature. Intersectionality refers to the interconnected relationship between systemic privilege, oppression, and one’s social identities.
Social Determinants
Social determinants are the physical and social circumstances into which people are born and live throughout their lives. These circumstances are shaped by larger forces such as the economy, politics, and systemic inequalities like racism and classism. Social determinants can substantially influence the development of children and adults throughout their lifespan. Some examples of social determinants include access to quality education, community cohesion and resources, the health and safety of one’s neighborhood, and the level of financial stability present in one’s life.
The United States, one of the wealthiest countries in the world, is not even close to being one of the healthiest countries globally (Swain, 2016). Disparities in health outcomes among socially disadvantaged populations appear to drive this gap. Eliminating these disparities to achieve health equity has been the goal of public health institutions for quite some time. Public health officials have focused their efforts on identifying and addressing social determinants of health. Social determinants of health are the “conditions in the places where people live, learn, work, and play that affect a wide range of health risks and outcomes” (CDC, 2022).
Examples of social determinants of health include access to quality health care, the toxicity of neighborhoods, and access to nutritious foods. Resources that improve quality of life, such as access to affordable housing, education, and healthy foods, can significantly influence population health outcomes (CDC, 2022). We will discuss these issues in more depth throughout the textbook.
Licenses and Attributions for Equity in Human Development
“Equity in Human Development” by Christina Belli, Esmeralda Janeth Julyan, and Terese Jones is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Figure 1.5. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs by Christina Belli is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Case Studies
In preparation for our discussion of equity in human development, we would like to introduce the case studies that will be used. Starting in Chapter 3, the case studies will feature a child, some history about their birth mother, and pertinent information about the family or community. They will also detail important experiences within the child’s developmental history.
It is important that we view a child’s development through a comprehensive societal lens. Children do not grow up in a bubble but are instead influenced by what is happening in the world. One important factor that we will consider is how systemic inequalities impact growing children and their families. Systemic inequalities are things like poverty or racism that have been created through unequal distribution of power and opportunity. The case studies will help highlight how these big issues influence parenting and children.
Next are summaries of the four case studies. We will be following each child from infancy through adolescence. Each chapter in the textbook will highlight particular aspects of development that are impacted by environmental, social, and genetic issues. Therefore, you may not find information on every child in each chapter. We hope that these case studies help deepen your understanding of the complexity of child development.
Dyani
Dyani is an Alaskan Native who was born in Chevak, Alaska. She lives with her mom, dad, and siblings in a small rural village. As an Indigenous person living in her homeland, she is taught to retain her cultural heritage and ways of being. Her community experienced the impact of residential boarding schools, forced religion, and erasure of Indigenous identity. This resulted in conflicting practices surrounding birth, postnatal experiences, and child rearing. Dyani’s case study will highlight the link between history and current outcomes for Indigenous peoples, including issues with cultural identity, health disparities, access to resources, and the school experience.
Anthony
Anthony is a Black male who was born in Seattle, Washington. He lives with his mom and dad in a middle-class neighborhood and has access to educational opportunities, as well as extracurricular activities. Despite the family’s success, Anthony faces issues related to his race. These issues began when his mother, Amira, was pregnant with him. Amira experienced bias and discrimination in her prenatal care, which resulted in Anthony being born 6 weeks prematurely. As a result, he was born with lung issues and developed severe asthma, which greatly impacted his development. Anthony’s case study will help us understand the struggle families and children face due to racial discrimination, bias within the health-care system, and disparities within the school system.
Gabriela
Gabriela is a Native American born in the United States. Gabriela and her family migrated to the United States from Mexico before she was born. As a Mexican-American, she grew up in bicultural environments that often contrasted with each other. Her mother, having had several pregnancies before Gabriela’s, experienced very different prenatal and postnatal care in Mexico than she did in the United States, where she faced racism and bias. Gabriela’s case study will highlight her interaction with her multicultural background growing up in America and her identity formation while struggling with the immigration, health care, and educational systems.
Jesse
Jesse is White and lives in a small rural community in Southern Oregon. Jesse was born as a biological male and identifies as nonbinary, using they/them pronouns. They are the oldest child of Ashley and Jeremy, who grew up with traditional gender roles in a conservative, religious community. Jesse’s family is working class, getting by on one income so Ashley can be a stay-at-home mom. The financial challenges of working-class poverty impact every area of development, from access to educational opportunities to quality of medical care. Jesse’s case study will highlight the rural community experience, the impact of access to resources, and gender identity struggles.
Licenses and Attributions for Case Studies
“Case Studies” by Christina Belli, Esmeralda Janeth Julyan, and Terese Jones is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
an ideal aimed to achieve fairness and justice by providing the conditions needed for people to thrive in their environments.
the belief that all people are deserving of equal rights, protections, and opportunities in society.
the belief that children are deserving of respect, equal rights, and access to optimal conditions needed to thrive in their lives.
the study of how humans change and grow over their lifespan.
advantage and opportunity based on social identity which can be earned or unearned.
a form of systemic injustice based on social identity resulting in social disadvantages and barriers to individuals and groups.
the interconnected relationship between systemic privilege and oppression, social identities, and the impact on one’s experiences in society.
the physical and social circumstances, shaped by larger societal forces, which can substantially influence individual and group outcomes.
biases and practices embedded within systems of society that lead to advantages for some groups in society and disadvantages for others.
are the conditions in the places where people live, learn, work, and play that affect a wide range of health risks and outcomes.
