Glossary

the people at the top of the income and wealth distributions in the world

the wage or salary income earned by individuals earning more than 90 percent of other workers, compared to the earnings of workers earning higher than the bottom 10 percent.

any significant and persistent disparity in academic performance or educational attainment between groups of students with different social locations.

the capacity to actively and independently choose and to affect change

the significant individuals, groups, or institutions that influence our sense of self and the behaviors, norms, and values that help us function in society.

the mobilization of large numbers of people focused on self-improvement and limited, specific changes to individual beliefs and behavior.

a philosophical and political tradition advocating the abolition of all or most forms of hierarchy, including the state.

the most recent geological epoch of time, beginning around the industrial revolution, in which humans have fundamentally transformed the living systems of the Earth.

the worldview that makes humans central to decisions about ethics and daily life. It is built from the belief that humans are the most important existence in the universe.

a policy or system of segregation or discrimination on grounds of race

a way for employers to increase economic efficiency by breaking the production process down to a series of small actions performed repetitively by workers.

a critical term for a type of education in which “knowledge is a gift bestowed by those who consider themselves knowledgeable upon those whom they consider to know nothing” (Freire 1970).

a philosophy that extends equal and inherent value to all living beings.

a set of ethics that balance quality of life, democracy, giving inherent value to all living things, and collective well-being.

a phase of social movements when the movement no longer requires grassroots volunteerism: it is an established organization, typically with a paid staff.

a Christian concept for work that is assigned to a person by God and that provides meaning and purpose to a person’s life.

a type of economic and social system in which private businesses or corporations compete for profit. Goods, services, and many beings are defined as private property, and people sell their labor on the market for a wage.

the communities, groups, and organizations that function outside of government to provide support and advocacy for certain people or issues in society.

a perspective that frames colonized people as backward and in need of some “superior” society to intervene to improve their lives.

the structural antagonisms built into economic relationships.

a phase of social movements when people join together and organize to publicize the issue and raise awareness.

the military, economic, and ideological conquest of one society by another. It results in one society settling among and establishing control over the indigenous people of an area.

colonies governed by a relatively small population of colonial administrators, usually for the purpose of extracting resources and wealth.

colonies in which the colonial power sends a large number of its domestic population to settle the colony, thus displacing the Indigenous population.

the action or process of settling among and establishing control over the indigenous people of an area.

a philosophical and economic ideology within the socialist framework that advocates for public rather than private ownership, especially of the means of production.

a group of people that share relationships, experiences, and a sense of meaning and belonging.

a community-based strategy, rather than a police/prison-based strategy, to address violence within communities.

"the interdependent overlapping forms of knowledge, skills, abilities, and networks possessed and utilized by Communities of Color to survive and resist racism and other forms of subordination"

the assumption of social superiority or inferiority based on formal educational attainment.

the cultural knowledge and items that help one navigate a society.

"dominance of a culturally diverse society by the ruling class that shapes the culture of that society …so that the worldview of the ruling class becomes the accepted cultural norm."

the period of time between the introduction of new technological developments into a culture or society and the acceptance of the developments by institutions.

concepts, ideas, or patterns of behavior that are common to all human cultures.

"a pedagogy that empowers students intellectually, socially, emotionally, and politically by using cultural referents to impart knowledge, skills, and attitudes."

the shared beliefs, values, and practices in a group or society. It includes symbols, language, and artifacts.

segregation that occurs without laws but because of other social influences.

a system of global governance which empowers wealthy countries, through the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, to impose economic and social policies on indebted nations.

a phase of social movements when people fall away and adopt a new movement, the movement successfully brings about the change it sought, or when people no longer take the issue seriously.

"the mechanism that will allow for restoration and conciliation of colonized groups who have had their power stolen."

the process of examining and undoing colonial ideologies that frame Western thought and practices as superior.

the process of confronting and challenging the colonizing practices that have influenced education in the past, and which are still present today.

a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.

uneven access to technology due to inequalities between different social, cultural, and economic groups; often caused by location.

an economic model that balances essential human needs with planetary boundaries.

a system for the production, distribution, and consumption of the goods and services within a society.

the cumulative impact of directing social-political harm toward students of color, including allotting fewer resources toward their education.

a phase of social movements when people become aware of an issue and leaders emerge.

the gradual process of an individual or group adapting to the norms and values of a culture in which they are immersed

the fact that low-income people and people of color are disproportionately likely to experience various environmental problems.

the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, concerning the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.

a form of systemic racism created by policies and practices that disproportionately force communities of color to live near toxic waste and airborne matter, burdening them with health hazards.

the study of the interaction between human behavior and the natural and physical environment.

the sociopolitical, scientific, and cultural practice of living within the means of the Earth without significantly impairing its function. Also: the conservation of natural resources and protection of global ecosystems to support health and wellbeing.

the observation that society is always in a natural state of equilibrium, defined as a state of equal balance among opposing forces.

recognition that we do not all receive the same power and resources in society. This informs action to identify and dismantle systems of power, privilege, and oppression.

a worldview, mindset, or communication that centers White European ways of knowing as sole, central, or superior to all others.

a movement and alternative way of trading goods that emerged to respond to the negative economic effects of globalization on people in poorer nations. It means buying goods at a fair price from people who produce them.

the study of the nature of God and religious belief which centers the religious and spiritual experiences of women.

the longstanding trend in almost all societies, for women to have higher rates of poverty than men.

a process by which a community with a dominant culture forces members of other groups to adopt their language, national identity, norms, customs, values, ideology, and way of life.

aid given by a national government to countries in need.

a worldview that assumes that the earth has an unlimited supply of resources. If resources run out in one area, more can be found elsewhere or alternatively, human ingenuity will find substitutes.

A religious movement that requires a strict and typically literal interpretation of core texts and adherence to traditional beliefs, doctrines, and rituals.

violence directed against a person because of his or her gender and expectations of his or her role in a society or culture.

a strike of all workers within a society, not just the workers at one workplace or in one industry.

the systematic and widespread extermination of a cultural, ethnic, political, racial, or religious group.

a tool that holistically measures our collective, socioeconomic welfare by including overlooked social and environmental costs and benefits to economic activity.

the unequal distribution of economic and social resources among the world's countries.

the growing interdependence of the world’s economies, cultures, and populations due to cross-national exchanges of goods and services, technology, investments, people, ideas, and information.

the institution by which a society organizes itself and allocates authority to accomplish collective goals and provide benefits that a society needs.

an initiative to increase the global food supply and reduce world hunger by the use of chemicals and engineered crop varieties.

the total value of all goods and services produced by a nation’s citizens.

a philosophy that guides the government of Bhutan. It includes an index used to measure the collective happiness and well-being of a population.

the total amount of money earned by a nation’s people and businesses. It is used to measure and track a nation’s wealth from year to year.

the extent of a person’s physical, mental, and social well-being.

the system of norms, rules, and organizations established to provide medical services.

the implicit social and cultural expectations, designed by dominant culture, that inform the educational process.

a perspective that emphasizes the economy in explaining just about everything in society, and sees economic class conflicts as main drivers of social change and progress.

a set of core laws or principles that define the key ideas for that organization.

emigration of highly trained or intelligent people from a particular country.

a measure that combines a nation’s GDP with many other important quality of life considerations such as life expectancy, security, literacy, and the effects of environmental degradation people experience.

aid to alleviate suffering and mitigate the effects of disaster provided by governments and non-governmental organizations for a short-term period until longer-term help can be provided by local governments or other institutions.

the practice of a nation forcefully imposing its rule or authority over other nations

the laws and practices that requires disabled students be included in mainstream classes - not separate rooms or schools.

a process of making Indigenous knowledge systems evident, prevalent, and available.

differences in access to resources or opportunity between groups that are the result of treatment by a more powerful group; this creates circumstances that are unnecessary, avoidable, and unfair.

a form of violence in which some social structure or social institution may harm people by preventing them from meeting their basic needs.

large-scale social arrangement that is stable and predictable, created and maintained to serve the needs of society.

the government agencies, non-governmental organizations, philanthropic private businesses, individuals, and their actions, working to address poverty and inequality at a global scale.

the amount of money a person needs to consume or earn per day to avoid living in extreme poverty.

the idea that inequalities produced by multiple and interconnected social characteristics can influence the life of an individual or group. This suggests that we should view gender, race, class, or sexuality not as individual characteristics but as interconnected social situations.

the idea that beneath the diversity of theological beliefs, rites, and observances lies a deeper unity of experience that is our shared spiritual heritage.

land acquisitions that are in violation of human rights, without prior consent of the preexisting land users, and with no consideration of the social and environmental impacts.

a religious movement that combines Christian principles with political activism to enact social change.

a statistical estimate based on averages, of the number of years a person can expect to live in a certain region.

a process of decentralization—shifting economic activity into the hands of millions of small and medium-sized businesses instead of concentrating it in mega-corporations.

figures, extents, or amounts of phenomena that we are investigating.

the study of how humans manage issues of health and illness, disease and disorders, and healthcare for both the sick and the healthy.

a complex set of changes that take place in societies that move from traditional to modern practices as their economies become industrialized.

an indicator which measures severe poverty across low-income countries with three dimensions: health, education, and standard of living.

a newer form of colonialism in which colonial powers maintain their economic and political dominance over former colonies through debt, trade agreements and corporate influence but without formal political control.

a political and economic ideology that emphasizes free trade, benefits of globalization, and a minimal government role in the economy, including spending.

a process that constructs specific behaviors, presentations, and ideas as the idealized norm through correction.

the informal rules that govern behavior in groups and societies.

the systemic and extensive nature of social inequity and harm woven throughout social institutions as well as embedded within individual consciousness.

a society, system, or group in which men dominate women and have the power and authority.

a set of cultural and religious beliefs that value hard work, thrift, and efficiency in one's worldly calling. It was theorized by Max Weber to have laid the groundwork for the rise of capitalism in modern Western society.

preconceived beliefs, attitudes, and expectations about racial group members.

mobilization of large numbers of people who are “meaning-seeking.” Their goal is to provoke inner change or spiritual growth in individuals.

the discriminatory practice of refusing loans to creditworthy applicants in neighborhoods that banks deem undesirable.

mobilization of large numbers of people who seek to change something specific about the social structure.

a communally organized and persistent set of beliefs, practices, and relationships that meet social needs and organizes social life.

the process by which the beliefs and practices of one religion are fused with or assimilated into another spiritual belief system.

mobilization of large numbers of people that seek to prevent or undo change to the social structure.

a perspective that explains social movements’ success in terms of their ability to acquire resources and mobilize individuals (3e)

mobilization of large numbers of people that seek to completely change every aspect of society.

patterns of behavior that we recognize in each other that are representative of a person’s social status.

the physical separation of two groups, particularly in residence, but also in workplace and social functions.

the social networks or connections that an individual has available to them due to group membership.

transformations in human interactions and relationships that transform cultural and social institutions.

the set of people who share similar social circumstances based on factors like wealth, income, education, family background, and occupation.

a way to regulate, enforce, and encourage conformity to norms both formally and informally.

the laws, morals, values, religious beliefs, customs, fashions, rituals, and cultural rules that govern social life.

the set of characteristics by which a person is recognizable or known by the society in which they live.

the unequal distribution of valued resources, rewards, and positions in societies.

a state where "everyone has fair access to the resources and opportunities to develop their full capacities, and everyone is welcome to participate democratically with others to mutually shape social policies and institutions that govern civic life.”

the social position an individual holds within their society. It is based upon social characteristics of social class, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, race, and religion and other characteristics that society deems important.

an individual’s or group’s (e.g., family) movement through the class hierarchy due to changes in income, occupation, or wealth.

the mobilization of large numbers of people to work together to achieve a social goal or address a social problem.

the rank, honor, or prestige attached to one’s position in society or a group.

the categorization of its people into rankings based on factors of power, access and resources, (such as wealth, income, education, or occupation) as well as social identities (like, race, ethnicity, or gender).

the complex and stable framework of society that influences all individuals or groups. This influence occurs through the relationship between institutions and social practices.

an economic system in which the means of production and natural resources are collectively owned, usually controlled by the government.

the lifelong process of an individual or group learning the expected norms and customs of a group or society through social interaction.

a healthcare system that is owned and run by the government

a combination of a person's or family's economic and social position in comparison to others.

a science guided by the understanding that the social matters: our lives are affected, not only by our individual characteristics but by our place in the social world, not only by natural forces but by their social dimension.

a series of related beliefs and practices of a society that help members seek and express meaning and purpose.

the aspect of humanity that refers to the way individuals seek and express meaning and purpose and the way they experience their connectedness to the moment, to self, to others, to nature, and to the significant or sacred.

the labeling or spoiling of an identity, which leads to ostracism, marginalization, discrimination, and abuse.to the extent that it is criminalized.

a form of collective action when workers in a given workplace refuse to work until owners meet their demands.

the system of racial bias that exists across institutions and society.

groups that are made subordinate by powerful groups because of their class, caste, gender, nationality, or any other dimension of difference.

a group of two or more related parts that interact over time to form a whole that has a purpose, function, or behavior.

the geological epoch in which capitalism has reordered Earth’s natural systems.

Black, Indigenous, and other people of color and typically (though not all) with origins in Africa, Central and South America, and Asia who constitute approximately 85 percent of the global population.

a series of government initiatives under Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency, during the Great Depression. They focused on strengthening the economy by employing workers for public works and creating a social safety net with programs such as social security.

one where religious leaders rule in the name of God or gods who interpret their holy texts as law.

a formalized sorting system that places students on “tracks” (advanced versus low achievers) that perpetuate inequalities.

the wisdom and intelligence, innovations, and practices of indigenous and local communities that have been handed down through generations. TEK focuses on the relationship of living beings with one another and with their environment.

a political framework and approach for responding to violence, harm, and abuse. It seeks to respond to violence through harm reduction, or without creating more violence.

an organization of workers who work together to improve their wages and working conditions.

a system that guarantees healthcare coverage for everyone.

the financial assets or physical possessions which can be converted into a form that can be used for transactions.

a framework for interpreting colonial expansion - framing colonized people as simultaneously childlike and dangerous, while framing agents of colonial power as stern and wise parents.

the belief, theory, or doctrine that white people are inherently superior to people from all other racial and ethnic groups, and are therefore rightfully the dominant group in any society.

a particular philosophy of life or conception of the world or universe held by an individual or group.