In his latest book, A Climate of Justice, Marvin T. Brown examines the racial and environmental barriers to developing a more sustainable future. During a recent interview for Shareable, Brown sat down with Nancy Southern to discuss the books key focus.
Some questions and answers have been edited for clarity.
Nancy: You make the case that the belief in American Prosperity promoted slavery in the early years of our country and at this time keeps us from making the changes needed to protect our planet. How can we move away from this force toward economic growth and turn our attention to addressing climate change?
Marvin: The first thing to say is that we must change our current system of economic growth if we want a livable planet for future generations, So, how do we change the direction of social forces that are moving us in an unsustainable direction?
I addressed this issue in my previous book, Civilizing the Economy, where I argued that we need an economy based on civic relations rather than property relations. In my view, the economys purpose is the making of provisions rather than the making of money. Making these changes would be difficult, but not impossible, if we could work together to make such a change. Instead of working together, however, we are moving further apart, which raises two questions: What is preventing us from making the necessary changes? And, how do we overcome this resistance? A Climate of Justice addresses these questions.
A just social climate, in my view, is the ethical foundation for environmentalism. A Climate of Justice author, Marvin T. Brown
I propose that we have not moved toward a sustainable economy because we live in a climate of injustice. This social climate of injustice has its origin in the Atlantic trade of people and land between Europe, Africa, and the Americas, and it has never been repaired. Some people benefited from this injustice, of course, especially land speculators, enslavers, and bankers, mostly white people. Others suffered from enslavement and other crimes against humanity.
The question we face now is whether we can create sustainable systems of provision in this climate of injustice or whether we must first change the social climate. A just social climate, in my view, is the ethical foundation for environmentalism.
Nancy: How does climate justice and a Climate of Justice differ?
Marvin: Climate justice programs seek to correct injustices caused by the uneven distribution of the negative impacts of the climate crisis. A climate of justice seeks to transform the unjust social context in which such policies have been made. Whereas climate justice sees the unequal distribution of environmental harms as a cause of the injustices, a climate of justice highlights the history of our unjust social context. Both approaches are important, but also different.
Nancy: You state that in a climate of justice, people expect social relationships, when damaged, to be repaired. Can you share your thinking on what this looks like at a systemic level? What would we see taking place around us if we lived in a climate of justice?
Marvin: The expectation is that even in relations among different groups, no group is exploited for the benefit of others, and when this has happened, repairs are made. Also, people would be included rather than excluded in policy making and evaluation. Because we live in situations where some are vulnerable and need protection, something like the civilian review boards that already exist would be much more common.
Nancy: In these difficult times, given the pandemic, climate change, concerns about our democracy, how do we support people in moving from fear of others to trusting and embracing others in a way that is needed to create a climate of justice?
Marvin: A major theme in A Climate of Justice is the difference between our personal and our social identity. If we grew up in a heterosexual social world, for example, then an LGBTQ social world may appear quite threatening. Such social worlds can define how we see ourselves. However, once I recognize that I am a person not fully defined by my social world, other social worlds will not be threatening to me. Worlds of fear, in other words, would not control my capacity to listen and learn from others. In fact, we can even join with others in exploring how such worlds are constructed and maintained.
Nancy: You speak to the importance of storytelling, and I agree it is a powerful way to bring people together and help them see their commonalities. However, in telling stories of the past, we seem to have a large percentage of Americans who dont want to acknowledge the stories of injustice. Telling those stories appears to foster greater divisions.Do you see a way to overcome the desire many have to avoid the stories of incivilities that make up the American story?
Marvin: The stories we tell shape our social worlds, but we as persons are not the same as our social worlds. Once I see myself as a person connected with other persons, I can create a distance between myself and my nations stories. A cruel story does not make me a cruel person. In fact, as I see that we all share a basic humanity, I can care about them as I would want them to care about me. Telling our nations stories of its crimes against humanity gives me a chance to become more rather than less of a person.
Nancy: So, it seems at the root of the changes you have discussed is the need for Americans to redefine what American Prosperity means.How would you describe it within the climate of justice you envision?
Marvin: The books interpretative framework will be helpful in answering this question. The framework includes the earth, our humanity, the social and the civic. Here is the chart from the book.
Briefly, in a climate of justice, the earth is treated as a habitat for all living things. All humans respect each others dignity, the stories that create our social worlds do not leave out others, and the civic is a place of civilian empowerment rather than military power. These very general visions, of course, would be achieved through policies that emerge from conversations among participants who care for justice.
Nancy: What have we not considered in this interview that you would like to add to give readers hope in our ability to create a just and sustainable future?
Marvin: Some would argue that the most significant data that influences our national mood today are changing demographics. In a few decades, the US will no longer have a white majority. For white individuals who identify with their white social identity, one can understand why they find this fact troubling. The individualism of American Prosperity forces people to either deny their social identity or to see their social identity as their personal identity.
As I have said earlier, the interpretative framework of A Climate of Justice makes a distinction between personal identity and social identity. Once we create this distance between ourselves and our social world, we can engage in conversations with others about how to repair and restore our social relationships for the sake of future generations. When vulnerable people invite us to engage in a conversation with them, in other words, we can take this opportunity to create a climate of justice.
A Climate of Justice is an open access e-book. Download a free copy here.
See more here:
Creating a climate of justice: Interview with Marvin T. Brown - Shareable
- MB Shuffle: X1N0 Places Self-Empowerment in the center of Superstar - More Branches - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Oops! I called my boss 'dude.' Career coaches weigh in on tricky ... - NPR - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- Servant leadership and AI: Agility and empowerment for the CLO - Chief Learning Officer - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- New Book You Were Born for More Offers a Transformative ... - Digital Journal - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- New academic year, new faces on campus - Central Michigan University - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- Vanilla perfumes: the 8 best and long-lasting - Marie Claire UK - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- Now, CCTV cams must at coaching centres - Times of India - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- What would have happened if Billie Jean King had lost to Bobby ... - The Boston Globe - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- Discover the synergy between biotech and medtech in Ghent - Labiotech.eu - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- Offtrack: The Long Road to Asylum for LGBTQ Refugees in Greece - Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- The rise of solo dates: Why Gen Zs are embracing 'Me Time' - Nairobi News - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- Libra to Pisces: 4 Nurturing Zodiac Signs Who Prioritize the Needs ... - PINKVILLA - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- 2023 Northwest Indiana Women's Leadership & Innovation Summit ... - Purdue University Northwest - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- How Hinewehi Mohi uses te reo and music to bring Aotearoa together - New Zealand Herald - September 17th, 2023 [September 17th, 2023]
- The 20 Most Anticipated Sequel and Reboot Movies Coming in ... - MovieWeb - June 22nd, 2023 [June 22nd, 2023]
- What Taylor Swift teaches girls about taking control of their lives and ... - Morningstar - June 22nd, 2023 [June 22nd, 2023]
- Report Points To Growth Of Asian-American Businesses In ... - iHeart - June 22nd, 2023 [June 22nd, 2023]
- Empowering Women: A Day of Firearms and Firearm Safety | P ... - NewsBreak Original - June 22nd, 2023 [June 22nd, 2023]
- EMBRACING THE SPIRIT OF AFRICAPITALISM: CATALYSING ... - The Tony Elumelu Foundation - June 22nd, 2023 [June 22nd, 2023]
- The best albums of the year so far (2023) - The Vinyl Factory - June 22nd, 2023 [June 22nd, 2023]
- Benton County Sheriff's deputies train to help kids avoid bad situations - Westside Eagle Observer - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Too Much Seduction: How to stay pure in a culture that glorifies sex, lust, lewdness - EEW Magazine - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng review tragedy in the tropics - The Guardian - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- More Than Just A Game How Dungeons And Dragons Is Making ... - IFLScience - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- GoodHeart | 25-y-o Leneka Rhoden is a beacon of service and ... - Jamaica Gleaner - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- FemTech: technology empowering women's health and well-being - Lexology - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- NBA Foundation: Uplifting Memphis youth through music - NBA.com - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Greek film 'Behind The Haystacks' to be featured at Sydney Film ... - Neos Kosmos - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Grants approved for groups in Wellington North exceed budget - Wellington Advertiser - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Self-Empowerment: 7 Ways to Empower Yourself | Maryville Online - March 4th, 2023 [March 4th, 2023]
- When you take all that we encompass and the drive that we have, it's ... - March 4th, 2023 [March 4th, 2023]
- Code of Ethics: English - National Association of Social Workers - October 25th, 2022 [October 25th, 2022]
- All children deserve arts and music programs in schools, thats why Prop. 28 should be approved - San Bernardino County Sun - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- The Body Positive Sex Talk Empowering Women On TikTok - Women's Health - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- TCL Announces Exciting Collaboration with TCL Brand Ambassador Shyla Heal to Elevate #TCLForHer Platform and Inspire Women to Redefine Greatness -... - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- The good employer: Creating and living-out a culture of empathy, empowerment and understanding - Digital Journal - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- International Day of The Girl: Rotary District 9125 Empowers 850 School Girls In Kano THE AUTHORITY NEWS - THE AUTHORITY NEWS - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- MEET THE CANDIDATES: Charleswood-Westwood-Tuxedo - Winnipeg Sun - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Ruth Radelet (ex Chromatics) discusses the inspirations behind her debut solo EP - Brooklyn Vegan - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Here to stay! How this OG Tagaytay wellness spa survived the pandemic, is stronger than ever - Rappler - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners Set to Consider $3.2M in Awards to Local Organizations as Part of the Community Priority Fund -... - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- FEMALE INCLUSION AND EMPOWERMENT CONFERENCE SPEAKERS - News - htafc.com - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Graphic designer works his way to the top - The Herald - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Foundation coaches in Tanzania attend in-person training sessions - Real Madrid - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Jade Helliwell releases first EP since 2018 in upbeat celebration of women - Music Talkers - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Competing interests: protection of transgender rights and freedom of religious beliefs - the Australian perspective - Kennedys - Kennedys Law - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Adam Levine and The Try Guys: Cheating scandals hit different right now - Vox.com - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Championing the value of time and a future-proof healthcare plan for women - Malaysiakini - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Seattle Rep Announces October Programming Featuring WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME & More - Broadway World - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Who are the actors playing Martin Luther King and Malcolm X? - New York Daily News - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- "One Of A Million" by Softcult - Northern Transmissions - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- Aesthetic Gynaecology and Regenerative Medicine Training held in Delhi by IASRM (International Association of Stemcell and Regenerative Medicine) -... - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- 6 Teens Who Make The World A Better Place - Forbes - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- Earn Your Leisure Partners with Steve Harvey to Assemble an All-Star Financial Lineup for Innovative Festival at London's Historic Royal Albert Hall -... - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- KNUST-Obuasi campus honours Dr. Love Konadu and 25 others - BusinessGhana - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- Back-to-the-office moves leave tech uneasy - Axios - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- FEMALE INCLUSION AND EMPOWERMENT CONFERENCE - News - htafc.com - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Neustar and LiveVox Join Forces to Improve Outbound Customer Contactability - Business Wire - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- 5 Organisations We've Teamed Up With to Empower Africa's Young People - Global Citizen - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- What is Witchcore? The Aesthetic Gaining Popularity on Social Media, Explained - The Mary Sue - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- After 10 years of swiping right, what have we gained from Tinder? - Sydney Morning Herald - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Sisters of the revolution: the women of the Black Panther party - The Guardian - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- ANALYSIS | Only SAs elite benefits from black economic empowerment and Covid-19 proved it - News24 - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- 'We need to be aware of the power of touch' - Nursing Times - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Students reminded of University resources to support mental health and wellness - Pennsylvania State University - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Boudoir photographer Amanda Robb helps 'terrified' women love their bodies - Stuff - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Super Girl Surf Pro returning to Oceanside with global surf stars like Bethany Hamilton and a music festival - The San Diego Union-Tribune - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- 5 Business Experts to Learn from in 2022 - The Australian Business Journal - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Stealthy state crimes during times of disaster - Mail and Guardian - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Neha Mujawdiyas Personal Journey In Accessing Basic Education Inspired Her Startup - SheThePeople - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- The Experience of Pregnant Women in the Health Management Model of Int | IJWH - Dove Medical Press - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Men are more prone to suicide than women, reveals NCRB data - The New Indian Express - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- 25 Empowerment Anthems: Songs for an Extra Boost of Confidence - Billboard - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- 40 years later, business of healthcare changed in very personal ways PharmaLive - PharmaLive - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Setting boundaries in your daily life can protect you from 'harmful experiences': Here are 3 tips to get you started - CNBC - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- I Tested PUMA's New Frida Kahlo Collection Honoring the Iconic's Legacy - mit - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- The Activist Offering: Lessons from Kansas - Progressive.org - Progressive.org - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- 'The Majnu Ka Tilla Diaries' Reveals Tibetan Empowerment in India - The Wire - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Kentwood Players announces open auditions for 9 TO 5 the Musical - Culver City Observer - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- 'They/Them' Review: A Slasher That Isn't as Scary or Subversive as Real Life - CNET - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]