A Grid and Group Explanation of Social Justice: An Example of Why Frameworks Are Helpful in Social Justice Discourse

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to demonstrate how and why social anthropologist Mary Douglas’s typology of grid and group is useful in understanding contextual manifestations and meanings of social justice on a global scale. Her typology is used to explain how preferences toward specific social justice issues such as resource scarcity, blame, envy, and economic wealth can have distinctive contextual meanings in differing contexts. The discussion concludes with the consideration of other innovative frames of reference from pertinent fields in understanding social justice issues.