SOAS Director's Lecture Series: 'What is Social Justice?' with Professor Thuli Madonsela

Professor Thuli Madonsela, the Law Trust Chair in Social Justice at Stellenbosch University, and the former Public Protector in South Africa, explores the topic of whether social justice should occupy a more prominent position on national agendas than is currently the case.

In today’s world, the enormous gap in the distribution of wealth, income and public benefits is growing ever wider, reflecting a general trend that is morally unfair, politically unwise, and economically unsound. Injustices at the international level have produced a parallel increase in inequality between affluent and poor countries.

But the idea that all individuals share a common humanity and possess fundamental rights simply because they are human, and that oppression and misery are not necessarily part of the human condition, has started to permeate the collective consciousness. How do we then address existing inequalities? Is the nature, legitimacy, and use of power fully understood by those who are privileged to hold political and administrative power globally? What is their understanding of self-interest, enlightened self-interest, general interest and the common good?

The essence of democracy resides in a shared understanding of these concepts. The myriad difficulties in achieving social justice and the uneven progress towards it notwithstanding, continued pursuit of these ideals is essential; even if Sisyphus is unhappy, he must fulfil his duty.

The SOAS Director’s Lecture Series focuses on the planetary questions of our time and how to enable a collective human response. In this historical moment, all of our big challenges – pandemics, climate change, inequality, social and political polarisation – are transnational in character and require a cohering of the human community.

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