The courses I studied have pushed me to inquire inequality within the system, to question existing policy and ways of governance. In the course HRSJ 5010, ‘Foundation for Human Rights and Social justice’, I studied various theories and frameworks which led me to think that injustice is not accidental, but deliberate. It is closely connected to the system of power. In another course HRSJ5020, ‘Indigenous ways of knowing: Resurgence of land-based pedagogies and practice’, I learnt that how colonial violence destroyed Indigenous ways of living that was practicing by Indigenous communities since thousands of years in the land of Canada. Learning about histories of Residential school, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, resource extraction, epistemic Injustice led me to realize how one whole community can be pushed to the corner and let be marginalized through racist system and unfavorable policies. The reality that still now Indigenous women are missing and murdered, disproportionate rate of Indigenous women incarceration are not accidental, but systemic, and this is how, the power system sustains injustice within the very center of it’s functionality.

In my research paper on ‘role of justice system on Violence Against Indigenous Women’ I argued that the criminal justice system of Canada is not free from racism, and colonial mentality still dominates within the system. as a result, violence against Indigenous women, specially missing and murdered Indigenous women is amounted by Indigenous groups as an ongoing genocide. Moreover, over incarceration rate of Indigenous women in prison also reflect same mentality. Thus, from the social justice perspective, as a social justice activist, I believe this should be stopped as soon as it is possible.

My work :

My understanding deepened further through my course HRSJ 5250 ‘Risk, Place, and Social Justice’. My essay is on food insecurity in Canada and through this course I realized even a developed country like Canada is suffering from food insecurity. The reasons are deep and structural. Due to risks, such as inequality, racism, homelessness, climate change, policy failure marginalized people are suffering from food insecurity in Canada (Longlo, 2016, Weiler et al, 2014). It is to be noted that, not everyone is suffering from food insecurity, it is only the groups of people, such as economically marginalized due to structural problems, people of color, Indigenous communities, immigrants are affecting mostly.  Through this course I understood how capitalist economy, colonial power structure, location, policy failures are impacting people’s everyday food system.

My work :