Upstander for Social Justice through Art Education

Abstract

The concept of social justice and social justice activism is rooted in feminist activity. The suffragists and abolitionists, the Civil Rights Movement, Feminist Movements, American Indian Movement, Occupy Wall Street, Marriage Equality, Black Lives Matter, 2017 Women’s March, and more, can serve as inspiration for contemporary social justice activism through art education. Feminists have played important roles as upstanders throughout history. This article on feminist art encounters with Holocaust Heroes: Fierce Females –Tapestries and Sculpture by Linda Stein (H2F2) offers pedagogical opportunities to develop upstander behavior, which is significant to social justice art education. The desired effect of the curricular encounters is to foster skills in critical thinking, empathy, ethical reasoning, and civic engagement—all of which are needed to end oppression and sustain social justice in a democracy.