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Greenberg Defense Final v.2.pdf (1.1 MB)

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Citizen participation to promote social justice and individual well-being in Detroit Michigan

Greenberg, Sarah
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1509303959639357

Abstract Details

2017, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, Psychology/Clinical.
The present study examined how citizens in Detroit Michigan work to promote social justice and individual well-being in their city. Detroit is a city with a history of serious social and economic problems that has been experiencing a revitalization through citizen participation in the past decade. Using a conceptual framework of wellness as fairness articulated by Prilletensky (2012), the present study examined four psychosocial processes that are said to compel individuals to confront social justice: critical experiences (events that leave a strong impression), critical consciousness (the perception and critique of oppression), righteous comparisons (evaluating one’s own injustices while perceiving others as having better opportunities), and critical action (citizen participation to actively confront injustice). A sample of 128 adults who were members of non-profit organizations involved in Detroit’s social and economic revitalization completed an online questionnaire. Hierarchical multiple regression techniques were used to examine the degree to which individual-level perceptions of injustice (self-reports of personal discrimination and righteous comparisons) can account for variance in adults’ views of critical consciousness beyond that of demographic characteristics. The study also investigated the relative contribution of demographic characteristics, individual-level perceptions of personal injustice, and sense of community and critical consciousness in accounting for variation in participants’ reports of perceived empowerment, well-being, and life satisfaction. Results suggest that higher scores of perceived personal discrimination and righteous comparisons best predicted adults’ scores on critical consciousness. Additionally, a greater sense of community was the best predictor of empowerment and well-being scores, while greater levels of critical consciousness predicted higher life satisfaction levels. Implications of findings for research and practice are discussed.
Catherine Stein, Ph.D. (Advisor)
Dryw Dworsky, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Michael Zickar, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Anita Simic, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Psychology
community psychology; well-being; social justice; citizen participation

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Greenberg, S. (2017). Citizen participation to promote social justice and individual well-being in Detroit Michigan [Doctoral dissertation, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1509303959639357

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Greenberg, Sarah. Citizen participation to promote social justice and individual well-being in Detroit Michigan. 2017. Bowling Green State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1509303959639357.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Greenberg, Sarah. "Citizen participation to promote social justice and individual well-being in Detroit Michigan." Doctoral dissertation, Bowling Green State University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1509303959639357

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

bgsu1509303959639357
1,897
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This open access ETD is published by Bowling Green State University and OhioLINK.