Social equity

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Social equity is concerned with justice and fairness of social policy based on the principle of substantive equality.^[1] Since the 1960s, the concept of social equity has been used in a variety of institutional contexts, including education and public administration.

Social equity within a society is different from social equality based on formal equality of opportunity.^[2] For example, person A may have no difficulty walking, person B may be able to walk but have difficulties with stairs, while person C may be unable to walk at all. Social equality would be treating each of those three people in the same way (by providing each with the same aids, or none), whereas social equity pursues the aim of making them equally capable of traversing public spaces by themselves (e.g. by installing lifts next to staircases and providing person C with a wheelchair).

Definitions of social equity can vary, but all focus on the ideals of justice and fairness. Equity should involve the role of public administrators, who are responsible for ensuring that social services are delivered equitably. This implies taking into account historical and current inequalities among groups. Fairness is dependent on this social and historical context.^[3]

Attention to social equity in the field of public administration in the United States arose during the 1960s, amid growing national awareness of civil rights and racial inequality.^[4]

The National Academy of Public Administration defines social equity as “The fair, just and equitable management of all institutions serving the public directly or by contract; the fair, just and equitable distribution of public services and implementation of public policy; and the commitment to promote fairness, justice, and equity in the formation of public policy.”^[5]

In 1968, H. George Frederickson articulated "a theory of social equity" and put it forward as the 'third pillar' of public administration.^[6] Frederickson was concerned that those in public administration were making the mistake of assuming that citizen A is the same as citizen B; ignoring social and economic conditions. His goal: for social equity to take on the same "status as economy and efficiency as values or principles to which public administration should adhere."^[6]

Community policing is one approach towards social equity in policing.^[7]

Recent administration from former U.S. President Barack Obama has shed light on the subject of social equity for members of the LGBTQ community. The Obama administration appointed more than 170 openly LGBTQ professionals to work full-time within the executive branch and directed the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development to conduct “the first ever national study to determine the level of discrimination experienced by LGBTQ community in housing.”^[8]

Within the realm of public administration, racial equality is an important factor. It deals with the idea of “biological equality” of all human races and “social equality for people of different races”. According to Jeffrey B. Ferguson his article “Freedom, Equality, Race,” the people of the United States believe that racial equality will prevail.^[9]

Social equity regarding religion has legal protections in some jurisdictions. In the US, individuals, regardless of religious affiliation or practice are afforded. According to 42 U.S.C. sect. 2000e(j) "Religion is defined as all aspects of religious observance and practice, as well as belief, unless an employer demonstrates that he is unable to responsibly accommodate to an employee's or prospective employee's religious observance or practice without unique hardship to the conduct of the employer's business."^[10] This law was enacted to protect employees who are employed by bosses of another religion and allow them to observe their particular religious practices and celebrations.

Military and conscription generally violate social equity, despite increasing social inclusion.^[11][12][13] Women in Norway did not reach gender equity for conscription with women being only 33% of all conscripted as of 2020.^[14] The United States military casualties of war and mental health outcomes show racial and gender equity disparities,^[15] in the period 1980-2022 African Americans were over-represented and women were underrepresented in casualties.^[16]

• Affirmative action
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Identity politics
• Intersectionality
• Reverse discrimination
• Sentencing disparity
• Social equality
• Social justice
• Social privilege

• Mann, Blair (12 March 2014). "Equity and Equality Are Not Equal". edtrust.org. Washington, D.C.: The Education Trust.
• "Distinguish between Equity and Equality". sgba-resource.ca. Atlantic Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health, British Columbia Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health, Prairie Women’s Health Centre of Excellence.
• Frederickson, H. George (2015). Social Equity and Public Administration: Origins, Developments, and Applications. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-31-745977-4.