There are a number of faculty members who teach or engage in research about justice, but they exist in relative isolation to one another and do not yet constitute a considerable presence in the institution’s identity.  Nevertheless, there are identifiable pockets of quality work being done in the areas of justice teaching, research, and service which are held in high esteem by faculty and administrators.  Some special considerations are given to these efforts, and resources are provided for them, out of a recognition that such activities have an important place here at Georgetown. 

That place is based on a number of distinct foundations supporting justice teaching and research.  Those responsible for the survey and those who attended the Santa Clara conference believe that the motivation to serve one's brothers and sisters can come from any number of sources.  As at other universities, many faculty members here derive their commitment to social justice from the logic of their disciplines and their scholarly quest for truth.  At an institution like Georgetown, moreover, it arises in some because of a faith commitment. Indeed, the teachings of the Church and recent documents guiding the Jesuit Order encourage the promotion of justice as an indispensable element of faith and an "absolute requirement" for those who take the Gospel message seriously. For these, academic research, teaching and service find a natural complementarity. The variety of religious traditions represented at Georgetown have inspired faculty, staff and students to take seriously the mission of Georgetown to "educate men and women to be reflective lifelong learners, to be responsible and active participants in civic life and to live generously in service to others."  This goal of a Georgetown education is embraced by believers and nonbelievers alike and implies for many that an excellent education requires contact and involvement with those beyond the university, especially those disadvantaged.  It also has implications for the conduct of research, for the questions that inspire academic study, for need for faculty to model a life of generous service, and for the value of allowing those beyond the university's walls to teach us about their plight and their needs. 

Such rich and varied foundational bases provide a valuable opportunity for the university to reflect on points of intersection and conflict among the various intellectual grounds sustaining a commitment to justice and to engage the even more critical challenge of how such a commitment can be sustained.  They also provide fertile ground for further intellectual development of justice teaching and research--developments promoted through the recommendations offered below.

These recommendations call for the creation and further development of justice teaching and research initiatives that meet the highest disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards while simultaneously advancing the frontiers of justice pedagogy and scholarship.  Extending out from such solid initiatives, the remainder of the university interacts with such programs and centers and is both influenced by and influences them, leading in turn to the consideration of justice issues as a matter of everyday discourse in the life of the institution.  This combination of pillars of excellence, engagement across structural boundaries, and infusion into the practices and culture of the institution will lead to a Georgetown identity known for its commitment to justice.  The initiatives outlined below can lead us on a path toward constructing such an identity.