Interdisciplinary Journal of Partnership Studies

When Push Comes to Love: Partnership and Social Justice

Margaret Frimoth

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24926/ijps.v5i1.1119

Keywords: sexual violence, abuse, injustice, social justice, Riane Eisler, Four Cornerstones, partnership, cultural transformation

Abstract

Despite major accomplishments of the modern era, the protection of women, children, and the environment remain vulnerable. In response, there has been increasing growth of social justice protests that use social media to express the need for social change. This article provides a discussion of the rise of several social movements and their attempts to address issues of injustice, particularly focusing on sexual violence and environmental destruction. The increased use of social media prompted a global response, within the context of popular culture, which was then followed by mainstream news coverage of the protests. This technological shift in news sharing promoted increased awareness about issues of sexual violence and environmental destruction. The lasting impact, however, is unknown. Yet there may be links between current social justice movements and Riane Eisler’s Cultural Transformation Theory that could foster social change. This article formulates a more direct connection between social movements and Eisler’s Cultural Transformation Theory in a manner that intentionally urges progressive social justice groups to understand and move toward partnership in general, and specifically toward a cultural transformation that protects the environment and eliminates violence against women and children.