Social Justice Implications of the Organism Metaphor

Authors

Gerald V. O'Brien, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville

Keywords

Anti-Semitism, eugenics, immigration restriction, metaphor analysis, organism metaphor, policy framing, social justice

Abstract

The denigration of marginalized groups is frequently supported through the widespread employment of metaphors that present a pejorative image of the group in question. The organism metaphor, wherein the target group is portrayed as a threat to the integrity of the social body, is a particularly important metaphoric theme in the advancement of social injustice. Drawing largely from primary source documents, this paper provides an overview of the organism metaphor as it has been employed historically to denigrate various social subgroups. Implications for the social work profession are discussed.

Recommended Citation

O'Brien, Gerald V. (2010) "Social Justice Implications of the Organism Metaphor," The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare: Vol. 37: Iss. 1, Article 6.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15453/0191-5096.3495
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jssw/vol37/iss1/6