These 20 conversation questions about justice are suitable for adult English learners at C1+ (advanced) level. They can also be used with B2 (upper-intermediate) students. The questions can be used in one-to-one lessons, pair or group discussions, or set as writing homework.
For more activities on this topic, see our complete Justice ESL lesson plan.
- What does social justice mean to you?
- Would you say you live in a fair and just society? Why or why not?
- Do poor people and rich people have the same opportunities in your country? If not, how can this problem be solved?
- Can a country be considered democratic if it is socially unjust?
- What are the greatest social injustices in the world? How can these be solved?
- Why do poverty and inequality exist?
- Should everyone have equal access to healthcare, education and employment opportunities?
- Is treating everyone equally always fair, or do disadvantaged people sometimes need extra help?
- What government policies help to create social injustice? What can governments do to end social injustice?
- Can something be legal but still unjust? Can you think of any examples?
- If you didn't know what family or social class you would be born into, what kind of society would you want to live in? Which country?
- Do you think the world will be more or less just in the future? Why?
- After a conflict involving serious human rights abuses, is it more important to punish those responsible or forgive them to achieve peace?
- Is social justice socialism in disguise? Can social justice ever be compatible with a capitalist society?
- Is the concept of justice the same across cultures, or do different cultures have different ideas of what justice means?
- Should governments aim to give everyone equal opportunities, or should they also try to reduce differences in wealth and living standards?
- Should governments compensate people or communities for injustices committed against them in the past?
- Do people who benefit from an unjust society have a responsibility to change it, even if they might lose some of their advantages?
- Should businesses have a responsibility to reduce social injustice, or is that mainly the government's job?
- Is it ever justified to break the law to fight against social injustice? Can you think of any examples?
