Pathways of Resistance: Resilience, Potentiality and Power in the Pursuit of Justice

9 February 2022

Fighting for justice can be a long, arduous and daunting process with many people unaware of who to turn to, where to start, and what to expect. All of which can impact significantly, sometimes negatively, on those involved.

Aarif Abraham has written a personal article for St Ethelburga’s – Pathways of Resistance: Resilience, Potentiality and Power in the Pursuit of Justice – which delves into what might constitute inner and outer resilience when working to tackle injustices as well as what sustainable, practical and meaningful justice could look like.

The article stems from a retreat Aarif attended, organised by St Ethelburga’s and Be The Earth Foundation in October 2021, the theme of which was how people can deal with imminent, ongoing or inevitable (depending on your point of view) climate catastrophe.

In the article, Aarif highlights similarities between the climate crisis and situations of armed conflict, notably:
• both appear to be inevitable;
• both disproportionally impact the poorest and most vulnerable in our society;
• both leave individuals feeling like they have very little possibility of making a significant, positive, or lasting change to the situation.

Aarif points out that attempting to address situations of catastrophe or conflict without strategic and practical planning can have a detrimental effect on one’s wellbeing, but that paralytic inaction can do likewise. With this in mind, he suggests four practices which he believes could help people become more resilient while also acting to alleviate the underlying situations:
1. recognising the fluidity between idealism and pragmatism;
2. focusing on systems, structures and institutional re-design by engaging in democratic processes;
3. tackling the root causes of injustices rather than pre-occupation with symptoms; and
4. ultimately, cultivating “living well, beautifully and justly as all one thing”.

Read Pathways of Resistance: Resilience, Potentiality and Power in the Pursuit of Justice on St Ethelburga’s website.

Chambers news

Chambers news

Join us!

Due to significant demand across our core practice areas and our programme of strategic growth, Garden Court North Chambers is recruiting across all core practice...

Chambers news

Coroner finds lack of action by healthcare professionals exacerbated 18-year-old’s mental health deterioration

The inquest into the death of 18-year-old Bhagat (“Buggy”) Singh was concluded by HM Assistant Coroner for Newcastle and North Tyneside, Paul Dunn, on 25th...

Chambers news

Durham and Darlington Crisis Team: Coroner finds missed opportunities in death of David Stevens

David Stevens, who had been diagnosed with Dysthymia and Paranoid Personality Disorder, died in June 2022 following a deterioration in his mental health. The inquest...

Chambers news

Court of Appeal matter settled by consent and remitted to Upper Tribunal

Vijay Jagadesham has seen his client’s appeal allowed by the Court of Appeal. Last Wednesday’s Court of Appeal hearing was vacated, and the matter settled...

Sign up to our mailing list

Our mailing list is dedicated to professionals with an interest in our work.

Sign up