Philosophy and Practice United

Paper Summary:

This paper studies the lives, work and writings of Harriett Martineau, Jane Addams and W.E.B Dubois, all of whom embodied the expression "Practice what you preach." The paper demonstrates how all three authors dedicated their life and writings not only to the philosophy of social involvement in a particular socially disadvantaged community, but to living and embodying this philosophy. The paper traces the actions and impact of each individual, focusing on his or her ability to achieve practical social action through their own lives, personal acts of defiance, and public acts of engaged social upheaval.

From the Paper:

"Martineau died in the 1870's, shortly before the birth of Jane Addams, the founder of the settlement movement. Addams is noted for viewing the needs of the poor with an objective sense of compassion and an absence of moral judgment. Thus, her social activism was conduced in the same spirit as Martineau conducted her sociological analysis of American and Middle Eastern societies. Jane Addams was another woman who defied conventional expectation of how a woman should live in her devotion to improve the life of the poor with her actions in the community, as well as with her writings. Her work in social settlements dealt with the problems created by urbanization, industrialization, and immigration. Unlike many other settlement houses, Addams' Hull-House residence provided kindergarten and day care facilities for the children of working mothers; an employment bureau; an art gallery; libraries; English and citizenship classes; and theater, music and art classes. "As the complex expanded to include thirteen buildings, Hull-House supported more clubs and activities such as a Labor Museum, the Jane Club for single working girls, meeting places for trade union groups, and a wide array of cultural events." (UCI, 2005) During this time, Addams also penned books, speeches, and newspaper articles advocating for the rights of the poor to better housing and conditions, as well as for the peace movement. Thus Adams was the first activist to unite social theories about the empowerment of women to the empowerment of the poor, and to the international trade movements for labor rights and world peace."

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