The Social Welfare Science Study Program (IKS), part of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) at the University of Jember (Unej), successfully held a Studium Generale event with the critical theme, “From Margins to Movement: Green Social Work for Environmental Justice.” The event, which took place at the FISIP Hall on Saturday, September 27, 2025, aimed to broaden students’ understanding of the intersection between social issues and the increasingly urgent environmental crisis. The activity underscored the crucial role of social workers in advocating for vulnerable groups most severely impacted by environmental degradation.
During this Studium Generale, participants were introduced to the concept of Green Social Work, a holistic approach that integrates social justice with environmental justice. Invited expert speakers detailed how environmental degradation—such as pollution, climate change, and natural disasters—disproportionately harms impoverished and marginalized communities. Students were encouraged to think critically about the root causes of this injustice, which often stem from exploitative economic systems and policies.
The atmosphere in the FISIP Hall was highly interactive, marked by numerous questions from the students. The discussion moved beyond theoretical concepts to cover practical examples of how a social worker can take action. Topics included community empowerment strategies, advocating for pro-environmental policies that support indigenous peoples, farmers, and fishers, and building solid, grassroots social movements to fight for the right to a healthy environment.
This event aligns with the vision of the Social Welfare Science Study Program at the University of Jember, which strives to produce graduates who are sensitive and capable of contributing to environmentally-aware social development. In their opening remarks, the Head of the Social Welfare Science Laboratory stated that contemporary challenges demand social workers to not only address poverty or inequality but also to be active in ecological issues, which have become new sources of various social problems in society.
It is hoped that this Studium Generale will spark innovative ideas and tangible actions from the students. With a deeper understanding of Green Social Work, graduates of the University of Jember’s Social Welfare Science program are expected to be ready to become agents of change, guiding the transition toward a socially just and environmentally sustainable society, and transforming marginalized groups from victims into powerful drivers of the environmental justice movement.