Ethnic Perception of Social Justice and its Relevance to John Rawls’ Theory of Justice (Case Study: Sunni Kurds of Iran)

Abstract
As one of the fundamental requirements of social life, social justice is considered one of the most complex and controversial phenomena in multi-ethnic and multicultural societies. Hence, one of Iran’s main challenges as a multi-ethnic country is achieving ethnic justice. In the IRI state, Sunni Kurds, as an ethnic-religious minority, have had unique experiences related to social justice. In this study, we investigated Iranian Sunni Kurds’ perception of social justice and its relevance to John Rawls’ theory of justice using a qualitative research approach and the thematic analysis method. The research participants are sixteen Sunni Kurds of Iran. A semi-structured interview was used for data collection. The data are analyzed using a thematic network approach. The research findings show that the participants’ perception of social justice has been formulated around four organizing themes, including the definition of justice (justice as equal access to resources and opportunities and justice as entitlement), the perception of justice (theatrical justice), and the expected just society (pluralistic society) and one global theme (justice as pluralism). The research results show the implicit relationship between the participants’ definition and perception of social justice and Rawls’ theory of justice as fairness. In other words, their definition of justice at the general level follows the principle of “equal opportunity” in Rawls’ theory, and their expected just pluralistic society also conforms to a large extent to the well-ordered society, the reasonable pluralism of the democratic society, and Rawls’ idea of overlapping consensus.  
Keywords: Perception of Social Justice, Sunni Kurds, Justice as Pluralism, Rawls.
 
1. Introduction
Undoubtedly, from the past to the present, one of the main challenges in the society of Iran has been ethnic justice. In recent decades, this issue has become a social problem due to the unequal distribution of resources and opportunities among Iranian ethnic groups. Hence, investigating and explaining ethnic justice is necessary for effective ethnic policy-making. Kurds are one of the ethnic groups in Iran, distinguished from other ethnicities by their linguistic, cultural, and ideological characteristics. The relationship between the Kurds and Iranian states has consistently been challenging. In the IRI state, the intersection of ethnicity and religion has placed Sunni Kurds, as an ethnic-religious minority, in a more marginal position than other ethnic and religious groups.
Empirically, there is ambiguity surrounding the Kurds’ perception of social justice. Another important aspect is the theoretical dimension of the Kurds’ perception of social justice. This aspect involves determining how their interpretation of social justice aligns with theories related to this phenomenon. One of the essential modern theories for social justice is John Rawls’ theory of justice as fairness. According to fundamental ideas in Rawls’ theory, such as the social contract, original position, veil of ignorance, and well-ordered society, his theory seems more realistic and comprehensive than other theories related to forming just procedures and structures in a multi-ethnicity society. 
In this study, it is assumed that addressing Sunni Kurds’ perception of social justice, as well as disambiguating their perception and investigating their relevance to Rawls’ theory of justice, can be a starting point to answer this fundamental question: what extent is it possible to use the theory of justice as fairness to realize social justice in Iran’s multi-ethnic and multi-religious society? Hence, this research’s primary purpose is to clarify the perception of social justice among Sunni Kurds. After that, another research purpose is to determine the relevance between Sunni Kurds’ perception of social justice and Rawls’ theory of justice.
 
2. Materials and Methods
We used the thematic analysis method and thematic network approach in this study. The field of study is the social and cultural field, including Sunni Kurds who live in the west and north-west of Iran and have common experiences with social justice. Thus, the research participants are sixteen Sunni Kurds. The purposeful sampling method was used in this study. For the data collection, we used a Semi-structured in-depth interview, and the coding method was used for data analysis. Conventional validation approaches in qualitative research, including validation by members (member check) and external audits, were used to validate the data collection and analysis process and the obtained results. 
 
3. Data
The research findings show that the participants’ perception of social justice has been formulated around four organizing themes and one global theme: 1. The definition of justice (equal access-entitlement): At the general level, research participants emphasize everyone’s equal access to resources and opportunities. In contrast, at higher levels, they consider entitlement as the basis for distributing resources and opportunities. According to their definition, any distribution of resources and opportunities at any level is considered fair if such affiliations are abandoned and unfair otherwise. 2. The perception of social justice (theatrical justice): The participants’ perception of justice is that social justice has been used by the system and its actors as a fashionable tool in different periods to legitimize the political system. The minimal and superficial experience of justice among the participants is more related to human agents and actors in specific times and places rather than society’s existing structures and laws. Thus, they understand this form of justice as theatrical and ritualistic justice that does not follow a specific principle or rule and cannot be generalized to everyone in all conditions and situations. 3. The just (pluralistic) society: Research participants consider a just society as a ‘pluralistic society’ that recognizes individual, ethnic, religious, linguistic, and ideological differences between people but does not involve any of them in distributing resources and opportunities. 
Finally, according to the participants’ definition and perception of social justice and their specifications of a just society, the theme of ‘justice as pluralism’ was selected as the global theme of the research. Pluralism is a perspective in which organizing and formulating the basic structures of a society is considered desirable when every ethnicity or every ideological group has the possibility and the means to protect its specific values and defend its rights at different levels. 
 
4. Discussion
First, based on the research results, there are two different definitions of justice at two levels among the participants. That is to say, their definition of justice at the general level of society and concerning the distribution of resources and opportunities among the general public is equal access for all. So, equal access is the central theme of their definition of social justice at this level. Nevertheless, at higher levels of distributing the resources, opportunities, and, in other words, special privileges, their definition is equivalent to entitlement. So, according to the definition of these people, to achieve social justice at both levels, the distribution of resources and opportunities, regardless of starting and non-starting affiliations, is an inevitable necessity. Second, in response to the question related to the Sunni Kurds’ perception of social justice, their perception can be explained and interpreted based on the theatrical or ritualistic justice theme. Indeed, the participants’ perception of their experienced justice is a thin and superficial layer of justice, which is more similar to a performance by the agents and actors of the political structure than the realization of real justice expected by them. Third, the Sunni Kurds’ desirable just society is pluralistic and free from ethnic, religious, and ideological affiliations. Its only criterion in distributing resources, opportunities, and advantages is people’s humanity at lower levels and their ability, competence, and expertise at higher levels. 
 
5. Conclusion
In response to this question, what is the relevance between the Sunni Kurds’ perception of social justice and Rawls’ theory of justice?’ However, research participants do not explicitly reference the fundamental ideas and principles of Rawls’ theory. However, they consider the veil of ignorance when they say resources and opportunities should be distributed between members of society regardless of starting [such as sexual, ethnic, language, religious, and social class] and non-starting [such as political and ideological] affiliations, as Rawls imagines that no one knows his starting places and affiliation in the veil of ignorance. They implicitly consider the basic structure of society because, in their opinion, a just or unjust society directly depends on how the main institutions distribute resources and opportunities. Their definition of justice at the public level aligns with Rawls’ principle of fair equality of opportunities. There is a close relationship between the pluralistic society considered by the participants and the just, well-ordered, and democratic society emphasized by Rawls. Also, the just pluralistic society considered by participants is the same well-ordered and just society considered by Rawls because the liberties related to equal citizenship are inviolable. Moreover, the pluralism emphasized by the research participants can only be realized in a democratic society based on the rule of law. Finally, in response to this question: can the theory of justice as fairness serve as a starting point for resolving disputes related to social justice and achieving a just society in Iran’s multi-ethnic and multi-religious context? Regardless of the attitudes and perceptions of various Iranian ethnicities or groups, this can only be realized if the basic structures and society envisioned by Rawls are established.