Keynote Presentation: Framing Issues Using America’s Second Language: Community, Prevention,
and Social Justice
Dr. Lawrence Wallack

The first “language” of American culture is individualism. A second language of community—rooted in progressive social values that are common to the American experience—serves as the first language of social change. These values resonate with many Americans but are not easily articulated. Also, there is a strong tradition of not trusting government, particularly “big government,” that is embedded our first language. Consequently, personal-behavioral, individualistic understandings of health and social problems prevail. Advancing a social change/public policy approach to prevention of domestic violence requires invigorating America’s second language by recognizing the underlying core social justice values.