Analysis of the Superman Character’s Historical Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Foundational Principles: Early Alignment with SDG 10 and SDG 16

The Superman character was conceived in 1933 by Jewish creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster as a direct response to the rise of authoritarianism and persecution in Europe. From his inception, the character was constructed as a defender of marginalized populations, reflecting a core alignment with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions): The character’s origin is rooted in anti-fascist sentiment, created to be a “crusader” against the oppression and slaughter seen in Nazi Germany.
• SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): Superman was envisioned as a protector of the helpless and downtrodden, using his power to aid the deserving rather than for exploitation.
• In his first appearance in “Action Comics #1” (1938), Superman immediately established his commitment to justice by:
  • Rescuing a wrongfully convicted prisoner.
  • Confronting an abusive husband, addressing issues related to gender equality (SDG 5).
  • Exposing a corrupt politician and a war lobbyist, directly challenging corrupt practices and promoting peaceful societies (SDG 16).

Championing Economic and Social Justice: Alignment with SDG 1, SDG 8, and SDG 11

Early narratives consistently depicted Superman tackling systemic issues related to poverty, labor rights, and urban development, demonstrating a clear connection to economic and social SDGs.

1. SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): In one storyline, Superman forced a corrupt mine owner to improve unsafe working conditions for his employees.
2. SDG 1 (No Poverty) & SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): When encountering young thieves driven by poverty, Superman addressed the root cause by destroying the slums they lived in, compelling the city government to construct new, affordable housing.
3. SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions): The character actively worked to prevent conflict, stopping a war in Latin America and forcing an arms dealer to witness the destruction caused by his products.

Confronting Authoritarianism and Racial Discrimination: Upholding SDG 10 and SDG 16

Throughout the 1940s, Superman was explicitly used as a tool to combat real-world fascism and racial hatred, reinforcing his role as an advocate for peace and equality.

• Fighting Fascism (SDG 16):
  • A 1940 “Look” magazine feature showed Superman capturing both Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin and bringing them before the League of Nations to be tried for war crimes.
  • The story provoked a direct response from the Nazi regime, which denounced Superman as “Jewish propaganda,” confirming the character’s impact as a symbol of cultural resistance.
  • Benito Mussolini’s Fascist Italy banned the comic in 1939, recognizing its subversive potential.
• Fighting Racial Discrimination (SDG 10):
  • In 1946, a 16-part radio show, “Clan of the Fiery Cross,” featured Superman confronting a fictionalized version of the Ku Klux Klan.
  • The broadcast, based on insider information from activist Stetson Kennedy, exposed and mocked the KKK’s rituals, contributing to a documented decline in the organization’s membership and influence.
  • By the 1950s, the character was used in public service announcements to promote diversity and condemn racial and religious discrimination as “un-American.”

Re-emergence as a Global Advocate for Peace and Equality

After a period of depoliticization due to the Comics Code Authority, writers began to re-engage the character with contemporary social and political issues, shifting his focus from a national to a global perspective in line with the universal nature of the SDGs.

• “Superman vs. Muhammad Ali” (1978): This comic validated the anti-war and anti-bigotry stance of Muhammad Ali, a polarizing figure at the time. By portraying Ali as an equal to Superman, the story made a powerful statement supporting SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
• “Action Comics #900” (2011): In a significant narrative development, Superman renounced his U.S. citizenship to operate as a global agent for humanity, independent of national policy. This act was a direct protest against his actions being misconstrued as instruments of a single government’s policy.
• Motto Update (2021): The character’s motto was officially changed from “Truth, Justice and the American Way” to “Truth, Justice and a Better Tomorrow,” reflecting a globalist perspective that aligns with the worldwide scope of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Contemporary Portrayals and Direct Engagement with 21st-Century SDG Challenges

The 2025 film “Superman” continues the character’s legacy by directly engaging with complex global issues, framing its central conflicts around key SDG themes.

• SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions): The film’s plot centers on Superman’s intervention in a war between a wealthy, powerful nation (Boravia) and its poorer neighbor (Jarhanpur). The narrative questions the justifications for invasion and critiques the role of war profiteering, as the villain Lex Luthor arms Boravia for personal and territorial gain.
• SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): The film explicitly addresses anti-immigrant and xenophobic rhetoric. Superman, a refugee from Krypton, is targeted by a smear campaign that labels him a foreign threat. He is subsequently imprisoned without due process, highlighting challenges related to migrant rights, discrimination, and the rule of law.
• SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): The antagonist, Lex Luthor, is depicted as a tech billionaire CEO whose corporate power fuels conflict and social division, serving as a critique of unethical corporate influence and its impact on global stability.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• The article extensively discusses Superman’s role in fighting against war, authoritarianism, and injustice. This includes confronting real-world figures and regimes like the Nazis and fictional conflicts that mirror real ones, such as the war in “Jarhanpur” which is likened to the situation in Gaza. He is portrayed as a figure who brings dictators like Hitler and Stalin “to the League of Nations, to answer for their war crimes.” The character also tackles corruption by foiling “a crooked politician and the hawkish lobbyist” and addresses flaws in the justice system by rescuing a “wrongfully accused prisoner from the electric chair.”

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• The article highlights Superman’s consistent fight against discrimination and inequality. This is shown in his battle against the Ku Klux Klan, where a radio show exposed the group’s secrets and “mocked them,” leading to a “sharp nosedive” in KKK membership. He is described as a defender of the marginalized, and his “pro-immigrant” themes are noted, stemming from his own status as a refugee from Krypton. The narrative addresses xenophobia, with villains using terms like “alien” as a pejorative, mirroring real-world anti-immigrant rhetoric.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• A specific instance from the early comics is cited where Superman addresses urban poverty and housing. He encounters “poor kids trying to survive in the slums” and, instead of letting them be arrested, “he destroyed the slums, leaving the city government with no choice but to build affordable housing.” This directly connects to the goal of providing adequate and affordable housing for all.

SDG 5: Gender Equality

• While a minor theme, the article explicitly mentions Superman’s early actions against gender-based violence, where he “sets an abusive husband straight.” It also notes that in the 1940s, his likeness was used to teach schoolchildren to reject discrimination based on “race, religion or sex,” which was deemed “un-American.”

SDG 1: No Poverty

• The character’s origins are rooted in the Great Depression, with his creator wanting to help “the despairing masses” and “the downtrodden.” The article mentions Superman fighting “slum lords preying on their tenants” and helping “poor kids trying to survive,” which directly relates to alleviating the conditions of poverty and protecting the vulnerable.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

• The article mentions Superman’s opposition to exploitative labor practices. In one early comic, he forces a “corrupt mine owner to make working conditions safer,” which aligns with the goal of protecting labor rights and promoting safe and secure working environments.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

1. Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere. This is identified through Superman’s actions to “stop a war in Latin America,” end World War II in a comic story, and his intervention in the fictional war between Boravia and Jarhanpur, which is described as a “brutal assault.”
2. Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all. This is relevant when Superman rescues a “wrongfully accused prisoner” and when the article discusses his own lack of due process after being imprisoned as an “alien,” highlighting the importance of legal rights for all.
3. Target 16.5: Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms. This target is addressed when Superman foils a “crooked politician and the hawkish lobbyist” and confronts “war profiteers” and “crooked stockbrokers.”

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

1. Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of race, ethnicity, origin, or religion. This is shown through Superman’s fight against the KKK, his validation of Muhammad Ali against bigotry, and his use in a 1953 public service announcement to call out “racial prejudice.”
2. Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices. The article connects to this target by describing how Superman’s actions led to the state of Georgia revoking the KKK’s corporate charter, an action that dismantled a discriminatory structure.
3. Target 10.7: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people. The article’s focus on Superman as a refugee and the “pro-immigrant” themes of the new film connect to this target. The film’s villain launches a smear campaign calling him a “foreign threat,” directly engaging with the politics of migration and xenophobia.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

1. Target 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums. This is directly identified in the description of an early comic where Superman “destroyed the slums, leaving the city government with no choice but to build affordable housing.”

SDG 5: Gender Equality

1. Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere. This is implied in the 1949 campaign where Superman encouraged schoolchildren to embrace diversity and reject discrimination based on sex.
2. Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres. This is identified when the article mentions Superman “sets an abusive husband straight,” a clear intervention against domestic violence.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

1. Implied Indicator for Target 16.1: Cessation of armed conflict. The article describes Superman’s direct intervention to “stop a war” and end conflicts, implying that a successful outcome is the end of violence.
2. Implied Indicator for Target 16.3: Proportion of the population who have experienced a dispute who accessed a formal or informal dispute resolution mechanism. The article implies this through its negative example: Superman, as an “alien,” is denied due process and a fair trial, indicating that the provision of these rights is a measure of justice.
3. Implied Indicator for Target 16.5: Number of corrupt officials brought to justice. Superman’s act of “foiling a crooked politician” suggests that holding corrupt individuals accountable is a measure of success.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

1. Mentioned Indicator for Target 10.2/10.3: Reduction in the membership of hate groups. The article explicitly states that after the “Clan of the Fiery Cross” radio show, “KKK membership took a sharp nosedive across the country,” providing a direct, measurable indicator of progress against organized discrimination.
2. Implied Indicator for Target 10.7: Change in public discourse and policy regarding migrants. The article contrasts the villain’s weaponization of the term “alien” with Superman’s response, “I’m as human as anyone,” suggesting that progress can be measured by a shift away from xenophobic rhetoric toward a more inclusive and rights-based approach to migration.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

1. Mentioned Indicator for Target 11.1: Provision of new affordable housing units. The article states that Superman’s actions resulted in the city having “no choice but to build affordable housing,” directly indicating that the construction of such housing is the metric for success.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

1. Implied Indicator for Target 8.8: Improvement in occupational safety. The story of Superman forcing a “corrupt mine owner to make working conditions safer” implies that a reduction in workplace hazards and an improvement in safety standards are key measures of progress.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: newlinesmag.com