Chapter 89: Social Justice in Education: A Theoretical Overview

Social justice is about what constitutes “fairness” in a “good” society. Therefore, social justice is central to analyzing the role of the state with regard to the individual and different social groups in terms of the provision of education. Social justice has therefore been at the core of influential educational theories. Theorizing social justice requires us to both understand the different forms of inequality arising out of different forms of oppression, whether exploitation, marginalization, powerlessness, cultural imperialism, or violence (Young, 1990). Such inequality can be based on gender, race, class, sexuality or disability and is often the unintentional consequence of systematic and everyday practice. Focusing on social justice encourages us to consider the “institutional conditions necessary for the development and exercise of individual capacities and collective communication and cooperation” as well as imagine what constitutes a good society (Young, 1990, p. 39). It also requires us to think about who should make claims (an individual or a group), upon what institution should these claims be made (state, courts) and on what basis such claims can be made—rights, interests or needs?