What would a socially just education system look like?

• Published in: Journal of education policy Vol. 27; no. 5; pp. 577 - 585
• Main Authors: Francis, Becky, Mills, Martin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Routledge 01-09-2012
• Subjects: Best Practices; Education policy; Education systems; Educational Indicators; Educational markets; Educational Objectives; Educational Philosophy; Educational Policy; Educational Principles; Educational provision; Educational Sociology; Educational Theories; Foreign Countries; Instructional Development; Instructional Systems; Neoliberalism; Politics of Education; School systems; Social action; Social Justice; United Kingdom; United Kingdom
• ISSN: 0268-0939; 1464-5106
• DOI: 10.1080/02680939.2012.710014

This article introduces this special issues of Journal of Education Policy, which has as its theme 'What would a socially just education system look like?' The issue was developed from discussions about the imbalance between critique and constructive thinking within the sociology of education, and work on education policy. Researchers in this area were concerned that their research was becoming increasingly irrelevant to policy and practice, with the danger that researchers were becoming knowing observers of sociological phenomena, comparing clever notes within their own exclusive circle, while practice and policies that exacerbate inequalities continue oblivious and unabated. The authors developed a discussion manifesto setting out the terms of debate, reviewing the injustices of the existing systems that reflect a dominant model in neoliberal states in the Global North, and outlining principles for a socially just alternative. The article introduces the special issue's articles from leading academics working in the area of education policy, policy sociology, philosophy of education and critical educational theory, which further the discussion and are forward looing in relation to the provision of education.