Key Issues in Social Justice – serie

Racism has no place in our society, we are told. In fact, its role is crucial but today public debate on race in Britain is constrained by a facile postracialism. Its features are colourblind narratives, an ‘anti-antiracist’ discourse and erasure of Black working class identities.This book examines and challenges the marginalisation of critical race analysis in debates on social justice. It reconceptualises Critical Race Theory from a British standpoint, foregrounding the concept of ‘permanent racism’ and its importance in understanding race as a fully social relationship.Highlighting the need to decolonise public debate and antiracism itself, the book provides an essential resource for academics, students and activists who wish to decolonise public debates on racism, social class, education and social policy.

Racism has no place in our society, we are told. In fact, its role is crucial but today public debate on race in Britain is constrained by a facile postracialism. Its features are colourblind narratives, an ‘anti-antiracist’ discourse and erasure of Black working class identities.This book examines and challenges the marginalisation of critical race analysis in debates on social justice. It reconceptualises Critical Race Theory from a British standpoint, foregrounding the concept of ‘permanent racism’ and its importance in understanding race as a fully social relationship.Highlighting the need to decolonise public debate and antiracism itself, the book provides an essential resource for academics, students and activists who wish to decolonise public debates on racism, social class, education and social policy.

Underpinned by the idea of the right to a ‘basic minimum’, welfare states are a major feature of many societies. However, the lived experiences of persons seeking and receiving welfare payments can often be overlooked.This book seeks to remedy this omission by honouring lived experience as valuable, insightful and necessary. It draws on qualitative interviews with 19 people receiving various working age welfare payments in Ireland to explore stigma, social reciprocity and the notions of the deserving and undeserving poor, and to analyse welfare conditionality in the Irish context.Breaking new ground, this book offers original research findings which contest and inform policy both within Ireland and beyond.

Underpinned by the idea of the right to a ‘basic minimum’, welfare states are a major feature of many societies. However, the lived experiences of persons seeking and receiving welfare payments can often be overlooked.This book seeks to remedy this omission by honouring lived experience as valuable, insightful and necessary. It draws on qualitative interviews with 19 people receiving various working age welfare payments in Ireland to explore stigma, social reciprocity and the notions of the deserving and undeserving poor, and to analyse welfare conditionality in the Irish context.Breaking new ground, this book offers original research findings which contest and inform policy both within Ireland and beyond.

Education in India concentrates on exam performance and consequently, the teacher in India often acts as disseminator of textbook material, as well as maintaining class discipline and respect. This book explores low-income female teacher's speech and syntax as a crucial resource in which agency, freedom and empowerment is enacted within a strong oral tradition in India.It demonstrates how this socially and economically marginalised group overcome prejudices to develop relational agency and embed their authority. It shows how they establish their values and why their beliefs shape attitudes to aspiration, achievement and freedom of choice. It concludes with recommendations for policy and improvements to reflective practice in teaching.

Education in India concentrates on exam performance and consequently the teacher in India often acts as a disseminator of textbook material, as well as maintaining class discipline and respect. This book explores low-income female teachers' speech and syntax as a crucial resource in which agency, freedom and empowerment is enacted within a strong oral tradition in India.The book demonstrates how this socially and economically marginalised group overcome prejudices to develop relational agency and embed their authority. It shows how they establish their values and why their beliefs shape attitudes to aspiration, achievement and freedom of choice. It concludes with recommendations for policy and improvements to reflective practice in teaching.

Based on the Transforming Lives research project, this book explores the transformative power of further education.The book outlines a timely and critical approach to educational research and practice, and draws extensively on the testimonies of students and teachers to construct a model of transformative teaching and learning. It critiques reductive ‘skills’ policies in further education and illuminates the impact colleges and lifelong learning have on social justice outcomes for individuals, their families and communities.For trainee teachers, teachers, leaders, researchers and policy makers alike, the book presents a persuasive argument for transformative approaches to teaching and learning, and highlights the often unmeasured and under-appreciated holistic social benefits of further education.

Based on the Transforming Lives research project, this book explores the transformative power of further education.The book outlines a timely and critical approach to educational research and practice, and draws extensively on the testimonies of students and teachers to construct a model of transformative teaching and learning. It critiques reductive ‘skills’ policies in further education and illuminates the impact colleges and lifelong learning have on social justice outcomes for individuals, their families and communities.For trainee teachers, teachers, leaders, researchers and policy makers alike, the book presents a persuasive argument for transformative approaches to teaching and learning, and highlights the often unmeasured and under-appreciated holistic social benefits of further education.

This book firmly positions lived experience-led expertise as a unique and compelling form of knowledge in decolonising and disrupting research, teaching and advocacy. Based on the insights of people with first-hand experiences, each chapter presents unique accounts and reflections on a diverse range of social justice issues. Together, the authors’ perspectives centre lived experiences in the production of knowledge, challenge outsider-imposed views, and create new research and writing norms. They demonstrate that, when lived experience experts lead the way, their knowledge of how to address social injustices can enrich, transform and decolonise research, teaching and advocacy.This collection is an invaluable resource for academic and community-based researchers, practitioners, advocates, educators, policy makers, students and people whose lived experiences and views continue to be marginalised across diverse settings.