Knowledge, Social Justice and Self-Study*

Abstract

This chapter addresses the issue of professional knowledge and social justice. It is presented in dialogic form, as a conversation in four voices. The conversation is nterspersed with four case studies, each one written by one of the authors. The case studies illuminate, exemplify and resist the arguments within the conversation about self-study, social justice, and epistemology. The paper is divided into four broad sections. The first, “Social Justice and Self-Study,” looks directly at the links between social justice and self-study. It begins by considering the resistances and difficulties inherent in addressing social justice issues, and continues by seeking a definition for social justice. The second, “What Kind of Knowledge?”, looks directly at the nature of knowledge that is gained in self-study that is rooted in a concern for social justice. From a starting point of knowing ourselves as tellers of stories, it goes on to address ways of telling and listening to stories across divisive social boundaries and hierarchies. The third section, “Professional Knowledge” introduces the idea of "little stories and grand narrative,” exploring ways in which professional knowledge might be understood as "little stories” countering, disrupting, critical of and contributing to "grand narratives” of educational knowledge. The fourth section addresses the urgent and difficult question, "Why is There so Little Self-Study on Social Justice Issues?”