Education of a socially just citizenry: towards a philosophy of anti-capitalist education

Walsh, Gary (2025) Education of a socially just citizenry: towards a philosophy of anti-capitalist education. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This thesis examines theories and philosophies of social justice, linking them to a conceptual approach to citizenship education and the development of what I term a socially just citizenry. I analyse the dialectic of justice-oriented dispositions and the social structures that enable or thwart the development of such dispositions at the level of the citizenry. The aim is to provide conceptual clarification of how education can strengthen the knowledge base and social arrangements required for the practice of justice-oriented citizenship.

It is commonly asserted that education is fundamental to the realisation of social justice, yet the role of education in this regard can lack conceptual clarity in theory, policy and practice. Social justice is a contested term with a variety of meanings and implications that change over time. Similarly contested is the role of schools, educators, pedagogies and curricula in relation to social justice. Additionally, it is recognised that the education system itself can perpetuate social inequalities. Particularly relevant to these concerns is the role of citizenship education and yet there is an absence of literature that seeks to conceptualise citizenship education in direct relation to social justice and the reproduction of a socially just citizenry.

This thesis represents a philosophical exploration of the role of education in the reproduction of such a citizenry. I problematise an individualistic approach to citizenship education that seeks to produce responsible citizens while failing to adequately address issues of social justice. I propose and discuss the philosophical conjunctures of social justice and social power, drawing on radical philosophies of resistance to injustice and abuses of power through the lens of racial capitalism. The relationship of these conjunctures to the practices of citizenship is evaluated and presented as the theoretical basis for a socially just citizenry.

I begin by constructing a philosophical approach to the understanding of social justice, addressing difficulties of its definition and validity as an educational aim. I show that social justice is not a straight-forward goal but a continuous and problematic process that is best characterised, I argue, as resistance against injustice. Within this struggle I add a multidimensional theorisation of social power. I discuss theories of citizenship, differentiating citizenship as status (for example, legal status or nationality) and citizenship as practice (for example, engagement in democracy). Following this, I demonstrate the conceptual potential of the socially just citizenry to contextualise and intervene in contemporary educational debates.

While a citizenry is commonly understood as a group of citizens, I build on the perspective that understands citizenry as a wider body politic. I propose that a socially just citizenry is a dispositional and systemic orientation towards social justice that transcends national boundaries. This requires the education of citizens who are critically informed and emotionally invested in social justice, with the capacity for resisting injustice. I argue that a socially just citizenry embodies the economic, cultural, political and affective levers of democratic power that enable social transformation. Education of a socially just citizenry, as understood here, is an intersectional, relational, decolonial and anti-capitalist endeavour.

This analysis informs my argument of how justice-oriented citizenship can be developed through education. I identify critical activism as an approach to justice-oriented citizenship, proposing it as an educational imperative. I conclude that an education of a socially just citizenry is best understood within the broader project of anti-capitalist transformation. Finally, I identify routes forward for future investigations and applications in educational practice.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Subjects: L Education > L Education (General)
• Colleges/Schools: College of Social Sciences > School of Education
• Supervisor's Name: Davis, Professor Robert and Hedge, Professor Nicki
• Date of Award: 2025
• Depositing User: Theses Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:2025-84926
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 27 Feb 2025 16:46
• Last Modified: 03 Mar 2025 13:17
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.84926
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/84926