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Narratives of Social Justice Educators

Standing Firm

  • Book
  • © 2014

Overview

Authors:
  1. Shirley Mthethwa-Sommers

    1. Nazareth College, Rochester, USA

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  • Uses narratives to make social justice education tangible and accessible, thus reducing resistance toward social justice issues
  • Each chapter concludes with reflection questions and specific lessons that can be gleaned from the stories presented
  • Discusses gender, class, race, sexuality as well as spirituality as a segment of diversity
  • Makes connections to globalization and its impact on education
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Education (BRIEFSEDUCAT)

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Table of contents (10 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-viii
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Introduction

    • Shirley Mthethwa-Sommers
    Pages 1-6

  3. What Is Social Justice Education?

    • Shirley Mthethwa-Sommers
    Pages 7-25

  4. Social Justice Educators

    • Shirley Mthethwa-Sommers
    Pages 27-32

  5. Personal Influences

    • Shirley Mthethwa-Sommers
    Pages 33-44

  6. Positionality Influences

    • Shirley Mthethwa-Sommers
    Pages 45-56

  7. Influences from the Field

    • Shirley Mthethwa-Sommers
    Pages 57-71

  8. Global, Social, and Historical Influences

    • Shirley Mthethwa-Sommers
    Pages 73-81

  9. The Role of Spirituality and Religion

    • Shirley Mthethwa-Sommers
    Pages 83-90

  10. Fluidity of Perspective

    • Shirley Mthethwa-Sommers
    Pages 91-97

  11. Conclusion: Standing Firm and an Invitation to Social Justice Education

    • Shirley Mthethwa-Sommers
    Pages 99-107
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Keywords

About this book

This book presents narratives of eminent social justice educators, which provide a window into why these educators have made it their mission to educate for attainment of social justice; it succinctly defines what social justice education is and what it is not.  Eleven nationally and internationally eminent narratives of social justice educators, namely, Beverly Daniel Tatum, Sonia Nieto, Kevin Kumashiro, Valerie Ooka Pang, Teresita Aguilar, Gaille Canella, Christine Sleeter, Julie Andrzejewski, Norma Bailey, Kent Koppelman, and Cathy Pohan, are featured.  Racial, gender, socio-economic class, and sexuality diversity of the social justice educators enriches the book by providing multidimensional perspectives on the impact of social positioning in choosing to educate for social justice. Chapter One, “Introduction to Social Justice Educators,” provides an in-depth introduction to the social justice educators who are featured in the book.  It delineates reasons they were selected to participate in the study of narratives for social justice educators. This chapter highlights diverse paths that contributed to the participants engaging in social justice education and outlines all their contributions to social justice education. Chapter Two, “Personal Influence,” describes the participants’ personal influences and how formative years of interacting with family members and peers contributed in shaping their identities as social justice educators.  In addition, this chapter examines how their varied racial, gender, and sexuality identities served to prepare them for their profession. Chapter Three, “Professional Influence,” offers a window into the participants’ professional life influences on their choice to work toward social justice education.  The educators discuss the impact of individual teachers and professors, the field in which they work and exposure to specific curriculum and readings that served to ignite their interest in educating forsocial justice. Chapter Four, “ Impact of Social and Historical Events,” explores the influence of social and historical events had in the evolution of social justice educators.  Such events compelled social justice educators to critically reflect on their roles in society and the importance of engaging in social justice activism through their work. Chapter Five, “ Reasons for Standing Firm,” focuses on reasons that keep social justice educators holding firm to their convictions of social justice education and teaching for social change.  It explores the role of spirituality and their sense of commitment. Chapter Six , “Epilogue,”  offers a synthesis of the experiences of social justice educators, implications for teacher education programs, and lessons that can be gleaned from their narratives. Stories from the social justice educators provide theoretical and pedagogical frameworks for teaching about social justice issues in education. Each chapter concludes with lessons that can be gleaned from the narratives and applied when working with students.​

Reviews

In Standing Firm, Sommers provides in-service and prospective educators a comprehensive view of the genesis of social justice theories. She then follows with authentic narrative views from many of the activists who have made social justice education their life’s work. It provides us with ways of thinking about, scaffolding and building upon a commitment to social justice education practices.  This book is bound to be a companion work in teacher education courses for 21st century teacher education.

Dr. R. Deborah Davis, Syracuse University

In a time where social justice education is under attack from every angle, Sommers’ Standing Firm is a strong reminder of our responsibility in higher education to know better and consequently do better. Theoretically rich and personally engaging this text presents the leading voices in social justice education which will surely inspire all readers to both stand firm in their own work and instigate others to do the same.

Professor Kenneth J. Fasching-Varner, Louisiana State University

This is a short but powerful, captivating, and easy-to-read book that adds a unique voice to the scholarship on social justice education. The reader will find it enlightening, scholarly, engaging, and empowering because it illuminates the narratives of critical and eminent social justice scholars and the historical and contextual factors that shaped their commitment toward social justice praxis and activism.     

Professor Omiunota N. Ukpokodu, University of Missouri-KansasCity                                                                                         

Authors and Affiliations

  • Nazareth College, Rochester, USA

    Shirley Mthethwa-Sommers

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