Giving meaning to social justice: Enacting a critical-recognitive approach within career development...

Giving meaning to social justice: Enacting a critical-

recognitive approach within career development

Barrie A Irving

Research Institute for Professional Practice and Learning in Education (RIPPLE), Charles Sturt University, Australia & University Otago College of Education, New Zealand

email: [email protected]

SOCIAL JUSTICE?Research Institute for Professional Practice & Learning in Education (RIPPLE), Charles Sturt University

What is social justice

•To paraphrase Gale (2000): How will we know social justice when we see it?

•Underlying this proposition there is a need to relate it to the broader question of whose interests career education, guidance and counselling should, and does, progress.

Research Institute for Professional Practice & Learning in Education (RIPPLE), Charles Sturt University

Social justice is a slippery concept

Thrupp and Tomlinson (2005) note that:

“Like ‘equality of opportunity’ or ‘choice’, ‘social justice’ is one of those politically malleable and essentially contested phrases which can mean all things to all people” (p.549).

As Reisch (2002) has observed:

“the concept of social justice is now used as a rationale for maintaining the status quo, promoting far-reaching social reforms, and justifying revolutionary action” (p. 83)


4 competing models of social justice•Retributive

•Distributive

•Recognitive

•Critical-recognitive


Retributive justice• Social justice is premised on notions of:

individual liberty, the protection of property rights, and punishment for those who transgress.

Individuals are positioned as autonomous ‘self-actualising consumers’ within a ‘free market’

• Social justice is achieved through:

• Open competition, and state protection of life and property

• The beneficiaries of social justice:

are those make an economic contribution to society

• Social justice should deliver:

material and social opportunities/rewards commensurate with talent and effort

‘Career’ is construed as being of our own making, influenced by individual drive, determination, and latent talents – we make our own ‘luck’;


Distributive justice


• Social justice is premised on notions of:

individual freedom, social cooperation and compensation

Individuals and groups are represented by democratically elected governments, and other institutional authorities


• equitable distribution on the basis of fairness (but weighted towards those most disadvantaged)


those from disadvantaged groups in particular, but society as a whole


basic material and social goods and opportunities – reflected in representative outcomes

‘Career’ is constructed by the individual, accommodates other life roles and desires, but is construed primarily as an economic concept;

Recognitive justice• Social justice is premised on notions of:

positive recognition which is accorded to all people within and among diverse social groups

Individuals and group members are given the means to exercise their capabilities and determine their own actions


• democratic processes that actively, and respectfully, include the interests of those from diverse marginalised and/or oppressed groups


all members of society through the recognition of different experiences, needs and desires (which are not tied to economic participation)


positive self-identity, self-development, and (collective) self-determination.

‘Career’ is constructed in relation to the desires of self, family and community, and may not include economic participation.


Critical-recognitive justice• Social justice is premised on notions of:

positive recognition of all people within and among diverse social groups, and is intertwined with economic redistribution

Individuals and group members are given the means to exercise their capabilities and determine their own actions through the removal of oppressive barriers to participation


• democratic processes that actively, and respectfully, include the interests of those from diverse groups, and facilitates critical exploration of oppression and domination with the intention of addressing this


all members of society through the recognition of difference in relation to group and individual experiences, needs and desires


positive self-identity, self-development, and (collective) self-determination and the economic resources to enable ‘meaningful lives’.

‘Career’ is constructed as holistic, and it is recognised that it is always in a state of flux and can take multiple forms – including those that might challenge the state.


The transformative potential of career education: embedding social

justice• A critical-recognitive social justice approach

involves:

“the fostering of critical insights into how social, political and economic discourses position and shape concepts of ‘self’, ‘career’, ‘opportunity’ and ‘justice’ [which] contributes to our understanding of our potential roles as creative, dynamic and responsible citizens” (Irving, 2010a, p. 53), within culturally diverse societies that are respectful of difference.


Putting theory into practice

From a critical-recognitive standpoint, I believe that:

“career [professionals] can make a difference by assisting [clients] to develop their critical capabilities as creative, dynamic and socially concerned citizens, and by working with them to envisage possible alternative futures” (Irving, 2010b, p.21).


Challenging (neoliberal) times . . .

•Career professionals themselves will need to acquire a critical understanding of how different forms of social justice reflect competing political standpoints if they are to be reflexive, and honest, about their practice(s)


Challenging times – changing practice• Through learning to think differently and talk more creatively,

we can begin to shift the discursive boundaries that restrict our profession by:

Physically and metaphorically re/writing the language of ‘career’

Locating career within a social, political and economic context

Promoting a ‘holistic’ view which looks beyond economic participation

Presenting alternatives that enable clients to question (and challenge) dominant discourses of what is positioned as being ‘right’

Providing clients with opportunities to envisage alternative futures

• Ideas should be regarded as fluid, and never complete


Moving forward . . .

• Key questions to ponder:

• In what ways does career theory, policy, and guidelines for practice connect with social justice – how, why, and what is being advocated?

• Whose interests are progressed through my own theorising, policy-making and/or practice – and how do I feel about this?

• In what ways might my theorising, policy-making and/or practice be more socially engaged and politically informed?


Thank you for listeningI hope my presentation has been

helpful and given you something to think about!

Feel free to get in touch if you wish to continue the discussion


References & further reading

Gale, T. (2000). Rethinking social justice in schools: how will we recognize it when we see it? International Journal of Inclusive Education, 4, 253-269.

Gale, T. & Densmore, K. (2000). Just schooling: explorations in the cultural politics of teaching. Buckingham, England: Open University Press.

International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, (March, 2014), Issue 1.

Irving, B. A. (2010a). (Re)constructing career education as a socially just practice: An antipodeans reflection. International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, 10, 49-63. doe 10.1007/s10775-009-9172-1.

Irving, B. A. (2010b). Making a difference? Developing career education as a socially just practice. Australian Journal of Career Development, 19(3), 15-23.

Irving, B. A. & Malik, B. (Eds.) (2005). Critical reflections of career education and guidance: promoting social justice in a global economy. London: RoutledgeFalmer.

McAllen, P. & Patton (2006). A critical reflection on career development. International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, 6, 15–27. doe: 10.1007/s10775-006-0005-1

McAllen, P. & Schulte's, D. E. (Eds.) (2012). Social constructionist in vocational psychology and career development. Rotterdam, NL: Sense.

Richardson, M. S. (2012b). Counselling for work and relationship. The Counselling Psychologist, 40(2), 190-242.

Young, I. M. (1990). Justice and the politics of difference. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.


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