ABSTRACT
Addressing a research gap concerning the insufficient philosophical discourses on social justice from non-Western traditions, this article conceptualises social justice in education from a Daoist perspective. Drawing upon a Chinese classic Daodejing, it is argued that Daoism is aligned with relational justice through its emphasis on justice as dao (way-making). Relational justice as way-making is comprised of three fundamental characteristics: it eschews all forms of exploitation and subjugation; it relies on deferential leadership; and it balances the needs and interests of the self and those of others through wuwei (non-coercive actions), wuming (nameless) and wuyu (objectless desires). The paper further highlights the key educational implications in light of the neoliberal conditions of schooling. It is contended that a socially just school from a Daoist viewpoint rejects differentiation, measurement, competition and individualism that engender and perpetuate social injustice in favour of critical dialogues, correlation and harmony.
Acknowledgments
The author is grateful to two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments to an earlier draft.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.