Conceptualising social justice in education: a Daoist perspective

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.

KEYWORDS:

• Daoism
• neoliberalism
• relational justice
• social justice
• way-making

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.