Are We All Sitting Uncomfortably? Unlearning the Stories of Social Justice.

Social justice is a widely used term across many sectors, societies, and ideologies and has become a buzzword for positive intentions towards tackling inequity or inequality (Atkins and Duckworth, 2019; Ladson-Billings, 2023). However, it is also a slippery concept which could be easily misinterpreted, or the complexities lost in the effort to respond, ultimately leading people to lose ‘sight of the big picture and the injustice that prevails’ (Ladson-Billings, 2023: 3). Equitable education systems are fundamental and potentially powerful vehicles to achieve a socially just world (Atkins and Duckworth, 2019) though this article questions the validity of any such claims of our current schooling in the United Kingdom (UK) and draws together argumentation for authentic change.

The article explores the multifaceted, sometimes misinterpreted, concepts and realities of social justice specifically within educational contexts and the implications for authentic action and change in these spaces. It will re-visit, re-evaluate and further investigate the potential of ‘discomfort’ as a catalyst for change within educator professional learning which aims at transformation of the status quo. Adding to this discourse is the consideration of emotion within this learning process and the innovative power of humour to humanise and engage with challenging issues. Drawing on current literature and reflecting back to my previous work, this article aims to dare myself, and others in the field, to personally rediscover discomfort as a powerful means for transformative change and engender authentic action.