Enhancing capacity for social justice work within the academy: Building critical consciousness

Abstract

In this article, we explore our experience of carving out space within an academic program where we were able to engage in learning and teaching that enhanced our capacity to understand foundational literature in the Socio/Cultural Field of Study and work towards our social justice goals. The doctoral course described provided the conditions (environmental and social) we needed to support our questioning of disciplinary and personal knowledge and experience and ‘to see the limitations and lacunae in our understandings’ (Burbules and Berk 1999, 61). Data collected during the course included: audio-taped class sessions, weekly written responses/reflections, and final papers.