Social Justice Dispositions in Schools: Thinking with Bourdieu, Reading Dispositions in Practice(Routledge Research in the Sociology of Education)

Against the backdrop of equity-sensitive approaches within education policy and practice, inequalities in student attainment remain a persistent problem. In response, this book advances the concept of social justice dispositions (SJDs), offering a new perspective by shifting the focus to what operates between the values and beliefs of policymakers and educators and the actual everyday practice evident within classrooms. In this intermediary space between belief and practice, this book conceives of social justice dispositions being one part of a larger collection of dispositions that constitute one’s habitus, drawing from the work of French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu. Bringing this together with methodological insights from cultural-historical activity theory, the authors seek to identify a spectrum of social justice dispositions that influence the pedagogic work of schooling—dispositions evident both in the pedagogic authority of school leadership and in the pedagogic action of classroom teachers. The book contributes new lines of inquiry, conceptual tools, and novel methodological approaches to advance social justice research and outcomes in education. As such, it is essential reading for academics, scholars, and postgraduate researchers working in the space of critical research and sociology of education.

Table of Contents:
1. An introduction to social justice dispositions in schools 2. Researching dispositions through activity Part 1: Social justice dispositions revealed in pedagogic action 3. Advantaged and disadvantaged schools, perceived need, and social justice dispositions 4. School ethos, teacher experience, and social justice dispositions Part 2: School leadership as pedagogic authority for socially just practice 5. Pedagogic authority positively disposed towards social justice 6. Pedagogic authority negatively disposed towards social justice 7. Conclusion: Possibilities for socially just action in schools

About the Author :
Russell Cross is Professor of Education at the University of Melbourne, Australia. He specialises in Vygotskian sociocultural accounts of teachers’ professional knowledge, practical expertise, and professional learning and development. Carmen Mills is Associate Professor at The University of Queensland, Australia. Her work within the field of the sociology of educaion draws on Bourdieu and focuses on educational inequality. Trevor Gale is Emeritus Professor of the Sociology of Education and Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, UK. His research is focused on the reproduction of inequalities through schooling and higher education.

Review :
'It is rare to find examples and illustrations about how equity discourses in education are practiced and realized by teachers, principals and schools. It is even rarer to find a sustained discussion about how such practices contribute to positive outcomes in the lives of young people. Social Justice Dispositions in Schools is this rare book, and it makes its timely contributions by explicitly connecting the ideas of Pierre Bourdieu to the everyday practices of education policy, structure, and context. The book provides both systems or macro-level analyses with the everyday micro-level interventions, which, when combined, produces multiple ways to understand the complexities, persistence and remediation of educational inequalities. I believe that those engaged in the hard work of education worldwide – researchers, policy makers, teachers, school administrators, teacher educators, teacher candidates, and graduate students – will find this text both informative and rewarding.' P. Taylor Webb, Professor, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada 'This important, thought-provoking book brilliantly utilises Bourdieusian theory to illuminate how inequalities are perpetuated through school practices. Social Justice Dispositions in Schools reveals how, despite commitments to making a difference, teachers are still failing at fairness. At the heart of the book lies an enduring conundrum; the gulf between teachers’ espoused values and beliefs and actual practice. But Social Justice Dispositions in Schools is also a hopeful book, revealing how social justice can move from the periphery to the centre of teaching and learning in schools.' Diane Reay, Emeritus Professor of Education, University of Cambridge 'Social justice dispositions in schools is a timely reminder of how much difference teachers, principals and schools can make to young people’s lives. When educators hold and enact strong social justice positions in their everyday practice, their actions have the potential to enhance students’ educational outcomes. Conversely, negative dispositions can increase the educational effects of socioeconomic disadvantage, thereby explaining why attainment gaps increase as students go through school education. Taking social justice dispositions as revealed in actions, informed by Bourdieu, as a point of departure, the authors provide an original framework for understanding how injustices and inequalities are maintained. The implications for pre and in-service ongoing education are significant. The researchers’ approaches to working with classroom data with teachers offer some insights for disruptive positive interventions. Highly recommended read for researchers and educators at all levels of education.' Barbara Comber, Emeritus Professor, University of South Australia