Approaches to Justice in Our Research: A Content Analysis of Two Social Studies Education Journals

• In Event: 30.072 - Curriculum and Purpose in the Social Studies

Abstract

This paper reports on a content analysis of two social studies journals, Theory and Research in Social Education (TRSE) and The Social Studies. There are two objectives for this presentation. First, we present findings on the qualitative methodologies used in the studies reported on in the two journals. Second, we analyze these findings through the lens of Sen’s theory of justice in order to consider generative purpose of the methodologies for furthering justice and/or retreating injustices in social studies education. Combined, these two objectives provide a snapshot of the recent landscape of methodologies and purposes of social studies educational research. Using Sen’s framework, we identify significant trends within the social studies educational research community as reflected in the two journals.

Authors

• J. Spencer Clark, Kansas State University

• Steven Paul Camicia, Utah State University