Towards an Education Through and For Social Justice: Humanizing a Life Sciences Curriculum Through Co-Creation, Critical Thinking and Anti-Racist Pedagogy

Amy Maclatchy, Lan Nguyen, Olorunlogbon Olulanke, Lara Pownall and Moonisah Usman ()
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Amy Maclatchy: Centre for Education and Teaching Innovation, University of Westminster, London W1B 2HW, UK
Lan Nguyen: School of Life Sciences, University of Westminster, London W1W 6UW, UK
Olorunlogbon Olulanke: School of Life Sciences, University of Westminster, London W1W 6UW, UK
Lara Pownall: School of Life Sciences, University of Westminster, London W1W 6UW, UK
Moonisah Usman: Centre for Education and Teaching Innovation, University of Westminster, London W1B 2HW, UK

Social Sciences, 2025, vol. 14, issue 3, 1-16

Abstract: Degree awarding gaps highlight the inequitable outcomes of higher education (HE) for racially minoritized students in the UK. This ongoing issue has been described as a “wicked problem”, directly related to structural racism, or policies and practices that continually disadvantage racialized students. Movements to decolonize the curriculum bring hope and the tools to rebuild more socially-just institutions and societies. However, it is sometimes questioned whether the field of science, with its guise of objectivity, needs decolonizing, or what that process involves. We argue that student partnerships are central to building decolonized science curricula that are critical, anti-racist and will evoke social change. In this study, conducted with life sciences students in a UK HE institution, we share critical reflections captured through a mixed methods approach to address how we create an education that is through and for social justice. Education through social justice aims to create equitable learning environments by addressing how structures and curricula invite, engage and support racially minoritized students to be partners in the learning journey. Whereas education for social justice is about co-creating curricula, teaching practices and principles that lead to change makers and fostering more socially-just societies. Our research indicates that an education that is both through and for social justice requires co-creation where traditional power hierarchies are dismantled, and mattering is emphasized. Partnerships and curricula must be centered in anti-racist practices, with a structured and intentional approach to developing critical thinking skills for continual reflection, self-development and actions to promote inclusion and equity in life sciences and society.

Keywords: student–staff partnership; co-creation; anti-racism; social justice; life sciences; decolonizing higher education; decolonizing science; foundation; critical thinking; mattering (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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