Teaching for social justice in a communitarian democracy: a case from Singapore

While research on teaching for social justice has been prolific, most studies have been conducted in global north-west contexts. This mixed-methods study examined how teachers in Singapore understand and enact social justice teaching within a state-controlled, illiberal society. Findings indicate that teachers perceive social justice teaching as building students’ character and selected values for the societal good and national priorities. Furthermore, teaching and learning for social justice is often teacher-directed, reflecting a hierarchical, paternalistic model of classroom social relations and knowledge. Despite increased opportunities to engage with social justice issues, classroom discussions are carefully managed to emphasize objective problem-solving, avoid emotions, and eschew normative examinations to foster consensus among citizens. Through the lenses of political discourses employed by the Singapore state, this study offers a nuanced understanding of teaching for social justice and contributes to research predominantly contextualized in global north-west settings, informing research on teaching in similar sociopolitical contexts.