Citizenship Education, spatial justice and social imagination: Constructive principles for curriculum and democracy

Highlights: - Citizenship education is conceptualised as a space of social imagination and justice. - “Powerful knowledge” is linked to the capacity to imagine and act collectively. - Outcome-based education is associated with the narrowing of civic and democratic agency. - Spatial justice shapes how imagination and hope are unevenly distributed. - A circular, three-year model connects knowledge, territory, and civic action. Purpose: This article examines citizenship education as a space for social imagination and spatial justice, arguing that the interplay between powerful knowledge and social imagination offers a framework for rethinking democratic education in contexts shaped by outcome-based and employability-driven policies. Design/methodology/approach: A theoretical interpretive approach draws on hermeneutic and critical perspectives from social philosophy, sociology of education, and critical pedagogy. The paper develops a conceptual synthesis linking epistemic justice, imagination, and hope, and proposes a long-term pedagogical model for school practice. Findings: The analysis identifies three dynamics that constrain the democratic potential of citizenship education: a) the instrumentalisation of knowledge through performative accountability; b) the erosion of public trust and increased political polarisation and populism; and c) spatial inequalities that limit the capacity to imagine alternative futures. The articulation between powerful knowledge and social imagination highlights the potential of schools as sites of civic engagement and collective meaning-making. Research limitations/implications: The article contributes to future research on civic imagination and spatial justice, particularly in contexts of social vulnerability, by proposing analytical tools and indicators for curriculum development and teacher education. Practical implications: A circular three-year model supports democratic learning through cycles of knowledge development, territorial mapping, dialogue, and collective action, positioning schools as spaces where knowledge and imagination are connected in practice