Summary, Essentially Contested Concepts, Conclusions, and Future Actions to Promote Social Justice

• Published in: Education for Social Justice pp. 168 - 186
• Main Authors: Michelli, Nicholas M., Jahnsen, Diana, Jacobowitz, Tina J., Campo, Stacey
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: United Kingdom Routledge 2024; Taylor & Francis Group
• Edition: 1
• ISBN: 103242219X; 9781032420301; 9781032422190; 1032420308
• DOI: 10.4324/9781003361770-8

In this chapter, the meaning of an essentially contested concept is reviewed and expanded. The chapter then turns to the question of what can be done to promote social justice in the future. Essentially contested concepts are among the most important for deep understanding of what is needed in education and life in general to improve society and move towards social justice. Since Gallie first put forth the idea of essentially contested concepts, there has been more work that for some may set limits on how they are understood and used. The authors suggest that these critics fail to recognize that Gallie offers both a restrictive and broader definition of these criteria, and they seek to reconcile their views with his alternative definitions. One particular idea that will help with our conclusion is the use of the concept of agents and targets in which the agent is those who are violating social justice through discrimination, while the target is those who are discriminated against. Examining the source leads us to say that they have not said enough about discrimination based on disabilities.