Social Context Research

Social context research is a broad and vital endeavor in the field of curriculum studies. In general, social context research within curriculum studies entails two major perspectives. One is that any attempt to understand educational phenomena requires an analysis of the broader context within which these phenomena are situated. The second is that research in curriculum studies typically seeks to illuminate the role of the social context and in viable ways to transform it in directions conducive to sustaining personal freedom and social justice. After describing several characteristics of a social context, this entry addresses three central features associated with understanding and transforming the social context with a curriculum studies framework.