The Philosophy of Social Justice: Lessons for Achieving Progress in Health Professions Education Through Meaningful Inclusion

Abstract

In the last half century, social justice has become an increasingly important endeavour within medical and health professions education. Despite calls for action in social justice, health education, however, has lagged behind in critical and comprehensive application of social justice philosophies compared to other academic fields. Given the importance of social justice in equitable and inclusive healthcare, and positive patient outcomes, all health professions educators ought to adopt a social justice lens in their work. In this chapter, we will consider what it means to be socially responsible through a philosophical lens and apply this theorisation to real world injustices within health education. In Chapter 8, Freire’s critical pedagogy is discussed, a broad educational philosophy which conceptualises education through a social justice lens. We will discuss other concepts relevant to this reconceptualization, including the debate of equality and priority, the question of the currency of justice within health education, and the role of individual responsibility. More specifically than within Chapter 8, we will consider race and ethnicity, LGBTQIA+, and widening access and participation initiatives within health education, and make recommendations as to how thinking philosophically about the issue of social justice can advance initiatives in this area.