Thanks for the thoughtful comment, Helen. I think that you’re right about it being a reflexive space. The attempt to situate within wider forces definitely. Something a practical interest usually does not attempt to do. Kind of “if it’s working now, who cares about outside forces?”

I am trying to unpack the distinction you make between social justice and liberation. By definition emancipatory means liberating, right? So I don’t think describing it as liberating explains it, it would just be tautological? Whereas adding social justice does (imho) explain it a little? Both as a topic and as an approach. As in, the critical pedagogue is both reflexive about how interactions in class express power dynamics, but also inserts into the class (even if it is a course on biology or engineering) a social justice orientation. What do you think?