Just reflections: developing a curriculum framework for social justice through race equity

In this conceptual piece, we provide the rationale for, and reflect upon, the creation of a curriculum framework, the ‘Curriculum for Social Justice’ (CfSJ) at Leeds Trinity University (LTU), a relatively small higher education institution in the North of England. We discuss the pedagogic principles that informed the design of the CfSJ, the social justice themes that were chosen for embedding within it, and its focus on race equity as a driving force. We also consider wider philosophical and sociological thinking around inequity and how such thought can be brought to bear, in a positive way, by educationalists and academics to promote student learning experiences that promote improved learning outcomes for all. We incorporate contemporary, radical academic thought in our discussion, considering it as a catalyst for making a meaningful educational intervention with the potential to address, at least in part, some of the persistent inequities in the UK HE system.