Critical Qualitative Research in Social Education

Critical qualitative research informs social education through a lens that ensures the investigation of issuesin education tied to power and privilege, ultimately leading to advocacy and activism. The concept ofcritical is increasingly challenged in this age of neoliberal reform; nevertheless, critical impliesquestioning, investigating and challenging in terms of equity and social justice, leading to criticalconsciousness (Freire, 1970). While we resist defining social education, as hopefully these ideas / conceptsare fluid, the idea stems from a continual analysis and synthesis of critical theory/ critical pedagogy, mediaand cultural studies, social reconstruction / social justice, and social studies education framed by culturallyresponsive pedagogy. A social education take on critical qualitative research thus suggests multiple truthsand perspectives and focuses on questions rather than answers.While many have written on qualitative educational research and some have attempted to integrate criticalpedagogy and qualitative research, few have explored the specific idea of social education and criticalqualitative research. A major issue is that social education claims that there are no set procedures, scriptedapproaches, or narrow definitions as to the possibilities of research endeavors. Social education researchersmake the process and investigation their own and adapt questions, procedures, methods, and strategiesthroughout the experience. This reflects an ever changing criticality in the bricolage of the research(Steinberg, 2011).Critical qualitative research and social education are vital for the world of the 21st century. The onslaught of neoliberalism, corporatization,standardization, testing, and the continuing attack on public schools and educators necessitate critical approaches to teaching and learning along withcritical qualitative research in social education. Ongoing issues with equity and social justice tied to race, ethnicity, class, orientation, age, and abilitylinking to schooling, education, teaching and learning must be addressed. The struggle between unbridled capitalism and democracy warrant theseinvestigations in the 21st century, hopefully leading to advocacy and activism.