Judaism, Education and Social Justice - by Matt Plen (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

This book sets out new theoretical foundations for Jewish social justice education by surveying and discussing Freirean critical pedagogy, Catholic models of social justice education, Jewish social justice literature and interviews with educators and activists.

Jewish social justice education is an active and growing field, encompassing a diverse range of issues including the treatment of refugees, environmental justice, human rights, peace and justice in Israel/Palestine, gender equality, and LGBT+ inclusion. Yet Jewish social justice education remains an under-researched and under-theorized phenomenon. This lacuna has practical implications for the thousands of educators and activists across the world who are attempting to achieve social justice ends through the medium of Jewish education. In discussing the key philosophical, political and educational issues that emerge when discussing these topics, the author draws on thinkers including Hannah Arendt, Martin Buber, Alasdair MacIntyre and Jonathan Sacks. Matt Plen proposes three possible directions for a normative theory of Jewish social justice education: 'Jewish politics in a renewed public sphere', 'Jewish education for relational community building' and 'Jewish critical pedagogy for cultural emancipation'.

Review Quotes

Bringing together philosophical analysis and interviews with inspiring activists, this book demonstrates in a clear, accessible way that Jewish texts and Jewish tradition can be a well from which radical educational activity springs.
Itay Snir, Senior Lecturer, Yezreel Valley Academic College, Israel

In Judaism, Education and Social Justice: Towards a Jewish Critical Pedagogy, Matt Plen does a wonderful job of exploring the historical foundations Jewish social justice. This is a much-needed text for scholars and continues the push for a better understanding of Jewish multicultural thought.
Daniel Rubin, Extension Instructor, University of California, Riverside, USA

Justice is a central theme of Jewish tradition. Yet, as Matt Plen writes in Judaism, Education, and Social Justice, "Jewish social justice education remains an under-researched and undertheorised phenomenon." Plen's challenging and accessible new book fills this gap with an important contribution to the growing scholarly literature on Jewish education. Grounded in a careful review of Paulo Freire's impact on educational and theological scholarship and echoing the voices of leading Jewish social justice educators in the UK, Plen offers a compelling vision of Jewish education for social justice that combines social critique with utopian aspiration.
Hanan Alexander, Professor of Philosophy of Education, University of Haifa, Israel and 2021-2023 Koret Visiting Professor of Israel Studies, University of California, Berkeley, USA

About the Author

Matt Plen is Chief Executive of Masorti Judaism, UK. He holds a PhD in Philosophy of Education from IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society, University College London, UK.