Cognitive Justice in Teachers' and Students' Narratives: A Philosophical-Anthropological Analysis

Articles in Press

Document Type : research article

Authors

1 , Department of Education, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, The University of Mazandaran,,, Babolsar, Iran

2 Department of Antropology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, The University of Mazandaran, ,Babolsar, Iran

10.22080/eps.2026.31799.2417

Abstract

Aim: This study aims to analyze teachers' and students' perceptions of educational justice within Iran's education system, with an emphasis on the concept of "cognitive justice." Cognitive justice—defined as the fair distribution of opportunities for understanding, expression, participation in meaning-making, and recognition of diverse ways of knowing within educational institutions—serves as the core of the proposed conceptual model.
Methodology: This qualitative interpretive study employed semi-structured interviews with 30 students and 20 teachers from public schools across Iran. Data were analyzed using theory-driven thematic coding.
Results: Findings reveal that perceived educational justice operates across four interconnected levels: structural, cultural, classroom, and cognitive. Teachers primarily emphasize structural and policy constraints, while students foreground their lived experiences of linguistic marginalization, epistemic delegitimization, restricted cognitive agency, and the exclusion of diverse ways of knowing in the classroom.
 Conclusions and suggestions: The perceptual gap between teachers and students indicates a misalignment in the realization of cognitive justice within the educational institution. Policymakers are recommended to move beyond distributive justice by developing culturally responsive curricula, diversifying assessment methods, and implementing teacher training programs grounded in principles of cognitive justice.
Innovation and originality: The study's innovation lies in formulating a four-level model of educational justice centered on cognitive justice as the integrative link across structural, cultural, and classroom levels, thereby foregrounding the lived experiences of educational actors

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References

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Journal of Educational Planning Studies

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 06 September 2026

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  • Receive Date: 17 May 2026
  • Revise Date: 31 May 2026
  • Accept Date: 27 June 2026

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