Written by Shrehan Lynch and Lee Sullivan
Understanding and addressing social justice in Physical Education (PE) is essential for creating an inclusive and supportive environment for all students. However, grasping key social justice concepts can be challenging, which may limit our ability to effectively engage with these crucial issues. In this blog, we aim to clarify important terms related to social justice, examine the limitations of existing visual representations, and present our interpretations. Our objective is to spark meaningful conversations around these concepts, encouraging educators and the broader PE community to reflect upon and actively engage with social justice to drive positive change.
Understanding Social Justice
In their seminal book Pedagogies of Social Justice in Physical Education, Lynch, Walton-Fisette, and Luguetti (2022) emphasised the importance of incorporating social justice into physical education and offered practical guidance for educators. The book sought to address systemic issues affecting educational outcomes and aimed to assist teachers in creating a more inclusive and equitable PE environment for all students. Despite its comprehensive explanation of key social justice concepts, challenges remain. There continues to be confusion regarding how to effectively promote social justice within PE, potentially because well-intentioned educators may not fully grasp terms such as inequality, equality, equity, and liberation. This confusion often results in superficial or misdirected efforts towards social justice. To support educators in overcoming these challenges, we will provide a clarifying graphic later in this blog.
The Issue with Visualising Social Justice in PE
Before we present our image, it is important to acknowledge that images, animations, and graphics used to represent social justice concepts often have limitations. Given the dynamic and evolving nature of social justice, static visuals can sometimes oversimplify or misrepresent complex issues. Additionally, as our understanding of terms such as inequality, equality, equity, and liberation continues to develop, these images may not fully capture the nuanced and evolving nature of these concepts. Consequently, this can lead to misunderstandings and the perpetuation of inaccuracies. This underscores the necessity for thoughtful and regularly updated visual representations to accurately reflect ongoing changes and insights in the field of social justice.
In their paper ‘The A–Z of Social Justice Physical Education: Part 1’ Lynch, Sutherland and Walton-Fisette (2020) included the well-known graphic by Artist Angus Maguire, which showed four distinct pictures of people trying to watch a baseball game (see Figure 1).
Figure 1: Taken from Lynch, Sutherland and Walton-Fisette (2020, p. 11)
While the graphic provides a useful starting point for understanding these concepts, it may also be somewhat limiting. For instance, the image exclusively features males, thereby excluding other significant groups within the PE context, such as women, girls, and individuals with visible disabilities. The final illustration shows a fence being removed to symbolise liberation; however, true liberation would encompass a broader scope, including individuals engaging in activities of their own choosing—perhaps watching different sports or pursuing other interests entirely.
It is important to recognise that images can have inherent limitations and may not fully capture the complexities of social justice, particularly when they overlook the structural advantages that individuals may have. Despite this, Lynch (2024) has attempted to visualise key definitions outlined in Lynch, Walton-Fisette, and Luguetti (2022)—as depicted in Figure 2—it is crucial to acknowledge that this representation also has its limitations and may have a finite relevance.
Figure 2: Lynch (2024) Key Definitions Illustrated from Pedagogies of Social Justice & Youth Sport
Visualisation of Social Justice in PE
Figure 2 presents four distinct illustrations, each representing a different concept. Below is an explanation of each:
Inequality: This illustration depicts individuals beginning at different points on a track, symbolising how people start life with varying levels of opportunity. It highlights systemic disparities in resources, opportunities, and treatment based on factors such as race, gender, and socioeconomic status. In the context of Physical Education (PE), inequality may manifest as unequal access to facilities, equipment, or extracurricular opportunities.
Equality: Here, all individuals are shown starting from the same point on the track, representing the idea of providing the same resources or opportunities to everyone. While this approach aims for uniform treatment, it can be problematic in PE because it assumes that all students have identical needs and starting points. For example, while all students may receive the same running shoes, some may lack experience with doing up their shoe laces, an understanding of running technique, or even the physical ability to run.
Equity: This illustration emphasises the need to recognise different starting points and provide resources and opportunities tailored to individual needs, ensuring comparable outcomes. In PE, this might involve offering adaptive programs or additional support to marginalised students to guarantee fair participation. For instance, this could include utilising pupil premium funds to provide PE kits or sponsoring students to attend a sports summer camp during the holidays.
Liberation: The final illustration, which ideally should be open for interpretation by the individuals depicted, suggests that by removing barriers and dismantling oppressive structures, we can create environments where everyone has the freedom to make choices and thrive without systemic hindrances. In PE, liberation would not only address immediate disparities but also involve rethinking and restructuring the system to eliminate inherent injustices. For the purpose of this illustration, we have depicted individuals engaging in an activity of their choosing.
Sparking Conversation
We hope this image can spark conversations in PE departments around key social justice terms, and inspire PE teachers to rethink practices and advocate for a more inclusive environment.
References
Lynch, S., Sutherland, S., & Walton-Fisette, J. (2020). The A–Z of social justice physical education: Part 1. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 91(4), 8-13.
Lynch, S., Walton-Fisette, J. L., & Luguetti, C. (2022). Pedagogies of social justice in physical education and youth sport. Routledge.
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