Hart, Caroline Sarojini: Aspirations, Education and Social Justice

Caroline Sarojini Hart presents a radical new paradigm for thinking about the role of education in the development of human flourishing. Aspirations, Education and Social Justice applies Amartya Sen's capability approach to understanding the nature of aspirations, in the light of a critical analysis of policies to widen participation in education. Sen's work is synthesised with key concepts from Pierre Bourdieu to develop an analytical framework for understanding the processes influencing the development and realization of aspirations. Drawing on empirical studies, involving over 1,000 young people, aged 14-19, this text explores the hopes and dreams of these young people for the future. The young people's voices challenge dominant discourses of aspiration, well-being and advantage, and invite readers to rethink their own positions on these issues.This is a wonderfully probing work on the contribution of aspiration and confidence in education, along with the role of education in the pursuit of social justice. Caroline Hart combines lessons from her empirical investigations with a sharp understanding of the conceptual and analytical problems that bear on this centrally important issue in public policy and social ethics. The result is a deeply engaging book with important lessons on a neglected aspect of educational policy.