Emotional Pedagogies: Strategies for Engaging Social Justice in the Classroom

In teaching for social justice, educators should not only consider what to teach, but also how to teach particular topics. Given that social justice work cannot be emotionally neutral, we articulate the power and beneficence of emotional pedagogies to leverage immersed, bodily experiences that engage student senses beyond cognition and rationality. We present practical pedagogical strategies that we have employed to engage our students toward social justice work and conversation. We share learning activities that engage the intuitive side of intellect, that are embodied, experiential ways of knowing and learning about injustices. The activities we provide use the classroom space to create a heightened sensitivity to particular social justice-focused goals, appealing to the sensory, emotional (in addition to cognitive) ways of knowing. By connecting theoretical perspectives with the affective and emotional attenuation and sensitivity, lessons can take on heightened pedagogical power and engagement.