| This exploratory study examines social justice curriculum transformation in the twenty-first century in order to describe the manifestations of structural and ideological constraints within educational institutions in order to make a contribution to scholar activism. The macrosociological lens of historical materialism will be used as both the theoretical and methodological underpinning to conduct this secondary analysis.; Currently, the economic base of global, corporate capitalism is in crisis. The crisis in the base expresses itself in institutions of that are a part of the superstructure. This study will focus on the crisis at it unfolds over three and a half years at a progressive, private, school located in the nation's capital. By examining power relations in the characteristics of the school and decision making within an institutional and classroorn dynamic the structural and ideological constraints on the social justice curriculum are revealed over four periods: Summer 2002 to Summer 2003, Fall 2003 to Spring 2004, Fall 2004 to Spring 2005, and Fall 2005.; In linking the needs of the economic base with the superstructural institution of education, this study finds that there are significant structural and ideological forces that act as constraints to curriculum transformation that has the expressed intention of encouraging critical analysis of capitalism as the root cause of injustice, oppression and exploitation. |
