Mathematics for Social Justice

Mathematics for social justice is an approach to teaching mathematics that draws on critical mathematics pedagogy and related educational philosophies, aiming to help students develop a positive relationship with mathematics and become numerically literate, actively participating citizens. Emerging largely from the work of mathematics teachers such as Eric Gutstein and drawing on critical-pedagogy theorists including Paulo Freire, it treats overcoming social inequality as part of the purpose of mathematics teaching, with some proponents describing numerical literacy as a civil right; it has spread from kindergarten-through-grade-twelve classrooms into college-level teaching, overlaps with ethnomathematics and the ethics of mathematics, and is understood by its advocates as part of a broader sociopolitical turn in how mathematics is taught, though critics argue mathematics instruction should remain neutral and separate from social-justice concerns. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/