Work

The crossroads of social and emotional learning and critical social justice

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Social and emotional learning (SEL) has seen rapid growth in practice and evidence, yet it is increasingly caught in the crossfire of America’s culture wars. While many view SEL as a necessary tool to address student well-being and school climate, some critics accuse it of being a vehicle for progressive indoctrination. Other critics accuse it of inadequately addressing injustice and argue for integrating critical social justice (CSJ) frameworks into SEL to redress systemic inequities. This paper critically examines the tensions between traditional skills-based SEL and CSJ-oriented SEL, exploring the philosophical and practical divergences between them. It argues that the increasing politicization and conceptual ambiguity surrounding SEL jeopardize its legitimacy and effectiveness. The paper proposes “civic empiricism”—a commitment to open inquiry, rigorous evidence, and pluralistic dialogue—as a guiding principle to help the SEL field navigate ideological divides while remaining anchored to its core mission. Recommendations include fostering intellectual humility, promoting adversarial collaboration, and clarifying definitions around contested social justice concepts such as equity, antiracism, and liberation.

Source: Social and Emotional Learning Research Practice and Policy

DOI: 10.1016/j.sel.2025.100175

Author: Michael J. Strambler

Institution: Yale University

Language: English

Topic: Early Childhood Education and Development

Subfield: Education

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,700