ABSTRACT
Geography relates to people and their lives on earth, and how they are shaped by human and natural processes. Focusing on people and places, this chapter investigates how geography contributes to teaching for and through social justice education (SJE) and education for sustainable development (ESD). In teaching geography which foregrounds social justice and sustainability stances, children’s learning about familiar and less familiar places can support them to take action in their local, national and global communities, where this is appropriate. The chapter addresses the connections between social justice, sustainability and geography, with particular reference to geography education. It presents key theories which support this interrelationship in terms of children’s experiences and geographies, their geographical learning and their ability to work through enquiry pedagogies. The chapter uses examples of how enquiry can support a critical geographical stance, presenting exemplars focusing on sustainability and social justice, using the school and its immediate surroundings.
