Pedagogy and Professional Development

Centering Social Justice Pedagogy in Fashion Education

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Abstract

This paper argues for fashion education that considers diversity, inclusion, and equity integral in the curriculum. Teaching and learning in the fashion discipline rarely delves into the historical, sociocultural, and political contexts of BIPOC contributions in U.S. educational institutions. The current neoliberal approach to teaching fashion prepares students for an industry that prioritizes profit over people and fails to include diverse experiences and perspectives. The course, Diversity in Fashion, has three learning objectives: Students will 1) distinguish the relationships between diversity, inequality, social, economic, and political power, 2) identify individuals’ contributions from diverse and underrepresented groups to communities and, 3) critically examine attitudes towards underrepresented groups. Once difficult conversations are modeled in the classroom, students will learn the skills needed to continue these conversations with their network. After the course, we hope that students will make educated decisions, seek global solutions, and refrain from signing off on offensive products or marketing as fashion professionals.

Keywords: social justice pedagogy, action research, diversity, fashion education

How to Cite:

Reed, J., Covington, S. & Medvedev, K., (2022) “Centering Social Justice Pedagogy in Fashion Education”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 78(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.13562