A Philosophical Account of Educational Justice within the Framework of the Theory of Justice as Fairness

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Associate professor of philosophy, Department of philosophy, wisdom and logic, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

2 M.A. Student in Philosophy, Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.

10.22034/jpiut.2026.69908.4291

Abstract

Educational justice is not merely an educational or pedagogical issue but a fundamental part of social justice and a necessary condition for achieving free and equal social cooperation. Drawing on John Rawls’s theory of justice, particularly the concepts of the basic structure of society, the sense of justice, and social cooperation, this study argues that public education plays a pivotal role in sustaining a just social order. By applying Rawls’s two principles of justice, the principle of equal basic liberties and the principle of fair equality of opportunity, to the educational system, it is argued that without ensuring equal and public education, none of the principles of justice can be realized. Furthermore, the concepts of the original position and the veil of ignorance are reconsidered as normative devices for evaluating educational policies from an impartial standpoint. Ultimately, the paper concludes that education is not a secondary good but a condition of possibility for a just society, since the cultivation of the sense of justice and the stability of social cooperation can only be achieved through public education. Thus, Rawls’s theory of justice provides a robust normative framework for rethinking educational justice in contemporary democratic societies.

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Journal of Philosophical Investigations

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 07 February 2026

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