Moral Education and Social Justice

Connections between Social Domain Theory and Freirean Pedagogy

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7213/1981-416X.25.086.AO01EN

Keywords:

Moral education, Social domain theory, Paulo Freire, Social justice, Ethical development

Abstract

This theoretical article discusses the importance of moral education as a tool for confronting social injustices, articulating the social domain theory (SDT) and Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy. First, the foundations of SDT are presented, emphasizing the organization of social knowledge into distinct domains – moral, conventional, and personal – and advocating for the active development of moral reasoning through social interactions and critical thinking. Subsequently, the convergence between SDT and Freirean pedagogy is examined, highlighting the centrality of praxis, problem-posing dialogue, and the awakening of critical consciousness in the formation of ethical subjects committed to social transformation. Transformative social and emotional learning (SEL) is also discussed as a complementary strategy to moral education for social justice, stressing the importance of creating inclusive, cooperative, and justice-oriented school environments. Based on the dialogue between these perspectives, practical suggestions are offered for schools and teachers seeking to foster the critical moral development of students. It is concluded that the integration of SDT and Freirean pedagogy strengthens emancipatory educational practices, capable of enhancing students’ moral agency and social responsibility, thus contributing to the construction of more just, democratic, and dialogical societies.

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Translation

This article is a translation in English of the article:  Educação moral e justiça social

Author Biographies

Diana Villac Oliva, University of São Paulo (USP)

She holds a Master's and Ph.D. from the Institute of Psychology of the University of São Paulo (IP-USP), and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Taubaté. She is a clinical psychologist with a private practice in the Perdizes neighborhood of São Paulo. She provides psychotherapy for children, adolescents, adults, and couples. She was the pedagogical coordinator for early childhood and elementary education at a bilingual Canadian school (Portuguese/English). She also worked as a teacher and coordinator focused on educational project management, teacher training, and curricular adaptations within a third-sector organization dedicated to promoting social and emotional learning in children and adolescents. Her research interests include, primarily, social and emotional learning, moral development, Educational Design Research, school inclusion, curricular adaptations, prejudice, social domain theory, and critical theory of society. She is a member of the Research Group on Moral Development Psychology (GPDM) at IP-USP.

Betânia Alves Veiga Dell’Agli, Associated Colleges of Education (FAE)

She holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas (1996), a Master's degree (2002) and a Ph.D. (2008) in Education from the School of Education at Unicamp. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship (2013) at the School of Medical Sciences of Unicamp. Since 2007, she has been the Technical-Specialist Coordinator of the Casulo Center for Learning and Child Behavior Support, a Collaborating Professor (since 2017) in the Graduate Program in School and Human Development Psychology at the Institute of Psychology of the University of São Paulo, and a faculty member (since 2002) at the University Center of the Associated Colleges of Education (FAE). She has experience in developmental neuropsychology and its interfaces with education and health, working mainly on the following topics: specific learning disorders, behavior problems, affectivity and moral emotions, rule-based play, early childhood, and prevention.

Luciana Caetano, University of São Paulo (USP)

Luciana Maria Caetano is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology of Learning, Development, and Personality (PSA) at the Institute of Psychology of the University of São Paulo (IPUSP). She holds a Master’s and a Ph.D. from the Graduate Program in School and Human Development Psychology at IPUSP. She is a specialist in Psychopedagogy and Early Childhood Education. She earned undergraduate degrees in Pedagogy from the Salesian University Center of Americana and in Textile Technology from the Paula Souza Center (FATEC). Her research focuses on moral development psychology, Social Domain Theory, family and school as contexts for moral development, and the construction and validation of research instruments in psychology. She teaches undergraduate courses in Psychology, Occupational Therapy, and Physiotherapy, and has supervised Master's and Ph.D. theses in the Graduate Program in School and Human Development Psychology at IPUSP since 2013. She currently serves as the Coordinator of this Graduate Program. She is the coordinator of the Research and Study Group in Moral Development Psychology (GPDM), a member of LEDA (Laboratory for Studies on Development and Learning), the Jean Piaget Society, the Brazilian Society for Developmental Psychology, and the ANPEPP Working Group on Psychology and Morality.

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Published

2025-09-11

How to Cite

Oliva, D. V., Dell’Agli, B. A. V., & Caetano, L. (2025). Moral Education and Social Justice: Connections between Social Domain Theory and Freirean Pedagogy. Revista Diálogo Educacional, 25(86), 1389–1405. https://doi.org/10.7213/1981-416X.25.086.AO01EN

Issue

Vol. 25 No. 86 (2025): Formação e práticas docentes para uma educação emancipadora: direitos humanos, sustentabilidade e transdisciplinaridade

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2025 Editora Universitária Champagnat

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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