Perspectives on a social justice and European identity: a study of intergroup dialogues

Abstract: Aim: The aim of this study was to advance the promotion of an all-encompassing, multi-faceted discussion on social justice and explore the concept through identity negotiation in the European context. Theory: Three concepts were introduced to bring together the theoretical framework: “Critical consciousness”, “Third Space” and ”Dialogism”. Method: The research was conducted with a qualitative methodological approach and data was collected via three sessions of intergroup dialogues with 5 students. The intergroup dialogues took place in an online environment. Following the sessions participants provided additional written feedback, reflecting on their experience. Thematic analysis was applied on the collected data. Results: The results demonstrated that participants actively engaged with the concept of social justice and recognized national and supranational interests, corruption, hegemony, access to education, and civil engagement as some of the greatest challenges to achieving social justice. Additionally, participants expressed that privilege and oppression exist on a spectrum, highlighting the challenges associated with negotiating European identity. Lastly, the study assumed that discussing social justice can potentially empower individuals and foster collective democratic engagement.