Constructing and (Re)constructing Social Identities in Educational Contexts: Power, Norms, and Resistance

Dear Colleagues,

This Topic aims to examine the construction of social identities in educational settings as a process shaped by institutional power dynamics, hegemonic social norms, and the resistance practices enacted by students and teaching staff. The scientific literature demonstrates that these contexts often function as spaces that reproduce inequality and reinforce normative categories related to gender, class, ethnicity, and sexuality, thereby perpetuating social hierarchies. Far from being neutral environments, educational institutions embed dominant ideologies that significantly influence students’ identity formation. Empirical research has likewise documented both explicit acts of resistance and more subtle, everyday strategies that challenge authority and normative expectations within the classroom.

From an intersectional perspective, it is essential to analyze how multiple identity dimensions intertwine and amplify the effects of exclusion, as well as how educational systems might respond to these intersections through inclusive policies. The central objective of this Topic is to bring together transdisciplinary contributions that perform the following: (i) uncover the institutional mechanisms that sustain inequality; (ii) highlight forms of resistance and agency; and (iii) propose theoretical and methodological frameworks that can inform policies and practices aimed at fostering more inclusive and equitable educational environments.

Contributions should fit one of the journal’s three categories of papers (article, conceptual paper, or review) and address the topic.

Prof. Dr. Delfín Ortega-Sánchez
Dr. Carlos Pérez-González
Topic Editors