Open Collections

Gupta, Adishi

University of British Columbia

This thesis engages in a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) of the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) framework to uncover and critique the underlying discourses that shape and are shaped by Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) practices. Despite SEL's recognition for fostering personal and collective growth within educational settings, this research identifies a critical gap between SEL's stated aspirations and underlying implications, particularly in the context of societal structures and power dynamics. Drawing on Fairclough's three-dimensional model of CDA, this analysis delves into the linguistic, practice-oriented, and sociocultural dimensions of the CASEL framework, revealing a discourse that, while aimed at promoting empathy, self-awareness, and responsible decision-making, aligns with neoliberal ideals, pathologizing and policing nonconformity while silencing diverse socio-cultural realities. This thesis argues that SEL, as currently conceptualized and implemented within the framework of CASEL, risks reinforcing existing social inequities by promoting compliance and endorsing the status quo. By critically examining the language and ideologies embedded in four CASEL documents, this thesis advocates for a reconceptualization of SEL from an anti-oppressive lens— a lens that addresses and integrates the complexities of sociocultural difference. It calls for an SEL that is not only responsive to but actively engaged in addressing the social and institutional barriers that hinder equitable educational experiences. This research contributes to the ongoing debate on SEL's role in education, offering insights into the need for SEL to evolve beyond a tool of social compliance to become a catalyst for disrupting the status quo.

Text

2024-05-16

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/88325

Human Development, Learning, and Culture

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/