Advocate for Change: Dr Geetha Marcus on social justice, learning for sustainability, and inclusive education

‘What, how, and why are we educating?’

Since joining Moray House School of Education and Sport in August 2022, Dr Marcus has been dedicated to teaching and research, focusing on integrating social justice into teacher education.

Dr Marcus commented, "As we teach and work within systems, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that teaching and scholarship, and, indeed, research in education, are at their core for the benefit of future generations of children and young people. Living in an increasingly complex, interconnected, yet divisive world... this necessarily begs the question: what, how, and why are we educating?".

Dr Marcus’s career spans various primary schools across Scotland, as well as senior management in schools. She has earned a wealth of knowledge, which she now channels into influencing the next generation of educators.

Her research interests include socially progressive teacher education, experiences of early-career BAME teachers, and culturally relevant pedagogies. She draws on a post-colonial, intersectional framework to promote policies and practices that are engaged, culturally sustaining, and centred on the perspectives of teachers and students.

A notable development in Dr Marcus's career is her recent appointment as Editor-in-Chief of the Scottish Educational Review, a role she shares with a colleague from the University of the West of Scotland. This position allows her to help influence educational research and practice on a wider scale.

Notable contributions to education

Particularly proud of her contributions to developing three new degree programmes at Queen Margaret University, her commitment to education is embedded in the belief that teaching and scholarship must benefit future generations.

Influenced by the work of theorist bell hooks, Marcus is concerned with the global education crises and advocates for learning that supports sustainability, decolonisation, and anti-racism. Her activism and research aim to address these urgent issues and make a meaningful impact on the education system, "Climate change, financial crisis, ethnic-racial conflict, religious conflicts, pandemics, and the ensuing migration of human beings looking for hope across borders. And this is why learning for sustainability is an urgent response." said Dr Marcus.

Among her honourable achievements, Dr Marcus is proud of her work with Gypsy and Traveller girls, who have been overlooked in Scottish literature and policy. Dr Marcus  navigated cultural sensitivities to allow their voices to be heard.  She commented, "It was challenging to re-present their narratives and perspectives in a way that was sensitive to their cultures, that did not essentialise them and did justice to their voice".

Advocating for inclusive practices and addressing global education crises through a post-colonial, intersectional framework highlight Dr Marcus's commitment to creating inclusive and influential educational practices, as well as her belief in education as an effective tool for societal change.

Related information

Dr Geetha Marcus

Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) Primary

Institute for Education, Teaching and Leadership (IETL)