Decoloniality – Implications for Rethinking Social Justice: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Despite growing calls to advance social justice and address deep-seated inequities and gaps, injustice and oppression continue to be perpetrated in contemporary society. This article attempts to review and understand social justice issues and contribute to discussions to addressing the violence of ongoing colonialism. Given the many meanings and conceptualisations of social justice, this review seeks to find out how concepts of decoloniality can be taken up to rethink and redefine social justice. The review process comprises a systematic search of four academic databases for relevant peer-reviewed literature on the topic. A total of 265 records were identified, of which 38 studies met our eligibility criteria for inclusion. Thematic analysis revealed diverse interpretations and applications of social justice. Findings highlight the need to draw on decolonial perspective for a more nuanced conceptualisation of social justice to tackle racial, social, economic, political, and cognitive injustices. The review calls for further research to deepen the understanding of social justice and to develop strategies that effectively address the complexities of oppression and marginalisation in contemporary multicultural settler-colonial societies.