Learning social justice in social work education in the changing sociopolitical context: Experiences of undergraduate students in Hong Kong

Abstract Social justice is a core value in social work and a foundational component of social work education. However, in politically sensitive contexts, its teaching and learning are often constrained, creating challenges for educators and students. While previous studies have examined social justice education broadly, little is known about how it unfolds in politically restrictive environments such as Hong Kong. This study addresses this gap by exploring the experiences of social work students in Hong Kong as they engage with social justice learning amid significant sociopolitical shifts. Using in-depth interviews with 17 students and Reflexive Thematic Analysis, three key themes emerged: (1) Understanding social justice in context/reality: More than a theoretical concept; (2) Defective social justice: A broken learning journey; and (3) Navigating boundaries: Struggles and adaptive efforts to uphold social justice. Findings reveal students’ critical reflections on the disconnection between theory and practice in Hong Kong’s current context, marked by fear of crossing political red lines and internalized self-censorship. Despite feelings of frustration and helplessness, students demonstrated resilience by developing adaptive strategies to uphold justice within professional limits. These findings suggest a crisis in social justice education in politically restricted settings and underscore the need for bold, context-sensitive pedagogical approaches.