INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CHANGES IN EDUCATION
Research Article
Feb 09, 2026 1 0

Thematic Analysis and Poetic Inquiry of Educators' Meaning-Making and Sense-Making of Social Justice

Ishwarya Narayanan Iyer 1 * ,
Sridhar Ramachandran 2
1 School of Education, Indiana University, USA2 Department of Informatics, Indiana University Southeast, USA* Corresponding Author
International Journal of Changes in Education, 3(1), 2026, 101-110, https://doi.org/10.47852/bonviewIJCE42023003
Publication date: Feb 09, 2026
Full Text (PDF)

ABSTRACT

This paper presents a qualitative study that explores how educators in higher education construct their meaning of social justice. The data consist of transcripts of personal stories shared by three subjects in a public panel discussion. The data analysis employs two complementary methods: thematic analysis and poetic inquiry and analysis. The thematic analysis identifies two main themes: reflection from life events and heightened self-awareness, which illustrate how the subjects’ life experiences and perceptions have shaped their understanding of social justice. The poetic inquiry and analysis transformthe subjects’ voices into narrative and lyrical poems that evoke the emotional and experiential aspects of their stories. The paper explores the consequences of the findings for campus programming and social justice education. This paper also reflects on the benefits and challenges of using thematic analysis and poetic inquiry as qualitative research methods. The dual approach illuminates the complexities of social justice in education, contributing to a more holistic understanding.

KEYWORDS

qualitative data analysis thematic analysis poetic inquiry and analysis social justice lived experiences and perception

CITATION (APA)

Iyer, I. N., & Ramachandran, S. (2026). Thematic Analysis and Poetic Inquiry of Educators' Meaning-Making and Sense-Making of Social Justice. International Journal of Changes in Education, 3(1), 101-110. https://doi.org/10.47852/bonviewIJCE42023003
Harvard
Iyer, I. N., and Ramachandran, S. (2026). Thematic Analysis and Poetic Inquiry of Educators' Meaning-Making and Sense-Making of Social Justice. International Journal of Changes in Education, 3(1), pp. 101-110. https://doi.org/10.47852/bonviewIJCE42023003
Vancouver
Iyer IN, Ramachandran S. Thematic Analysis and Poetic Inquiry of Educators' Meaning-Making and Sense-Making of Social Justice. International Journal of Changes in Education. 2026;3(1):101-10. https://doi.org/10.47852/bonviewIJCE42023003
AMA
Iyer IN, Ramachandran S. Thematic Analysis and Poetic Inquiry of Educators' Meaning-Making and Sense-Making of Social Justice. International Journal of Changes in Education. 2026;3(1), 101-110. https://doi.org/10.47852/bonviewIJCE42023003
Chicago
Iyer, Ishwarya Narayanan, and Sridhar Ramachandran. "Thematic Analysis and Poetic Inquiry of Educators' Meaning-Making and Sense-Making of Social Justice". International Journal of Changes in Education 2026 3 no. 1 (2026): 101-110. https://doi.org/10.47852/bonviewIJCE42023003
MLA
Iyer, Ishwarya Narayanan et al. "Thematic Analysis and Poetic Inquiry of Educators' Meaning-Making and Sense-Making of Social Justice". International Journal of Changes in Education, vol. 3, no. 1, 2026, pp. 101-110. https://doi.org/10.47852/bonviewIJCE42023003

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