interactional justice

In any education context, teachers are mainly responsible for enacting the core values of classroom justice and equality. To address this notion, this qualitative study went through the exploration of the perceptions that Iranian EFL teachers had of classroom justice and its main dimensions. To this end, 31 EFL teachers, chosen through purposive sampling, filled out an open-ended questionnaire, and a sub-group of them participated in a semi-structured interview. The major findings, resulting from the content and thematic analyses of the data done both manually and through the MAXQDA software (Version 2020), revealed that first, all the participants, except one, regarded classroom justice as a crucial element of their instructional practice; second, interactional, procedural, and distributive dimensions of justice were reflected in the definitions that the teachers provided for classroom justice; and third, in line with the theoretical and empirical underpinnings of the study, the teachers conceptualized the classroom justice dimensions through their unique principles in relation to the various domains of classroom learning, teaching, assessment, and interactions. A pedagogical implication based on the findings is that by becoming aware of how they perceive justice in their instructional practice, teachers may take the initial strides toward enhancing their just treatment of students, and consequently, increase their professional effectiveness.

The “power distance,” as a key index for analyzing rulers’ political conduct and the extent to which inequality in power distribution is accepted, serves as an effective tool for assessing the status of justice in historical societies. Using a descriptive–analytical method, this study examines the manifestation of this concept in the conduct of Imam al-Rida (PBUH) during his period as crown prince ( Wilayat alʿahd ). The findings indicate that, despite his exceptional political position, the Imam offered a novel model of low-distance governance, which explicitly contrasts with the prevailing Abbasid discourse. The study identifies five main components in the Radawi political practice: (1) criticism of closed, circle-based relationships and emphasis on meritocracy in appointments; (2) opposition to authoritarianism and its symbols, such as displays of grandeur; (3) a responsible attitude toward public wealth; (4) accessibility to the general populace; and (5) respect for human dignity regardless of social distinctions. Collectively, these indicators reflect the Imam’s approach to justice in its distributive, procedural, and interactional dimensions. Significantly, by conditionally accepting the position of crown prince, the Imam deliberately refrained from exploiting the privileges of power, thereby practically demonstrating that reducing power distance is a prerequisite for realizing comprehensive justice. This model is not only unique in historical Islamic studies but can also serve as an applicable paradigm for contemporary governance in Islamic societies. From a methodological standpoint, the present work is innovative in being the first systematic study of power distance during Imam al-Rida’s tenure as crown prince.