CRITICAL REALISM IN PEDAGOGY: NEW HORIZONS FOR THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF EDUCATIONAL TRANSFORMATION IN TIMES OF WAR

Abstract

This article substantiates the philosophical and methodological essence and potential of critical realism as a conceptual framework for re-evaluating the mission of education amid wartime conditions, characterized by a complex sociocultural reality and an urgent need for systemic educational transformation. The study examines the impact of this approach in shaping the subjectivity of both learners and educators, to develop effective strategies for educational management and teaching practice. The author argues that during periods of crisis, when education occurs under conditions of threat and participants in the educational process experience trauma, instability, or shifting social roles, a critical perspective opens new horizons for introducing innovations into professional pedagogical practice. The analysis demonstrates that pedagogy grounded in critical realism facilitates a theoretical understanding of sociocultural reality and its transformation guided by principles of social justice.  Furthermore, the article identifies specific tools for fostering critical thinking among higher education students in response to wartime challenges, informational threats, and virtual vulnerabilities. Emphasis is placed on the urgent need to prepare future educators for professional engagement in contexts shaped by information crises. The article advocates for the integration of content within socio-humanitarian disciplines that fosters the development of autonomous, responsible individuals capable of critical reflection, analytical reasoning, informed decision-making, and creative action in both personal and professional pedagogical domains.