Schools in poor working class communities in South Africa face a myriad of equity challenges that impact negatively on their ability to achieve basic school functionality. Yet, within such communities, there exists a wealth of valuable local knowledge and support that can be mobilised to assist school leaders, not only to bring about school…

Empowerment is a contested concept, an ideology creating new forms of control. Conceptualizing it as a multilevel construct is a step toward building a new hegemony for the working class, by raising consciousness of control, participation, shared vision, and ownership. (SK)

Believes that a historiographic inquiry into Meridel Le Sueur's work as a teacher of writing can extend conversations about textual property that are taking place in English studies today. Concludes that "Worker Writers" stands as Le Sueur's call to working-class women and men to strengthen their communal ties, to make their lives more visible…

The health problems caused by damp housing in Glasgow, Scotland, led to a grass-roots community action campaign that improved living conditions. A second step was preventive health measures and research into other causes of ill health in disadvantaged areas. (SK)

The recommendations of Scotland's 1975 Alexander Report for increasing adult education participation and Tom Lovett's development of a social action model with working class adults in Liverpool and Ireland are used as background to an examination of Scottish projects that use a community work approach to involve nonparticipating adults in…

Case studies of the University of Leeds' action research projects in the local community illustrate the use of mainstream and other sources of funding to fulfil a social purpose agenda. Recent funding changes may jeopardize community-based adult education, despite rhetoric about universities and their communities. (SK)