In this article, adult English language learning is historicized and situated within the context of globalization and empire building. The purpose of this article is to link adult English as a second language (ESL) learning with imperialism and globalization, but also reveal that there is great radical potential within spaces of adult ESL for making progressive social change by virtue of being a location in which forces of globalization, migration, possibly displacement meet relations of race, class, and gender. The article ends with a section on current work being done in the field of adult English language teaching that is critical and aims for action and social change.