Adult education has historically played a role in modern democracies in support of civic participation and democratic engagement. In the context of a relatively stable and unchanging society, learning "about" and participating "in" the democratic process allow for tweaking the mechanisms of democracy. In present times, taken…

The Just Transition (JT) can be understood as a combinational strategic concept (transition to net zero combined with climate justice) to support the transitioning to a more sustainable, socially just and peaceful world. While the JT is becoming increasingly prevalent in terms of policy development, both nationally and internationally, a major…

This article addresses the role of community learning within social movements and the fight for social justice and human rights. To understand contemporary social movements and their role in community learning and advocacy for social change, it is essential to contextualize them within the long history of Black women's activist labor and…

Ten years on from the formation of SOLAS (An tSeirbhís Oideachais Leanúnaig agus Scileanna) and the Education and Training Boards (ETBs) in Ireland, it is appropriate to reflect on where adult education lies in the new Further Education and Training (FET) sector. This paper uses Denis O'Sullivan's schematisation of policy paradigms (2005) as an…

Our current cultural climate is marked by a convergence of pressing issues, including the rise of the post-truth situation, which has recently been described as an epistemic crisis (Hoggan-Kloubert & Hoggan, 2023). This conceptual paper outlines why adult education institutions must reclaim the pursuit of truth as undergirded by rationality,…

This paper undertakes a critical analysis of the various hegemonic educational discourses applied to schemes for a minimum income and the social effects that they cause in the field of education and training for groups at social risk. Through consideration of these discourses, it will be determined what role education plays within them,…

This article examines the purposes UNESCO, OECD and EU historically have attributed to adult education and learning. The aim is to explore changes in international adult education and learning policies from the 1970s until the present day and outline how different international organisations have pushed for specific conceptualisations of what…

Adult education has a long tradition of engagement in social justice, but prisoners do not seem to garner much attention. This paper presents the findings of a case study of nine incarcerated women who attended a weekly screening of a documentary followed by a discussion for four weeks and individual interviews with all participants. Preliminary…

Political conflicts propelled a wave of refugees that are seen as a force that threatens the stability of the UK and Western Europe. It has left many refugees bewildered and vulnerable in a transition to a new land, which may or may not cater to their cultural, religious, ethnic, and social needs. This paper examines the role of adult education in…

This paper argues that a shift in discourse about the nature and purpose of Further Education is under way in England. A recent White Paper, 'Skills for jobs: lifelong learning for opportunity and growth', issued by the UK government, is couched in terms which suggest that a prior reliance on the ideology of neoliberalism is now moving towards the…

Introduction: Looking close at the philosophical orientation of institutions and educators allows the examination of whether teaching practice, in this case, higher education, is consistent with the purpose of education. Objective: In the interest of gaining a historical understanding of the role of the Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica (UNA) in…

As we have witnessed under the Trump Administration, policies can negatively impact adults' livelihoods. Now more than ever, it is imperative that adult education organizations coalesce their resources and efforts to promote policies and agendas that serve our most vulnerable adult learners. This article will explore a framework to understand the…

In the United States, issues facing immigrants are fundamentally intertwined with racial justice. Through a critical, human-rights perspective, we examine how immigrants engage with adult learning, paying particular attention to the history of immigration and policy as it frames lives often described as lived "in the shadows." Challenges…

This paper examines the implementation of the "Prevent Duty" to actively promote fundamental British values in English Further Education (FE). After critically reviewing the history of "Prevent" and the 2015 "Duty" to identify evidence of radicalisation in FE, data from interviews of strategic decision-makers in two…

The process of migration to a new country brings with it a host of challenges, and therefore also learning needs. Some countries have systems in place to facilitate the transition of migrants into society, often including adult education programs. Those programs, however, cannot be effective if blithely designed in ignorance of the…