This book examines the low level of numeracy in Britain, reasons why numeracy is critical, and the forces affecting adults. Section 1 describes the educational environment in which adults learn mathematics. Chapters 1-2 explore the role and purposes of adult education and identify characteristics of and influences on learners and teachers. Section 2 outlines the wider disciplinary, social, political, and cultural context. Chapters 3-7 examine the following: underlying beliefs about numeracy; learners, teachers, and curriculum; their goals and effect on learning and teaching approaches of cultural, political, and educational forces and experiences or philosophies of mathematics. Section 3 looks at factors affecting adults learning mathematics. Chapters 8-15 explore the following: the low level of adults' confidence and knowledge of mathematics; the fundamental damage this may do to a democratic society; the concept of discourse and its use in teaching mathematics to adults; the importance of recognizing and valuing diversity through culture; and how adults acquire very effective practical mathematics skills located in their own lives and culture but have difficulty transferring them into formal academic mathematics. Section 4 (chapter 16) builds on an increased awareness of the framework in which adults learn mathematics to move to developing a more emancipatory curriculum. The book contains 362 references and an index. (YLB)