As lifelong learning grows in popularity, few comprehensive pictures of the phenomenon have emerged. The "Routledge International Handbook of Lifelong Learning" provides a disciplined and complete overview of lifelong learning internationally. The theoretical structure puts the learner at the centre and the book emanates from there, pointing to the social context beyond the learner. Up-to-the-minute syntheses from many of the leading international experts in the field give vital snapshots of this rapidly evolving subject from wide-ranging perspectives including: (1) learning throughout life; (2) sites of lifelong learning; (3) modes of learning; (4) policies; (5) social movements; (6) issues in lifelong learning; and (7) geographical dimensions. This authoritative volume, essential reading for academics in the field of Lifelong Learning, examines the complexities of the subject within a systematic global framework and places it in its socio-historic context. This book is divided into eight parts. Part I, Introductory Chapters, includes the following chapters: (1) Lifelong Learning: a Social Ambiguity (Peter Jarvis); and (2) Learning in Everyday Life (Peter Jarvis). Part 2, Learning throughout Life, contains the following chapters: (3) Young Adulthood (Rachel Brooks); (4) Middle Age (Mary Alice Wolf); and (5) Later Adulthood (Mary Alice Wolf). Part 3, Sites of Lifelong Learning, contains the following chapters: (6) The Family (Linden West); (7) Literacy (Paul Belanger); (8) Schooling (Stephen Gorard); (9) Universities (David Watson); (10) Workplace Learning (Henning Salling Olesen); (11) Workplace Learning in America (Karen Watkins and Victoria Marsick); (12) Trades Unions (John Holford); (13) The Community (John Field); (14) The Learning Region (Shirley Walters); (15) Cultural Heritage (Henrik Zapsane); (16) Libraries (Susam Imel and Kim Duckett); and (17) Tourism (Jean-Louis Vignuda). Part 4, Modes of Learning, contains the following chapters: (18) Self-Directed Learning (Richard Taylor); (19) On Being Taught (Stephen Brookfield); (20) Distance Learning (Otto Peters); (21) e-learning (WeiYuan Zhang); and (22) The Web (Santosh Panda). Part 5, Policies, contains the following chapters: (23) National Policies and Lifelong Learning (Colin Griffin); (24) The European Union (Peter Jarvis); (25) The World Bank (William Rivera); (26) OECD (Tom Schuller); (27) UNESCO, (Adama Ouane); and (28) Commonwealth of Learning (John Daniels). Part 6, Social Movements, includes the following chapters: (29) Non-Governmental Organisations and Networks (Alan Tuckett); (30) NGOs and Development--dvv (Chris Duke and Heribert Hinzen); (31) Social Movements (Budd Hall); and (32) International Aid and Development (Cornelia Dragne and Budd Hall). Part 7, Perspectives on Lifelong Learning, includes the following chapters: (33) Economics (Hans Schuetze); (34) Philosophy (Kenneth Wain); (35) Psychology (Knud Illeris); (36) Sociology (Kjell Rubenson); (37) Feminism (Julia Preece); and (38) Religion (Peter Jarvis). Finally, Part 8, Geographical Dimensions, contains the following chapters: (39) Africa (Michel Omolewa); (40) Asia (Songee Han); (41) Australia (Mark Tennant and Roger Morris); (42) Europe (Janos Toff); (43) India (Dr. CPS Chauhan); (44) South America (Candido Gomes); and (45) United States (Arthur Wilson).