This chapter explores the effects of historical and current racism on the educational experiences of American Black males. The authors use critical race theory to illustrate how assumptions about culture and gender have subverted the egalitarian ideals of adult education. Teachers and students are urged to use critical reflection and open…

This chapter presents one faculty member's narrative in which academic research, teaching, advising, and mentoring coalesced into an activist agenda for transformative learning and social justice.

White privilege is a large part of the hidden infrastructure of American society, directing, driving, and often invisibly and subtly determining outcomes such as employment, housing, education, and even interpersonal relationships. In order for white privilege, a system that allows whites to prevail, to exist, there must be a counterbalance, a…

Narratives are seen as intimate expression, a form of revelation, and a way of constructing a bridge of understanding between the narrator and the audience. However, narratives are also a way of understanding the world, the communities, and one's families. In this chapter, the author first examines how narratives can be used for personal…

Multiculturalism and diversity are often discussed in tandem. Indeed it is difficult to discuss one without clarifying the meaning of the other. This conversation can be further complicated by the emotional reactions that often accompany the exchange. In this article, the authors offer practical and educational-centered working definitions of…

This chapter uses the classroom experiences of two black women professors as a lens to examine how transformational theory affects learning and teaching. It also explores the ways in which dimensions of power have an impact on student-teacher interactions.

Two women of color professors use the themes of authority, mastery, voice, and positionality to examine the theoretical and practical underpinnings of feminist pedagogy.

Crucial elements of successful cross-cultural mentoring are trust, understanding of the impact of racism, and awareness of the oppositional perspective of marginalized groups. Issues in cross-cultural mentoring include the struggle for learning and power, the mentor as learner, and both seeing and forgetting race. (Contains 21 references.) (SK)

Race affects teaching and learning overtly and covertly. Adult education literature tends to adopt one of the following perspectives: color blind, multicultural, or social justice. Practitioners should reflect on how race affects the teaching environment in order to understand their own cultural history, sociopolitical forces at work, and how…

Personal examples of the authors' experience of race and gender in career development are used as a springboard to a discussion of career socialization, external obstacles faced by women, mentoring, and the implications for adult education. (SK)

Effective workshops must pay attention to power relationships that do not disappear in the workshop setting. The myth of the generic teacher and learner and the phenomena of gender, race, ethnicity, and class must be accounted for. (SK)