Examining the intersection of civic engagement and environmental literacy is particularly timely because 2012 marked a critical juncture in history: the United Nations Literacy Decade ended, and a 20-year appraisal of the United Nation's Earth Summit commenced. The Literacy Decade, launched in 2003 under the slogan "Literacy as Freedom," situated…

The adult education and civic education movements are not synonymous, but the two were intertwined during the early years of adult education's formation as a field in the United States. This chapter traces the development of adult civic education in the United States, focusing on the 1920s through the 1950s. First, the roots of civic education…

The author's academic interest in how shopping relates to adult learning goes back several years, to the author's Ph.D. program. Concerns are wide ranging, from social and material inequities manifest in unfair labor conditions for producers, to environmental degradation, to the tendency to favor economic viability single-mindedly over ecological…

Immigrant integration is a multidimensional process that involves both newcomers and the receiving community. Although the United States does not have a coherent policy of immigrant integration, several city- and state-wide efforts support immigrant integration, as do individual initiatives operating across states. In this article, the author…

Adult education programs should turn to the deliberative democracy movement in order to help their communities better address the "wicked problems" they face. The authors contend that due to the "wicked" nature of problems in the diverse democracies, communities must develop and sustain their capacity for deliberative democracy and collaborative…

Grassroots organizations emerge when groups of people decide to work collectively to form an organization as a way to initiate change. Rather than seeking leadership from established government or corporate organizations or departments, the purpose of the organization, the framework for decision making, and the individuals involved in leadership…

Civic engagement, or the practice of democratic deliberation in adult education and learning, asks that adults use their experiences to cooperatively build solutions to the difficult social, economic, and political problems that affect their lives and communities now and into the future. The articles presented in this issue look at the…

This chapter explores how Mexican immigrants in a small central Texas town understand their roles and/or responsibilities as citizens in a democratic society regardless of their immigration status in the country. The author interviewed two men and four women about what they thought it meant to be civically engaged, and what--if any--they thought…

The rapid growth of the Internet over the past 20 years has brought with it a vast amount of communication about public issues of concern to citizens. Over time, the Internet has become increasingly social and interactive. This move from "Web 1.0" to "Web 2.0" involves a great deal of user-generated content and interaction. This transition has…

The history of adult Jewish education is rich and is replete with learning opportunities for Jewish adults, and Jewish women are active participants in adult Jewish education. In this chapter, the author examines Reform Jewish women's motivations to participate in adult Jewish education. First, she provides a historical overview of Judaism and…

Most religious organizations exert their greatest effort in the religious education of children. This makes sense in terms of handing on the faith to the next generation. Historically, however, religious education of adults is the first endeavor of religious groups. Conducting education of children requires the previous religious education of…

Churches or, as they are now more commonly referred to in some circles, faith-based organizations (FBOs), have a rich tradition of providing not only religious but educational and social service opportunities for their congregations and local community. Social service agencies, health care agencies, and educational institutions have long realized…

Religious institutions wear many hats. In addition to meeting spiritual needs, they also serve as educational, cultural, political, and social centers. Like the world in general, many of them have responded to societal changes. They have expanded their contextual, geographical, and physical boundaries. Also, as demonstrated throughout this…

The Baha'i Faith, which was founded in 1863, holds as its purpose the awakening of humanity to invisible possibilities, providing humankind with conscious direction and hope vis-a-vis the challenges and perplexities of time (Rosen, 2010). The Baha'i writings explain that spiritual forces are the foundation of reality and that the Word of God is…

Faith communities, such as churches, synagogues, temples, and mosques, are providing new venues for innovative adult environmental education. As faith communities turn their concerns to issues of sustainability, environmental teaching is emerging in many forms across diverse religious traditions, as evidenced by the development of denominational…