The article synthesizes literature relating to the recent development of the theory of transformative learning (TL) and societal changes using three exemplary fields of study: (1) Civic education and democratic transformations, (2) TL for sustainability and ecology, and (3) TL in the context of migration (and especially for refugees). This article…

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…

This article examines the intersection of race and poverty on the lives of Black women living in urban communities. Historical systemic racism continues to leave many marginalized communities on the periphery and struggling to maneuver in a society that limits access to empowerment to move out of poverty. To transform the lives of those living in…

This article presents the results of a qualitative study on the relationship between social movements and a Master's Program in youth and adult education in Bahia, Brazil. It pays particular attention to the importance of antiracism in and the decolonization of the program's curriculum.

This closing article urges adult educators to continue to question our role, our ideas, and our pedagogical strategies in order to renew our efforts to support social change and social justice.

This article discusses teaching and learning approaches that illustrate "groundtruthing," a practice that brings us close to where people are living, working and being, as a way to promote transformational change.

The concept of lifelong learning is deeply entrenched in Thai culture and tradition. Gradually moving from a primarily agricultural society toward a manufacturing, industrial and service, and society with the goal of becoming a learning society, Thailand needs to offer its people with more lifelong learning opportunities and support to…

The idea of building learning cities is one of the important strategies for implementing lifelong learning in China. It is well accepted through policymaking, research, and practice. This article provides an overview of building a learning city in Beijing. Three cases offer perspectives that explain the structure, policy, and practice of building…

This article introduces Kominkan and its practice on Japanese social education and how it facilitates Japanese adult education and lifelong learning in local communities. Historically, social education was understood as all education that promotes social development and societal progress. Kominkan, as Japanese social education institutions for…

Adult education, lifelong education, and lifelong learning have been playing critical roles in responding to contemporary, economic, political, social, and cultural challenges in many parts of the world. This article looks at the new vistas of adult and lifelong education/learning from Eastern perspectives, which highlights the state of adult and…

In this chapter, the editor reflects on the contributions of each chapter envisioning what social justice adult education, grounded in critical frameworks for democratic social change and social movement learning, could look like.

This chapter brings together significant themes in the previous chapters, including collaborative research partnerships, voice and agency, self-image, relationships, multiple ways of knowing, difficult conversations, social change, and alternative adult education.

The new emphasis on vocational skills provides adult education a new raison d'être and presents new developmental dilemmas to the field of adult education. This chapter examines these tensions in light of significant social change that places underqualified adults at great risk to a vicious cycle of marginalization and how adult education will be…

This chapter describes the changing nature of adult education theory and practice in the face of complex, disruptive change and explores theories that are suited to tectonic shifts in a period of what we describe as "liquid modernity" in the midst of complex sociocultural-economic-political change in a global environment.

This chapter considers leisure as a powerful agent for social change alongside the field of adult education in bringing to life the idea of learning cities.