Session 3 – 11th April – 15.45-16.35

Title: Learning for Active Citizenship

Presenter: Jeremy Gass

Organisation:University of Wales, Newport

Summary:

This paper arises from a study whose purpose was to explore the relationship between adult learning and active citizenship.  The study focussed on the Workers Educational Association (WEA), a voluntary organisation established to provide education for working class adults in Britain in 1903.  In particular, the aim was to explore whether there exists a relationship between learning within and participating in the WEA’s democratic structure, and the development of attributes required for active citizenship in terms of skills, confidence and knowledge (Benn, 2000:245).  A further aim was to test the assertion that "adult education has reinforced rather than generated active citizenship and has attracted those students who are already socially active" (Benn & Fieldhouse, 1997 quoted in Thorne, 1998:25).

The study explored the experiences of twenty-four members from two WEA Branches based in areas of South Wales recognised as being socially disadvantaged. The results of self completed questionnaires and interviews with the whole sample indicated that, whilst the WEA experience had a significant impact on a proportion of the sample in terms of building their skills and confidence for active citizenship, its influence regarding the acquisition of political knowledge had been minimal.  The results also suggested that a relationship existed for some of the substantial minority who had no prior community involvement on joining WEA between their WEA experience and subsequent active citizenship, thereby challenging the view that adult education merely reinforces activism. 

The paper explores the context for the study by briefly examining the aims of the WEA, and by considering the notion of a democratic deficit and the contested concepts of citizenship and active citizenship.  In the light of the findings of the case study it asks what contribution adult educators should be making to building political literacy.

References

Benn, R  (2000)  'The genesis of active citizenship in the learning society'  Studies in the Education of Adults 32.2

Thorne, C  (1998)  'Democratic Deficit'  Adults Learning 10.3