Adult education's historic identification with democratic social change must compete with the more dominant corporate model of education and the cult of efficiency. Several models for socially responsible, issue-oriented adult education have evolved: total quality management, strategic planning as participatory research, and partnerships with…

To improve current civil society and achieve the possibilities globalization offers, we must incorporate an education-for-empowerment approach to lifelong learning. This chapter explores the potential, promise, and implications for local action and dialogue.