Discourses on adult learning and education (ALE) and in particular the GRALE Report generally have limited coverage of popular education as part of its ecology. Given both the long history of popular education globally as a necessary approach towards affecting transformation and the socio-economic-ecological transformations that are needed, we…

Besides other theoretical perspectives, the understanding of present adult education and learning policy discourse also demands contributions from social enquiry originated in the broader field of permanent education. The works of Paulo Freire and Ettore Gelpi, two of the most important authors who developed a critical perspective of permanent…

This article presents the Belem Framework for Action. This framework focuses on harnessing the power and potential of adult learning and education for a viable future. This framework begins with a preamble on adult education and towards lifelong learning.

In the wake of the general election, the new government--and the United Kingdom--face a range of pressing challenges. In this article, the author sets out what he believes to be the principal challenges and calls for action to create a learning society. The agenda set out would, if followed by the new government, pave the way to a genuine learning…

Public policy in the UK has adopted employability to define the relationship of globalisation, work and learning. This article claims that employability serves the interests of capital. It helps capital to exercise its domination/hegemony over labour and employs a redefined vision of learning as its principal vehicle. Employability is a term that…

Across the world, representatives of governments, non-governmental organisations, adult learning providers and learners have been preparing for CONFINTEA VI. The world adult education conference has been held every 12 years since the late 1940s and takes place this month in Brazil. Organised by UNESCO, CONFINTEA aims to provide a common vision for…

In this article, the author reports from the World Social Forum, the annual gathering of campaigning groups and activists who believe that "another world is possible." The theme of the seventh forum, "People's struggles, people's alternatives," united 50,000 people from diverse cultures and backgrounds who gathered in Nairobi…

Back in November, voters in the North East of England overwhelmingly rejected the move towards an elected regional assembly. The scale of the defeat (three to one) of a Government-backed scheme was a rude awakening for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the range of regional agencies created since 1997. After all, it was felt that the…

Among the great scientific discoveries of the 20th century, attachment theory provides an explanation for the intense and enduring bonds which are formed in infancy and extended and developed through childhood and adult life. Those early attachments, formed within families, provide people with a framework for understanding themselves and others…

This report is a collection of 10 papers presented at a seminar attended by delegates of European Community and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries to discuss policies for education and training of the labor force. Four papers make up the section, "Policies for Achieving Human Resources Development and Lifelong Learning in a…

A study of adult learning and neighborhood renewal examined how further education (FE) colleges and Local Education Authority (LEA) adult education services contribute to neighborhood renewal in deprived areas and considered how their strategic role might develop in this field. The study indicates that the policy framework for post-16 learning and…

A policy review examined the extent to which changes to the post-16 learning and skills policy environment, particularly in relation to further education (FE) colleges, were likely to support neighborhood renewal-related knowledge and skills development. It focused particularly on the development of skills and knowledge needed by regeneration…

Emerging adult education policies and strategies were studied through a survey of United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) member states, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and social partners. Questionnaires were returned by 93 countries and 12 NGOs. The study focused on the following: social change and its…

The relationship between learning and continuity and change in adult life was explored in a study involving 140 in-depth biographical interviews of adult learners in 3 different areas of England and case studies of 6 adult learners. The study methodology was based on a triangular conceptualization according to which personal identity, human…

Adult Learning in Australia (ALA), the lead organization in the field of adult learning in Australia and the national organization for adult learners in Australia, reviewed the current state of lifelong learning in Australia and identified why and how Australian policymakers should develop and finance a national strategy for lifelong learning. The…