Learning & Living Democracy-Non-Formal Adult Education in Sweden and South Africa

Abstract

The Swedish folk school and study circle traditions have always fascinated staff of Idasa involved in democracy education. In 2003, Idasa was delighted to establish a partnership with Studieförbundet Vuxenskolan (SV), a major Swedish adult education association. Through a series of reciprocal visits between Sweden and South Africa, this partnership enabled us to learn about Swedish traditions of popular adult education in more depth. With the support of SV, we began to research the feasibility of establishing a School for Democracy in South Africa based on the folk school model, and also implemented a pilot project introducing the study circle methodology to organisations in four different provinces.