Entry for New Pergammon Encyclopedia of Adult Education: Social Movement Learning
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Abstract
"Social movements are not merely social dramas; they are the social action from where new knowledge including worldviews, ideologies, religions, and scientific theories originate" (Eyerman and Jamison, 1991, p 14). Social movement learning is: a) learning by persons who are part of any social movement; and b) learning by persons outside of a social movement as a result of the actions taken or simply by the existence of social movements. Learning by persons who are part of a social movement may occur in an informal way because of the stimulation and requirements of participation in a movement.
Description
Social movements serve as rich learning environments “epistemic communities” where participants acquire practical skills and new understandings through both informal action and structured education. They also educate broader society via protests, art, and campaigns, reframing worldviews and sparking collective change. Foundational thinkers like Freire and Gramsci locate transformative, democratic learning at the heart of movement praxis.
Keywords
Social movement learning, Informal education, Adult education, Participatory democracy, Knowledge