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Women's community education in the Republic of Ireland originated in the 1980s from grassroots community development groups to address social, economic and political disadvantage. 'At the Centre' is a case study of a feminist organisation concerned about the individualised outcomes sought by programme funders that contrast with its mission of collective action for social change. This mission is characteristic of radical adult education and is inspired by feminist theory and by Freire 's (1970) theory of liberatory pedagogy. The specific research question is: what habitus shifts result from participation in women's community education? These changes are assessed in relation to the broader question of whether they can be deemed 'domesticating' or 'liberating' in Freire's terms, Bourdieu's (200 1) idea of field and habitus provides the theoretical frame connecting a learning culture to the impact it has on the disposition, or habitus, of participants. An ethnographic approach was used to collect data from interviews, observations and material, enabling analysis at the micro-level of the habitus of participants, the meso-level of the Centre as a learning culture, and the macro-level context of societal structures. Participants identified significant factors about participation that are a different experience for them: time, safe space, recognition, support, and challenge. The changes they speak of are experienced at an emotional level as well as at a cognitive level, indicating that the learning culture is grounded in their primary habitus and epistemological stages. The study shows that relational and affective aspects of participation are a significant contribution to their well-being and a change in their sense of themselves as knowers. Dominant discourses in lifelong learning neglect these aspects: sociocultural approaches to learning are used by groups who do it for themselves.

What has education done for working-class women and girls?' This study looks at 'how working-class life is theorised , and 'how it is experienced'. I start by analysing historical, sociological and psychological interpretations of class and gender subordination in the context of working-class women's relation to education and success, focusing specifically on inferiority as a learned position. In adopting a multidisciplinary approach I confront dominant discourses and structures of academic knowledge evoking different sides of the conflictual relationship between 'able' working-class girls and formal education. 'Gaps' and 'absences' in theory are identified and interpretations questioned. Set alongside both mainstream and progressive accounts of education and related equality issues are the subjective accounts of educated working-class women. Using autobiography and biography I write analytically of personal experiences which demonstrate classism from an educated white, working-class. female perspective. I take as my subject childhood experiences of home-school conflict in examining in-depth the history of educated working-class women's Odi et amo relationship to education. 'How does family, peer group and schooling impact on identity, academic success and selfworth to the detriment of working-class girls?' The accounts are the testimonies of a group of educated working-class women - including myself - who aspired to obtain a formal education during the 50s; 60s and 70s and were 'educated out of their class'. I use the accounts to challenge and re-shape existing knowledge and theory. This Ph.D is also about its own construction, that is, educated working-class women's need for educational success, for inclusion and for validation of self worth.

This study explores the influence that a mother has upon her daughter’s educational decision-making processes that occur between the age of 14 and the age upon leaving education and, also, her educational and career aspirations. It focuses on subject choice at GCSE, decisions to progress to further/higher education, when to leave education, choice of future career and the mother-daughter relationship. The research findings were based on qualitative research carried out in the form of semistructured, tape-recorded, interviews with 60 mother-daughter pairings (daughters being aged 14-23). The findings show that mothers have contributed to a change in the educational aspirations and achievements of their daughters. Mothers emphasise the acquisition of skills, academic qualifications and they believe in the value of education. Their aspirations for their daughters are passed on via the mother-daughter relationship and resulting messages have a very strong influence upon the daughters with regard to education and, also, help to shape the daughters’ educational experiences and career aspirations. Daughters acknowledge the importance of education and qualifications and know that they are essential for success in the labour market. They desire careers and are happy to embark upon several years of study to acquire relevant qualifications to be able to enter their desired occupation. However, although daughters desire rewarding and well-paid careers they are prepared to shelve these careers, for at least a minimum of five years, in order to perform childcare duties and responsibilities at home. Although they hear their mothers’ messages about the value of education and the benefits it entails and thus make declarations about careers, daughters’ long-term intentions are to revert to the same lifestyle that their mothers had in order to remain at home with young children. Gender continues to influence girls’ behaviour and it is this that appears to have the greatest impact on a daughter’s long-term career aspirations