This study investigated the extent to which the literature of adult education either perpetuated or challenged oppressive educational theory and practice relevant to gender and race issues. A review of ten years of the professional literature of adult education was conducted to locate published work in the areas of civil rights, feminist pedagogy, literacy programs, career education, re-entry programs, and other appropriate topic areas related to the focus of this study. These sources were examined to determine in which theoretical way they addressed current radical thought on cultural and political victimization through education. That is, the validity of the position that American schools victimize rather than liberate disenfranchised people was extended to the adult education enterprise and considered by analyzing the content and direction of the discussion in its contemporary literature. The ways in which social control became a factor in the implementation of adult education was also a focus of this investigation. More specifically, published work which reflected both social thought and practice in relation to people of color and women was critiqued for its ideological perspective. / Three socio-political perspectives were employed in this review of adult education literature. Terry's (1974) model of institutional oppression was central to the detailed analysis of racism and sexism undertaken. This particular model enables one to observe institutional behavior and practice from distinct vantage points involving access to power and resources, and control over culture and policy making. A socialist feminist perspective which complements the institutional approach delineated in Terry's model was also used. Through the use of this theoretical base, not only race and gender were considered, but class as well. Finally, Ryan's (1971) work on the ideological process of victim blaming was applied throughout the social critique in this study. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-09, Section: A, page: 2494. / Major Professor: Sydney R. Grant. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1988.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_77855 |
| Contributors | Hofmann, Suellyn Marie., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 313 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
Page generated in 0.0022 seconds