Ade-Ojo, Gordon ORCID: 0000-0002-1098-0765 and Duckworth, Vicky (2016) Of cultural dissonance: the UK's adult literacy policies and the creation of democratic learning spaces. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 36 (4):TLED 1250232. pp. 388-405. ISSN 0260-1370 (Print), 1464-519X (Online) (doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/02601370.2016.1250232)

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Abstract

The broad aim of this paper is to track the evolution of adult literacy policy in the UK across three decades, highlighting convergences between policy phases and the promotion of democratic learning spaces. It is anchored onto the argument that, although it is generally accepted that democratic learning spaces are perceived as beneficial to adult literacy learners, policy has often deterred its promotion and, therefore, implementation. The paper identifies three block phases of adult literacy development: the seventies to mid-eighties, the mid-eighties to mid-nineties and the mid-nineties to the Moser Committees. The features of each of these phases are highlighted to map out convergences and divergences to the ethos of democratic learning spaces. The paper argues that, with the evolution of policy in adult literacy, the ethos of democratic learning space continuously diminished, such that as policy evolved year on year, the principle of democratic learning space found itself at counterpoint to policy. We draw on two theoretical frameworks, the NLS view of literacy and Bourdieu's capital framework to explain these divergences and conclude that the dominant perception of literacy and the prioritised capital in the context of policy appear to limit the vestiges of democratic learning spaces.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Adult literacy, policy; Democratic learning spaces; Cultural dissonance; Human capital; Social capital
Subjects:	L Education > LC Special aspects of education > LC5201 Education extension. Adult education. Continuing education
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > School of Education (EDU)
Last Modified:	06 Oct 2021 21:33
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/16114

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