Power in Practice: Adult Education and the Struggle for Knowledge and Power in Society [Hardcover]

Ronald M. Cervero (Author), Arthur L. Wilson (Author), Ron M. Cervero (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0787947296 | ISBN-13: 978-0787947293 | Publication Date: November 1, 2000 | Edition: 1

"The single most important contribution to our field's knowledge base in the past two decades. The authors have managed to shift the focus of adult education back to the social concerns that were taken for granted when the field was founded. We are ready for this long overdue book. Indeed, we have been yearning for this book. It will tilt our field back towards its moral center."
—B. Allan Quigley, chair, Department of Adult Education, St. Francis Xavier University, Nova Scotia

"Power in Practice is a wonderful book--full of case studies, updated theories, new perspectives, and evidence that adult education can and does change people's lives."
—Michael Newman, senior lecturer in adult education, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia

Adult educators know that they can no longer focus solely on the needs of learners without responsibly addressing the political and ethical consequences of their work. Power in Practice examines how certain adult education programs, practices, and policies can become a subtle part of power relationships in wider society. It provides a rich array of real-world cases that highlight the pivotal role of adult educators as "knowledge and power brokers" in the conflict between learners and the social forces surrounding them. The authors discuss how to teach responsibly, develop effective adult education programs, and provide exemplary leadership in complex political contexts, including the workplace and higher education. Educators in the middle of power struggles will learn how to become more politically aware while actively shaping their enterprises to meet important social needs.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...well written, very readable, and well referenced and documented...Highly recommended." (Choice)

"This book will be the single most important contribution to our field's knowledge base in the past two decades. The authors have managed to shift the focus of adult education back to the social concerns that were taken for granted when the field was founded. We are ready for this long overdue book. Indeed, we have been yearning for this book. It will tilt our field back towards its moral center." (B. Allan Quigley, chair, Department of Adult Education, St. Francis Xavier University, Nova Scotia)

"Cervero and Wilson have done us a great service. Until now, the debate on power in adult education has been disparate and sporadic. In this book, Cervero and Wilson set about putting this right. They have invited leading writers in the field to examine theory and practice in terms of power. They have not asked them to abandon their own particular passions but to revisit them, analyze them, and take their thinking further. And they have asked them to locate their thinking and rethinking in descriptions of practice. Power in Practice is a wonderful book-full of case studies, updated theories, new perspectives, and evidence that adult education can and does change people's lives." (Michael Newman, senior lecturer in adult education, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia)

"This is a must read book for practitioners and professors. The authors have clearly and provocatively reconceptualized our field of practice: power and privilege can no longer be ignored. The adult educator is on the 'hot seat' for the decisions made; facilitators are no longer benign, objective professionals executing their prescribed roles. Each of us must own up to our choices of who will and who will not profit from the programs we plan or administer." (Phyllis Cunningham, distinguished teaching professor, Northern Illinois University)

From the Inside Flap

This book asks a significant question at a critical time: Who should benefit from adult education? As adult education moves closer to the center of the struggle for knowledge and power in society, thoughtful educators know that they can no longer focus solely on the needs of learners without responsibly addressing the political and ethical consequences of their work.Above all, Power in Practice examines how power relationships in the wider society are manifested in the distinct programs, practices, and policies of adult education. Throughout the book, there is a rich array of real-world cases that highlight the pivotal role of adult educators as "knowledge and power brokers" in the conflict between learners and the social forces surrounding them. The authors discuss how to teach responsibly, develop effective adult education programs, and provide exemplary leadership in complex political contexts, including the workplace and higher education.Educators in the middle of power struggles will learn how to become more politically aware while actively shaping their enterprises to meet important social needs. In exploring how power works in the practice of adult education, Power in Practice offers numerous insights and strategies for making adult education more socially responsible and democratic.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (November 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787947296
• ISBN-13: 978-0787947293
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #984,713 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good but..., September 9, 2003

By 

N. Kobrowski (Westfield, IN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Power in Practice: Adult Education and the Struggle for Knowledge and Power in Society (Hardcover)

This book is a wonderful book for anyone wanting to learn about the social issues in adult learning. However, although I realize this book is scholarly and widely used as a textbook for diversity courses, it is not written in succinct language in terms that someone with little teaching/training experience could understand.