The Activist Craft: Learning Processes and Outcomes of Professional Activism. Issue 3 (August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Costa, Ana L.; Vaz, Henrique; Menezes, Isabel
• Is Part Of: Adult education quarterly. Volume 71:Issue 3(2021)
• Page Start: 211
• Page End: 231
• Publication Date: 2021-08
• Subjects: professional activism -- educational/social/community intervention -- adult education and learning -- radical adult education -- social movement learning; Adult education -- Periodicals; Continuing education -- Periodicals; Teaching -- Periodicals; 374.005
• DOI: 10.1177/0741713620988255
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0741-7136

Abstract

Work as a place of activism is a vast field to be explored in adult education research, particularly within educational, social, and community intervention with people in situations of vulnerability. This qualitative study aims to unveil the richness of activists' learning processes and outcomes by reflecting on the pedagogy of professional activism, with professionals working in Portugal. Their sharing reveals a thematic influence and interdependence between the dimensions "How?" and "What?" of professional activism learning and the themes composing them—respectively, "political socialization" and "work experience"; and "critical, social and political consciousness, " "sense of (in)justice and empathy, " and "know-how to speak out." As professionals learn how to become activists, they also construct this praxis, and themselves as professionals, giving meaning and (re)defining their activist craft, through a learning-creative process.