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Dancing on the deck of the Titanic? Adult education, the nation-state and new social movements

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Abstract

This article begins with a discussion of the implications of CONFINTEA VI having been organised in Brazil – the author uses the term “Brazilian effect” – and the role of social movements challenging neoliberalism. Next, drawing from the experience of Latin America, this paper analyses the counter-hegemonic practice of the new social movements. The concluding section highlights the dilemmas faced by UNESCO in trying to create a democratic and efficient process of policy-making and institutional service in adult education in the nation-states. Furthermore, the proposal of popular education portrayed by the new social movements is described as a tool for empowerment. CONFINTEA VI’s recommendation of moving from rhetoric to action in adult education programmes, practices and policies demands that we take the agendas of the new social movements in the post-neoliberalism era seriously.

Résumé

Danser sur le pont du Titanic ? Éducation des adultes, État-nation et nouveaux mouvements sociaux – Cet article commence par une discussion sur les implications de CONFINTEA VI organisée au Brésil – l’auteur utilise le terme « effet Brésil » – ainsi que sur le rôle des mouvements sociaux qui contestent le néolibéralisme. À partir de l’expérience de l’Amérique latine, l’auteur analyse ensuite la pratique des nouveaux mouvements sociaux qui s’oppose à toutes les formes d’hégémonie. Dans la dernière partie sont abordés les dilemmes auxquels est confrontée l’UNESCO dans ses efforts de créer au coeur des États-nations un mécanisme démocratique et efficace d’élaboration de politiques et de prestations institutionnelles en matière d’éducation des adultes. En outre, l’éducation populaire telle qu’elle est proposée par les nouveaux mouvements sociaux y est décrite comme un instrument d’autonomisation. La recommandation de CONFINTEA VI de passer de la parole aux actes dans les programmes, les pratiques et les politiques d’éducation des adultes exige que nous prenions au sérieux les concepts des nouveaux mouvements sociaux en cette ère post-néolibérale.

Zusammenfassung

Tanz auf dem Deck der Titanic? Erwachsenenbildung, Nationalstaat und neue soziale Bewegungen – Dieser Artikel beginnt mit einer Diskussion darüber, was es bedeutet, dass die CONFINTEA VI in Brasilien organisiert wurde – der Autor benutzt den Begriff „Brasilien-Effekt“ – und der Rolle der sozialen Bewegungen, die sich gegen den Neoliberalismus richten. Sodann wird, aufbauend auf den Erfahrungen Lateinamerikas, die gegenhegemoniale Praxis der neuen sozialen Bewegungen analysiert. Im Schlussteil wird darauf eingegangen, in welchen Dilemmata die UNESCO steckt, wenn sie versucht, einen demokratischen und effizienten Prozess für Politikgestaltung und institutionelle Dienstleistungen der Erwachsenenbildung in den Nationalstaaten zu initiieren. Zudem wird der von den neuen sozialen Bewegungen ausgearbeitete Vorschlag der Volksbildung als Ermächtigungsinstrument beschrieben. Die Empfehlung der CONFINTEA VI, bei den Programmen, der praktischen Umsetzung und den politischen Strategien im Bereich der Erwachsenenbildung den Worten nunmehr Taten folgen zu lassen, erfordert eine ernsthafte Beschäftigung mit den Vorstellungen der neuen sozialen Bewegungen in der postneoliberalen Ära.

Resumen

¿Bailando sobre la cubierta del Titanic? Educación de personas adultas, estado nacional y nuevos movimientos sociales – Este artículo comienza con un comentario sobre las implicaciones – que el autor denomina “efecto brasileño” – de que la CONFINTEA VI haya sido organizada en Brasil y el papel que desempeñan los movimientos sociales en su desafío al neoliberalismo. Luego, partiendo de la experiencia de América Latina, analiza la práctica contra-hegemónica de los nuevos movimientos sociales. En la parte final se realzan los dilemas encarados por la UNESCO en el intento de crear un proceso democrático y eficiente de delineación de políticas y servicio institucional en la educación para personas adultas dentro de los estados nacionales. Además, la propuesta de educación popular que presentan los nuevos movimientos sociales está descrita como herramienta de empoderamiento. La recomendación de la CONFINTEA VI, de pasar de la retórica a la acción en programas, prácticas y políticas de educación de personas adultas, exige que tomemos en serio las agendas de los nuevos movimientos sociales en la era del post-neoliberalismo.

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Notes

  1. Public letter sent after CONFINTEA VI.

  2. The International Committee included Ação Educativa, the Asian South Pacific Bureau of Adult Education (ASPBAE), the Latin American Council for Adult Education (CEAAL) the Latin American Campaign for the Right to Education (CLADE), the International Council of Adult Education (ICAE) and the African Platform/La Plateforme Africaine/A Plataforma Africana. The Organising Committee in Brazil included the National Campaign for the Right to Education, the National Confederation of Agriculture Workers (CONTAG), the Workers’ Union (CUT), MOVA Forum, the Paulo Freire Institute, the Landless Movement (MST), the Popular Education Network of Women from Latin America and the Caribbean and the Fórum EJA Paulista. The Local Organising Committee included the Associação Paraense de Apoio ás Comunidades Carentes (APACC), the Associação Regional das Casas Familiares Rurais do Pará (ARCAFAR), the State Council of Education (CEE), the Centro de Defensa do Negro do Pará (CEDENPA), the Commission for the Pan-Amazonia (DETRAN/PA), the Empresa de Assisténsia Técnica e Extensão Rural do Pará (EMATER), the Facultade de Amazónia (FAMA), the Fórum da Amazónia Oriental (FAOR), the Fórum EJA Pará, the Fórum Paraense de Economia Solidária, the Fórum Paraense de Educação do Campo (FPEC), the Instituto Federal do Pará (IFPA), the Grupo de Mulheres da Area Central (GEMPAC), the Instituto Amazónia Solidária e Sustentável (IAMAS), the Instituto Saber Ser Amazónia Ribeirinha (ISSAR), the Núcleo de Educação Paulo Freire/NEP-UEPA, the Rede de Educação Cidadã (RECID), the Rede Cidadania Solidária, the Secretariat of Education of the State of Pará (SEDUC), the Secretariat of Government (SEGOV), the Sindicato Nacional dos Servidores Federais da Educação Básica, Profissional e Tecnológica, the Sindicato dos Pedagogos, the University of the State of Pará (UEPA), the Federal University of Pará (UFPA), the Federal University of Amapá (UNIFAP), the Popular University (UNIPOP). And there were a host of other supporters, including the African Network Campaign on Education for All (ANCEFA), the Arab Network for Literacy and Adult Education, (ANLAE), the Caribbean Regional Council of Adult Education (CARCAE), the European Association for Education of Adults (EAEA), the African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), the North American Alliance for Popular and Adult Education (NAPAAE), the Pan African Association for Literacy and Adult Education (PALAAE) and the Africa Reflect Network (PAMOJA).

  3. In total 154 countries contributed reports to UNESCO which were integrated into GRALE.

  4. Utopia is a term used here in the sense of philosopher Paul Ricœur, as ucronia, that is, the symbolic representation of a time reconfigured by narrative fiction. In the realm of social sciences, Immanuel Wallerstein has resorted to a term he coined, “utopistics,” as a way to evaluate the historical choices of the twenty-first century (Teodoro and Torres 2007, p. 1).

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  1. Paulo Freire Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Carlos Alberto Torres

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  1. Carlos Alberto Torres
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Torres, C.A. Dancing on the deck of the Titanic? Adult education, the nation-state and new social movements. Int Rev Educ 57, 39–55 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-011-9193-0

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