Formative Periods in the History of Adult Education: The role of social and cultural movements in crosscultural communication

This paper is intended as an exploration of some of the major theoretical, methodological and substantive issues which have been addressed, directly and indirectly, by the research network during the last three years. One of the major problems for the historian is the question of periodization, or the question of why historical narratives are constructed within specific periods. This requires the historian of adult education to engage in reflection about the designation of specific periods, for example the period 1890-1930, as significant periods in the development of adult education.