Why Social Movements Matter: Adult Education Theory, Cognitive Praxis, and the Creation of Knowledge

Although adult education has long been associated with social movements, the relevance of social movement theory has hardly been explored. This stems in part from limitations in the sociological theory of social movements. New paradigms are emerging which provide a basis for theorizing adult education in terms of cognitive processes in social movements. These have general implications for our understanding of adult education's role in society. This paper considers the notion that adult education is itself a "movement." The development of social movement theory is traced, and reasons for its limited impact on adult education theory are explored. A new approach to understanding social movements in terms of "cognitive praxis," is outlined and its implications for adult education discussed.