Emancipatory Practices: Adult/Youth Engagement for Social and Environmental Justice

Abstract

Adults and youth who are engaged in social and ecological justice in community and educational work will find this book a critical overview of the role played by adults in the joint endeavours of adults and youth. Through various case studies, the book offers a glimpse into the work being undertaken by a wide range of international educators and community development workers where common themes emerge across the different sites. The book explores the development of, and the internal and external constraints upon, adult and youth emancipatory practices, as well as the effective adult and youth beliefs and actions that facilitate collaborative leadership in issues of social and ecological justice.

The authors offer a critical examination of the degree to which youth are able to participate in decision-making processes, or to the extent to which they were given space and power to truly explore democratic and dialogic partnerships. With an emphasis on the power dynamics inherent in adult/youth relationships, and the potential of these relationships to engage in democratic transformation, the book examines the patterns, benefits and limitations of the youth-adult connections.