Learning/work: turning work and lifelong learning inside out

Abstract

We are living through a daunting yet fascinating period in which the global economy increasingly challenges the accepted dichotomies between home-life and work-life, between employment and unemployment, paid work and unpaid work. This calls for serious analysis of how knowledge is generated, both formally and informally, in workplaces as diverse as the factory, the field, or the street. It raises questions about what forms of learning and training are involved; how they articulate with one another and what practical and theoretical implications this has for our societies.

In this book, 34 leading scholars from 10 countries challenge established understandings of lifelong learning and work, with several arguing that 'work' and 'lifelong learning' need to be 'turned inside out' through a rigorous critique of underlying social relations and practices so that we understand the power relations that shape learning/work possibilities. In various ways, all of the 25 chapters that make up this volume are infused with imaginings of alternative futures which prioritise social justice and sustainability for the majority in the world.

Learning/Work will appeal to scholars and practitioners who are grappling to understand and implement learning/work critically within the demanding conditions of our times.