Critical Theory and Beyond: Further Perspectives on Emancipatory Education

Abstract

Although emancipatory education and a critical theory of education are only rarely addressed in adult education, they provide rich opportunities for discussing primary issues of adult education. The purpose of this analysis is to contribute to the debate on the issue of emancipatory education, especially as begun by Jack Mezirow with his critical concept of adult education. Although Mezirow borrows important distinctions from Juergen Habermas' critical theory, his use of these distinctions neglects the radical impetus behind Habermas' writings. In addition, both Mezirow's and Habermas' conceptual frameworks emerge as being too rationalist for a broader, more encompassing concept of emancipatory education.