This contribution sheds light on the complex dynamic that produces cultural, economic and normative frames of reference for popular adult education. A cultural frame is what gives meaning, and assigns values to, popular adult education as a context, place-, and time-specific experience. A normative frame is what legitimises its provision, whereas an economic frame is what makes it sustainable. The authors apply a frame analysis to an Italian Third Age University, as an illustrative case, to examine its establishment and continuous operation over four decades, despite today’s dominant neoliberal discourse based on a competitive market approach. Drawing on this analysis, the authors pinpoint some actions that may open interstices for resistance to such a dominant discourse by popular adult education providers, but also policy makers, professionals, and volunteers who support or are involved in popular adult education.
The appropriation of cultural, economic and normative frames of reference for adult education: An Italian perspective
milana, Marcella
;rapana, Francesca
2019-01-01
Abstract
This contribution sheds light on the complex dynamic that produces cultural, economic and normative frames of reference for popular adult education. A cultural frame is what gives meaning, and assigns values to, popular adult education as a context, place-, and time-specific experience. A normative frame is what legitimises its provision, whereas an economic frame is what makes it sustainable. The authors apply a frame analysis to an Italian Third Age University, as an illustrative case, to examine its establishment and continuous operation over four decades, despite today’s dominant neoliberal discourse based on a competitive market approach. Drawing on this analysis, the authors pinpoint some actions that may open interstices for resistance to such a dominant discourse by popular adult education providers, but also policy makers, professionals, and volunteers who support or are involved in popular adult education.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.