Supporting active citizenship among young people at risk of social exclusion: the role of adult education

This chapter examines different conceptualizations and perspectives from the literature and reflects on findings from a recent European research project while considering the role of adult education in promoting active and participatory citizenship among young people considered at risk of social exclusion. Promoting active citizenship (alongside equity and social cohesion) is an objective of the European Union’s lifelong learning strategy, but the concept is not clearly defined, and there are a range of different interpretations, framings, and discourses associated with it. Critical analyses suggest that contemporary contexts of neoliberalism support limited versions of active citizenship which focus on adaptation and accommodation to economic imperatives, casting adult education mainly in the role of promoting skills and knowledge for “employability.” The chapter explores the links between discourse types of social exclusion suggested by Levitas (The inclusive society? Social exclusion and new labour. Palgrave, Basingstoke, 1998) and framings of active citizenship, as well as considering implications for the role of adult education. Selected findings from a recent EU-funded international research collaboration which involved educational programs in 20 European countries are analyzed, identifying instances of how promoting active participation may be framed differently, for example, as focusing on the responsibility to make contributions or as emphasizing equality and rights.