Hegel in Glasgow: Idealists and the emergence of adult education in the West of Scotland, 1866–1927

Abstract

This paper considers how Hegel's philosophical idealism influenced the thinking and practical activities of four successive holders of the Chair of Moral Philosophy in the University of Glasgow between 1866 and 1927. It argues that their activities were shaped by Hegelian concepts of citizenship, which engendered a commitment to encouraging the organisation and development of liberal adult education. It considers how their support for social movements promoting new educational opportunities, notably university extension, the WEA and social settlement houses, had a substantial and lasting impact on the evolution of adult education during the twentieth century.