Patterns of difference in understandings of equity and social justice in adult education policies: Comparing national reports in international contexts by a lexicometric analysis

Abstract

According to globalisation theories, the importance of international organisations such as UNESCO and EU regarding processes of policy-making is increasing and it is no longer the nation state alone that is regulating policy. Focusing on equity and social justice as central topics of the global discourse, the article raises the question of how these concepts are negotiated within the context of adult education. It presents empirical findings from a comparison of national reports by UNESCO member states and allows conclusions concerning connections between the international and the national level. As regards the methodological approach, the lexicometric analysis is introduced as an addition to the scope of methods currently applied in adult education policy research. The results of the study show that there are different patterns of understandings referring to equity and social justice when contrasting states that are solely UNESCO members with states that have a double-membership in UNESCO and EU: when having an additional EU membership, states refer to typical topics of the EU agenda such as employability, even if they are addressed as UNESCO members. Thereby, equity and social justice function as examples to show how agenda-setting by international organisations, especially by the EU, influences the national discourse.