Reclaiming the radical roots of adult education: Toward community‐based anti‐racism education through participatory action research

Abstract

AbstractIn this article, we revisit the radical roots of adult education for social change by developing community‐based anti‐racism education through participatory action research. Drawing on critical race theory (CRT) as its theoretical framework, we incorporate principles of participatory action research (PAR) to conceptualize community‐based anti‐racism education where community members and academics collaborate as equal partners throughout the process. Three key features emerged out of this analysis to characterize this approach: using people's lived experiences as an entry point to understand contemporary forms of racism, underscoring the importance of participation at the grassroots level, and prioritizing an action‐oriented feature of community‐based anti‐racism education. By combining synergies between CRT and PAR, this approach has the potential to contribute to facilitating collaborative, equitable partnerships in practicing anti‐racism education in diverse communities and enabling action‐oriented anti‐racism education as a site of advocacy, emancipation, and institutional practice for social change.