Abstract
In this article we analyze the social economy projects of Avani – a Community Based Organization based in Himalayas and reflect on their potential for enabling a critical pedagogy of place. We use the concept of tactics in a spatial and educational sense to explore Avani’s projects as an intervention within the dominant place logic of capitalism that opens market opportunities and enables new experiences of living and being for hill communities. We argue that these experiences are educational since they invoke, what we want to call, the possibility to verify one’s equality and one’s ability to do something. Our study is based on an ethnographic case approach and combines literature review, staff interviews and documents of Avani along with sensitizing concepts to guide our analysis.
Highlights
Reflections on ‘social economy’ projects as incubators of adult learning, emancipation and democratization are not new
In line with the cooperative movement of early 20th century, these social economy projects often contain a promise of empowerment, solidarity, democracy and sustainability
To which extent do these organizations really empower, enable new ways of living? Do these organizations truly embody an alternative? Or are they merely ‘capitalism in disguise’? Under which conditions do these projects realize the educational possibilities for the marginalized communities they cater to? How do they bring about the possibilities for education within the scope of their social economy projects? What are the strengths, limitations and trade-offs that these projects are confronted with when combining social goals with economic operations? There is a growing interest in these types of projects - in the practical, policy making as well as academic field – but still many questions remain unanswered
Summary
Reflections on ‘social economy’ projects as incubators of adult learning, emancipation and democratization are not new. We analyze how social economy projects generate new experiences and stimulates new ways of being and living for the marginalized people of Kumaon. We focus and theorize predominantly on how the experiences generated by social economy interventions can stimulate the hill people to critically reflect and act upon the dominant socio-economic structures that impact their lives. Given the project’s obvious social economy orientation, we will explore what conditions makes these experiences educational and how Avani makes it possible by taking up a halfway position in a variety of ways. Taking into consideration the criticisms against Avani’s projects, we show how living and being experiences can be educational and the educational condition of ‘suspension’ that makes it possible. We conclude by pointing out the fragility of these moments of suspension that opens some new questions for further research
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: European Journal for Research on the Education and Learning of Adults
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
