Palestine: Philosophical and methodological dilemmas for adult education

Abstract

This chapter discusses philosophical and methodological dilemmas related to the process of contextualising the field of adult education in the Arab-Palestinian context which are embodied in three interrelated elements: (a) the cultural meanings that underpin concepts in adult education, (b) the purpose of adult education and (c) the application process. I argue that understanding the interrelation between these elements within a specific social political context will help us as researchers and academics learn about the factors that formulated what I perceive to be the most widely ‘accepted’ image of adult education, as well as in dictating the types of interactions deemed to take place between learners and educators. I argue that any engagement in the field of adult education, whether for research or development purposes, is necessarily a political act that unconsciously influences the expected results of adult education programmes in their respective contexts.