Reclaiming the radical: Using fiction to explore adult learning connected to citizenship

Traditionally, adult education has had a focus on learning connected to social purpose. In the current neoliberal climate, lifelong learning is increasingly defined as an endeavour whereby individuals must situate themselves in a competitive position in order to succeed in the global marketplace. Radical educators who believe that education should have a broader mandate need to explore alternative pedagogical approaches that will challenge adult learners to think critically about social issues, political and economic structures and cultural concerns. Drawing upon the research from a SSHRC funded study on lifelong learning, citizenship, and fiction writing, this paper argues that using fiction may be one way to disrupt the pervasive, in Habermasian terms, 'worldview' that limits the focus of adult learning to a narrow, market-oriented mandate. Instead, educators can use fiction reading and writing as a means to explore challenging issues pertaining to lifelong learning and citizenship.