Adult education in India from a subaltern perspective

Abstract

The educational experiences and educational attainments of women are affected by the intersectionality of gender, class, caste, religion, age, language and geographical location. In India, the women from marginalised groups such as scheduled tribes, lower castes and Muslim minorities have the highest levels of adult illiteracy, unemployment and poverty. I take an interdisciplinary approach drawing on postcolonial theory, education, sociology, development studies and gender studies to develop an analysis of certain adult education and women’s empowerment programmes in India and their understanding of literacy, inclusion, empowerment, identities, development and social change. Different socio-cultural fields intersect and affect the world of adult education practices, and a broader understanding of adult learning is required to address the needs of gendered adult learners.