Laboratories of Learning

This book explores the ways that social movements are important and overlooked laboratories of learning and sources of knowledge-making, drawing on the findings from a collaborative research project which took place in Turkey, Colombia, Nepal, and South Africa. It argues that social movements in the global south, struggling in some of the most complex and conflict-affected contexts, can offer us exciting, innovative insights into the myriad of ways that social movements learn and produce knowledge as they struggle for a better world. These movements advocate for marginalized communities defending their basic rights to education, health, housing, life, dignity, and equal treatment before the law, often fighting against state repression and violence. Learning from the inspiring frontline, grassroots movements are at the heart of the struggle for global social justice.

Investigates the ways that social movements are important laboratories of learning and knowledge-making an often-overlooked dimension of social movement research and practice.

Mario Novelli is Professor in the Political Economy of Education at the University of Sussex, UK. He has published widely on issues related to the role of education in social and political transformation. || Tejendra Pherali is Professor of Education, Conflict and Peace at the IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society, London. He has published widely on issues relating to education, social justice and peace building in Nepal and other countries. || Birgul Kutan is a Lecturer/Researcher at the Centre for International Education, University of Sussex, UK. She has a PhD in Human Geography from the University of Bristol, UK and writes on issues related to contemporary politics and social movements in Turkey.  || Adnan Celik holds a PhD in Social Anthropology from EHESS, France and is a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities (KWI), Germany. He has published widely on Kurdish issues, Armenian genocide and transnational political activism. || Patrick Kane holds a PhD from the University of Sussex, and is based in Cali, Colombia. He has published research on social movements, human rights and popular struggles in Colombia. He has been engaged in international solidarity work with social movements in southwest Colombia for over fifteen years. || Saranel Benjamin was born and raised in apartheid South Africa. Active in the struggle against apartheid, she later worked with the trade union and emerging social movements. She is a development practitioner, and is currently the Co-Executive Director of Mama Cash. She has published work on social movements, housing issues and feminist struggles.

Preface: In Memory of Aziz Choudry Introduction 1. Social Movements, Theory, Learning and Knowledge-Making in the Global South 2. Background to the Movements 3. How Do Social Movements Learn and Make Knowledge? 4. What Do Social Movements Learn and What Knowledge Do They Make? 5. What Is the Effect of the Learning and Knowledge Making? Conclusions