“What is a Social Movement? It goes on one at a time It starts when you care To act, it starts when you do it again after They said no It starts when you say we and know what You mean, and each Day you mean one more.”

Marge Piercy, The Low Road State of the Field Review

Social movements are universally understood as powerful instruments of social, institutional and political change. They are about people working together to make a change in the communities, regions, or nations they inhabit. Social movement learning refers to learning by individuals who are part of a social movement, or learning by persons outside as a result of actions taken, or simply to learning about the existence of social movements. As Maude Barlow emphasized, much of the learning within social movements is informal, but organized learning also happens as a result of educational activities within the movement itself.

An understanding of motivation and learning that happens in and because of social movements would dramatically expand our understanding, teaching, learning and education. Yet, there is a dearth of academic and community based literature pertaining to social movement learning. Those involved are often not in a position to reflect and write; there are very few studies and there is a limited flow of information from the universities back to the community. It is often felt that academics who can contribute most are those with a commitment to the movements about which they are learning and writing.

“The learning that takes place as a result of social movements has a larger impact than the learning that takes place in schools.”

Matthias Finger, Swiss Adult Education Theorist State of the Field Review

Not surprisingly, social movements learning crosses over many areas including the aboriginal movement and reaches across Canada as well as internationally.

In a society that is continuing to explore ways in which learning can strengthen social cohesion, citizen engagement and democratic life, it is recommended that a common language be developed for social movements and that studies and knowledge be disseminated more broadly.

Special thanks to recorders Margaret Tusz-King and Peter Seymour.