Dialogic Spaces

INT. J. OF LIFELONG EDUCATION, VOL. 23, NO. 4 (JULY–AUGUST 2004), 319–334

Dialogic spaces: adult education projects and social engagement
PETER RULE University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa [e-mail] PeterRule 0 400000July–August 23 2004 & Francis Original Article 0260-1370 Francis Ltd International Journal2004 10.1080/0260137042000233476 tled23401.sgm Ltdof Lifelong Education Taylor and (print)/1464-519X (online)

This paper develops the notions of dialogue and dialogic space in relation to adult education projects with emancipatory agendas. It explores the philosophical genealogy of the notion of dialogue in order to establish a basis for the concept of dialogic space, surveying the works of seminal figures such as Plato, Buber, Bakhtin, Habermas and Freire. The literature survey identifies key themes and linkeages among theorists of dialogue. The paper goes on to discuss dialogue in relation to adult education projects and develops the concept of dialogic space. It draws on a historical case study of a South African adult education project, the Tuition Project, to illustrate the concept. It concludes by examining the conditions which make dialogue possible in adult education and discusses the broader application of the notion of dialogic space in the field.

Introduction In vol. 22(2) (March–April 2003) of this journal, Bailey explored the notions of dialectic and analogy in relation to adult education. In this paper, I present the notion of dialogic space as a useful conceptual tool for understanding adult education projects that have an emancipatory agenda. The notion of dialogue is well established within adult education, particularly within the radical tradition associated with Paulo Freire (Freire 1970, Freire and Shor 1987, Gadotti 1996). I link dialogue to the notions of space and spatialization in developing and applying a concept of dialogic space. The paper arises from a study of three adult education projects that were set up in South

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