The Political Benefits of Adult Literacy

Presumed and Real Effects

Bibliographic Data

ID21203282
AuthorsNelly P Stromquist (University of Southern California, corresponding author)
Year2008
Volume2
Issue1-2
Pages88-101
Publication date2008-01-11
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Multilingual Research Journal (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1931-3152 • E-ISSN: 1931-3160
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/19313150802010285
OpenAlexW2106002771
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited8

This article reviews the research literature on political impacts linked to adult literacy. Despite the enormous importance of literacy, few studies exist on their interconnection. The majority of quantitative studies indicate higher levels of political participation by former adult literacy program participants compared to their non-participant counterparts. The qualitative studies have focused on the uses and practice of literacy rather than its political impact. A common and robust finding is that of increased self-esteem among literacy participants, particularly women. Because self-esteem is linked to self-efficacy, which predicts social action, and literacy effects have been found to persist several years after program participation, literacy can be surmised to be associated with political engagement. Program designers for adult literacy are advised to consider self-esteem components explicitly in the production of those programs. Keywords: political participationadult literacyself-esteemcitizenshipadult literacy impacts ACKNOWLEDGMENT This article is based on a commissioned background article prepared for the EFA Global Monitoring Report 2006 of UNESCO. Notes 1 CitationVan der Poel (1981) measured the impact of conscientization among literacy participants in a 60‐day program. She found that the psychological and mechanical mastery of reading and writing skills were much easier to achieve than conscientization. The CitationStromquist (1997) study of the MOVA (Movimento de Alfabetizacão de Jovens e Adultos [Literacy Movement for Youth and Adults]) Program in Sao Paulo—an effort inspired by Freirean conscientization and run under Freire's office as Sao Paulo's Secretary of Education—found great variability in implementation. CitationBartlett (2007) compared strategies and potential effects between literacy programs using Freirean and non-Freiran methods, also in Brazil. 2The concept of self-efficacy is well established as a key factor in predicting individual action (CitationBandura, 1986). It refers to people's beliefs in their capabilities to cope with the basic challenges of life and is related to self-confidence and self-esteem, which also assess the individual's sense of being competent

Critical literacy · Literacy · Pedagogy · Political efficacy · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Critical and Liberation Pedagogy · Global Education and Multiculturalism · Global Educational Policies and Reforms · Law · Psychology

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