Sir George Trevelyan, Residential Adult Education and the New Age

Sharon Clancy is Assistant Professor at the University of Nottingham, UK, specialising in post-16 and adult education. Her writing focuses on class, culture and social justice issues with a socio-historical lens. She leads the Research Circle on Fostering Democracy, Debate and Dialogue which emerged from the Centenary Commission on Adult Education. Sharon was Head of Community Engagement at the University of Nottingham between 2007 and 2013. A voluntary sector/public engagement leader before entering academia, she was CEO of Mansfield Council for Voluntary Services between 2000 and 2007. Sharon is currently Chair of the Raymond Williams Foundation. She is also a commissioner for the Centenary Commission, Communications Officer for SCUTREA and Co-Editor of the Studies in the Education of Adults journal.

“This book covers multiple intersecting themes and narratives which are skilfully woven together by Sharon Clancy, who uses immaculate research, intellectual clarity and the courage of her convictions to do so.” (Cilla Ross, FORUM for comprehensive education, Vol. 66 (3), 2024)

• Part One:  Steps towards Democratising Adult Education.- Chapter One – Introduction: Residential Adult Education – Ideas and Antecedents.- Chapter Two – Adult Education – into the Twentieth Century.- Chapter Three – Spirit and Character – the role of the Warden.- Part Two: Developing  within Democratic Adult Education Contexts.- Chapter Four – ‘Culture is ordinary’ – dialectics, critical thinking and elitism.- Chapter Five – ‘Country House living’ and Artisanship.- Chapter Six – The Spiritual Turn, Power and Hierarchy.- Part Three: the Future of Adult Education – Lessons, Challenges and Stirrings.- Chapter Seven – ‘McMindfulness’ and the Crisis in Adult Education.- Chapter Eight - Into the Future – Green Shoots and Activism.