Enlightenment Education for Progressive Human Interest

Enlightenment Education for Progressive Human Interest draws upon key features of the European Enlightenment and Renaissance to support progressive institutionalised education in many countries around the world today. While these key features of intellectual awakening, of human reason, scientific experimentation, open-mindedness and civil liberties remain frustratingly incomplete for current generations of ordinary people, they also provide a framework for critiquing and changing conservative and dominant economic systems that restrict independent thought about the world and prospects for peaceful social advancement. They suggest an alternative to dogma, prejudice and injustice such that meaning, freedom and satisfaction may be possible through individual and community discussion and action.

Author Biography

Neil Hooley is Honorary Fellow in the College of Arts, Business, Education, Law and Information Technology, Victoria University, Melbourne and is an experienced academic, researcher and author. Within a pragmatist and inquiry paradigm, he has experience with qualitative methodologies including narrative inquiry, case writing and case study and participatory action research.

Oksana Razoumova is Lecturer in Work Integrated Learning role at Swinburne University and Honorary Fellow in the College of Arts, Business, Education, Law and Information Technology, Victoria University, Melbourne. As a linguist and an experienced academic, she has had extensive teaching and research experience regarding the nature of language teaching and learning and its application in educational, employment and community settings.