ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the evolution of popular and feminist popular education and its methods of consciousness-raising over time, offering lessons learned from the practical application of methods and techniques in diverse contexts in Latin America. The authors explore how these approaches to adult learning contribute to a deeper understanding and creation of personal and collective power geared toward concrete action and social transformation – drawing upon their extensive experience as popular educators and associates of Just Associates, an international network of activists, feminist popular educators and academics committed to movement-building and social justice. Methods are illustrated from the ‘Self Diagnosis of Reality’ learning process developed in Mesoamerica. Feminist popular education is demonstrated to be a transformative process not just for women but for all regardless of gender, race, class, sexuality or age. Focused on individual and collective reflection, knowledge and action, it draws on synergies created by a new appreciation of identities and the connections between hearts, minds and bodies, while critically challenging what is taken as truth about oneself and society.
