ABSTRACT
I conclude with an autobiographical analysis of how my experience and understanding of inquiry-and-action has evolved from childhood to old age. I emphasize the role of other people and social circumstances in promoting my own learning of transformative action research. I will use my life experiences to illustrate some of the many ways in which “social learning,” that is, learning from and with others, can be key to expanding one’s abilities and understanding of inquiry, if one is fortunate enough to find their way into situations ripe with opportunity. I have become very aware of how much we learn from, and with, others, especially in active collaboration, and by virtue of the circumstances in which we find ourselves. Especially, I am focusing on those circumstances in my life which have contributed to the value I place on transformative action-and-inquiry, as well as contributing to some key choices I’ve made about the directions and paths I’ve chosen to take in life. Further, I hope to show how, throughout my life, my reflections on my life experiences, and on the experiences of others I’ve known well—especially family members—have revealed valuable insights about our history, society, and culture.
