Can adult education change extremist attitudes?

Abstract

Child Development Study) into various racist-authoritarian categories at ages 33 and 42 using cluster analysis. Following this identification we test various hypothesis concerning the relationship between adult education and attitude change. In particular, questioning whether adult education can transform attitudes amongst those with racist-authoritarian attitudes and/or whether adult education can sustain non-extremist views. Although there is evidence of a conditional association between adult education and sustaining non-extremist views we are sceptical concerning the ability of adult education to change extremist positions. We conclude that further work on the mechanisms linking education and extremist attitudes is required if we are to identify causal processes.

Education level and affective polarization: The mediation effects of psychological engagement in politics and authoritarian attitudes

“…Despite the presence of multiple plausible patterns of the relationship between education and authoritarian attitudes, the close relationship between the two is so clear, and literature suggests that 'there is no more important determinant of authoritarianism than (lack of) education (Stenner 2005, p. 154). In addition, studies that employ an innovated empirical method to specify causality support the conclusion that education has a causal effect on cognitive inclination such as support for democracy, liberalism, and authoritarian attitudes (Jung and Gil 2019;Preston, Feinstein, and Anderson 2005).…”

Where’s the learning in lifelong participation?

“…Lifelong learning is presented in policy doc-uments published during New Labour's period in office as having broader social benefits for individuals and communities as a result of participation in a communal activity, for example, in terms of encouraging students to actively participate in their local communities (DfEE 1998, 1), making people more aware of healthy lifestyles (DfES 2003, 57), making people more tolerant of others and less likely to engage in anti-social behaviour (Kennedy 1997, 6). This view is reinforced by academic studies (Schuller et al 2004;Preston et al 2005).…”