Creativity, Social Justice and Human Rights within Adult Education

In this paper, the author describes philosophical concepts of adult learning and their application as integrated with creative problem solving within the context of social justice and human rights. The context is framed by the work of the United Nations (1992) which emphasizes importance of women’s roles and creativity in the process of forming a global community. Foundational theories (Gardner, 1999; Greene, 1995; Knowles, 1975; Lawrence, 2005; & Vygotsky, 1978) are connected to support this philosophical approach to adult learning. Creative application examples are shared featuring changes in women’s education and subsequently their lives such as, a project guided by artist, Vic Muniz (Walker, Jardim, Harley, & Muniz, 2010) and an artsbased education program that changed the lives of incarcerated women in one female correctional facility (Mullen, 1999). The goal of this paper is to provide examples of how creativity and arts-based learning can be integrated within adult education promoting social justice and human rights. Creativity, Social Justice and Human Rights within Adult Education