Educators, many affiliated with the Association, describe and celebrate the century of work by what has become the largest and most successful provider of educational courses for adults in the British voluntary sector. Renowned worker Tony Blair contributes a brief foreword. Distribution is by Stylus. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
'Combining ... scholarship with reader-friendly clarity this ... collection on the WEA [ is] a must for anyone concerned about broadening the highway of education.' Sheila Rowbotham
With contributions from practitioners and scholars in adult education, 'A Ministry of Enthusiasm' sets the WEA in its historical and social context, tracing its development, and asks key questions about the provision of adult education today. Has it become a middle-class movement? Is it an instrument of social change or is it an academic institution along classical lines? Is it an autonomous voluntary organisation or has it become an arm of the state educational service? The contributors provide answers to these questions from a variety of perspectives.
