Jan Etienne 
Learning in Womanist Ways [PDF ebook] 
Narratives of first-generation African Caribbean women

Learning in Womanist Ways explores the benefits of lifelong learning for black Caribbean women who came to Britain in the 1950s and 1960s. The book features interviews of these women about their experiences of formal and informal learning, uniquely set out as dramatic scenes that reveal the women’s authentic voices as they are in their communities. This insightful account challenges the notion that being black, female and older means deteriorating health, poverty and isolation. Presenting a different and positive reality, the book combines contemporary narrative study with black feminist epistemology, exploring the social and cultural identities brought to learning. Set against a backdrop of shifting policies and diminishing resources for adult learning, this book acknowledges the global challenge of an ageing society and demonstrates the crucial role of informal learning in widening educational opportunities.