Objective 1: Identify innovative epistemologies on human development and lifelong and lifewide learning
This Objective is characterized by two main research lines. The first one is strictly in continuity with the previous activities of the Chair and the results of the events connected to the thirtieth anniversary of the Transdisciplinary Charter and concluded, for the Chair, with Colloquium “Peace beyond violence. The challenge of transdisciplinary ecology” (University of Florence, 7/12/2024). This first line is aimed to deep the reflection on the relationship between complexity and transdisciplinarity and beyond. The research line intends to develop the reflection on how transdisciplinary for social change refers to different types of knowledge production based on the integration of different disciplines, inclusion of values, traditional knowledge, know-how and expertise from non-academic sources and how transdisciplinary research be integrative, reflexive, problem-focused, interactive and emergent, collaborative. The second line of research is aimed at understanding the need for review and revitalization of current theoretical and methodological approaches to adult education. Despite the general increase in participation in educational activities worldwide, numerous critical issues are evident such as the increase in the gap and inequalities between population strata; the scarcity of training opportunities for the unemployed, immigrants, women, ..., but also for some areas of expertise of highly qualified workers. This pushes the world of adult education and continues to question the adequacy of its theoretical approaches and their ability to interpret, understand, but also plan and manage processes as a whole. If "participation" is an indicator of human development, is there a correlation between participation and growth in personal and professional autonomy? Does transdisciplinary research allow us to develop paradigms to support the development of strategies at all macro/meso/micro levels? The second line of activity of the first objective intends to answer these questions, in order to arrive at a new andragogical epistemology and ontology.
Last update
11.06.2025