Active Citizenship

Active Citizenship for Women in Nova Scotia

This Canadian Council on Learning funded grant investigates the topic of active citizenship for women in Nova Scotia. The study consisted of eight life history interviews with women in Nova Scotia who were identified as “active citizens” & individuals who reveal a strong social justice orientation and commitment in their paid and/or volunteer work. Participants came from diverse backgrounds from across the province, including francophone, African Nova-Scotian, and Aboriginal communities. In addition, four interviews were carried out with “key informants” & individuals in the government and policy sector. The objective of the research was to learn more about the supports, barriers, and motivators that impact on women’s ability to participate as active citizens.

This grant was designed to create a learning experience for students that would enable them to develop valuable research skills to bring back to their work in the community. Three graduate students worked as a research team with the lead researcher, Dr. Patricia Gouthro, through the various stages of the project over the course of an academic year.

A condensed discussion of the research results is available in the Summary Document.

More detailed discussion and analysis is available through publications related to this study. Conference presentations and academic publications are listed below (and will be updated regularly).

Conference Presentations (No proceedings available)

Oral presentations were made at the Atlantic Educators Conference in Frederiction, Fall 2006, at the Coady Preconference in Antigonish, Spring 2007.

Poster sessions were held at the joint Adult Education Research and Canadian Association for Studies in Adult Education Conference, and at the Adult Learning Knowledge Centre’s National Symposium on The Right to Learn both in Halifax, Nova Scotia during June 2007.

Conference Presentations (Proceedings available)

Gouthro, P.A. (2007). Designing research strategies to create connections between adult and  higher education policies, politics and practices. Proceedings of the 37th Annual Standing Conference on University  Teaching and Research in the Education of Adults. The Queens University of Belfast, Northern Ireland, pp. 177-185 | Link to the Full Text

Gouthro, P.A. (2007). Troubling the notion of active citizenship: An examination of eight  Canadian women’s experiences.  International Conference of the Centre for Research  in Lifelong Learning. University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland. | Link to the Full Text

Book Chapters

Gouthro, P.A. (2010). Women, learning and equity: Recognizing non-linear life trajectories for women in political life and in higher education. In Jackson, S. (Ed). Innovations in lifelong learning: International perspectives on diversity, participation and vocational learning. London: Routledge.

Active & Inclusive Citizenship and Life Histories Articles

Journal Articles

Gouthro, P.A. (2007). Active and inclusive citizenship for women: democratic concerns  for fostering lifelong education. International Journal of Lifelong Education. 26 (2), 143-154

Gouthro, P.A. (2009). Life Histories of Canadian Women as Active Citizens: Implications for Policies and Practices in Adult Education. The Canadian Journal for the Study of Adult Education. 21(2),19-36.