LLinE Lifelong Learning in Europe

Editorial József Katus: A crucial question

Reflecting on identity as a key concept for understanding social life and personal experience in a world of rapid global change, the prominent European sociologist Zygmunt Bauman* remarks that perhaps the sole successful case of lifelong education advocated by its theorists and practitioners is the cultivation of consumer skills. In this context he points out that the institutions of ‘lifelong consumer education’ are countless and ubiquitous, varying from mass media up to counselors offering recipes for resolving ‘life problems’.

It remains to be seen whether theorists and practitioners of lifelong education agree, confirming that influencing human behaviour in the way in which Bauman perceives it equals to education. Whereas Bauman seems, furthermore, to cherish a kind of a holistic view in which diverse modalities of influencing people through communication automatically come down to lifelong education, in practice lifelong education is often piecemeal engineering, a means of policies to tackle certain individual and social problems.

In this issue of LLinE cases are presented with regard to policies and education related to problems arising from migration. As IIsley points out, for instance, Germany belongs in Europe to the countries that received in 2005 the greatest number of immigrants (202,300), while according to Weber already every fifth citizen had a migration background. These developments brought about tensions within society. In answer to these, representatives of governmental and non-governmental organisations, including those of ethnic minorities, worked out a shared vision for a common future, which resulted in a new integration act. Successful implementation of it requires lifelong learning on distinct levels and in several sectors of society, varying from mastering German to civic education. Lifelong learning is, in other words, a means of integration policy.

The same applies to the Russian Federation which according to Kliucharev and Mukomel faces problems relative to the integration of migrants with various ethnic backgrounds. It concerns presently several million people with no regulated legal status, moreover temporary labour migrants (6 million people in 2007) as well as ethnic Russians from former Soviet republics outside the Russian Federation who in accordance with the present repatriation program also demand integration. In addition, in the light of demographic developments it is reasonable to expect increasing immigration not only from former Soviet republics but also from other countries in Asia. In the period 2007–2025, the decrease of the working age population will amount to 16.2 million people – almost one quarter of those engaged in today’s economy of the country. The emphasis lies also in Russia on education as an instrument to implement migration and integration policies. A crucial question is for Kliucharev and Mukomel whether ‘lifelong learning could successfully cope with the situation’.
The question is appropriate, and in fact concerns all of us, theorists and practitioners of lifelong learning, who have to cope with problems that arise from migration. But should we, if we could, opt out from facing up the challenge?

Dr. József Katus
One-time migrant from Hungary to the Netherlands, Consultant and visiting professor at the Faculty of Adult Education and Human Resources Development of the University of Pécs, Hungary, Chairman of the SOFT Tulip Foundation, Member of the international LLinE editorial board

* Zygmunt Bauman, Idenitity. Converstations with Benedetto Vecchi. Cambridge: Polity Press 2006, p. 66-67.