A Path Worth Taking: The Development of Social Justice in Outdoor Experiential Education |
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| Authors: | Karen Warren |
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| Institution: | Teaches in the Outdoors Program/ Recreational Athletics at Hampshire College. Her teaching and writing interests include outdoor leadership, experiential education, wilderness studies, and social justice issues in the outdoors. |
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| Abstract: | This article examines the influences promoting social justice in the field of outdoor experiential education. The philosophical foundations of outdoor adventure including the work of John Dewey and Kurt Hahn are considered in light of social justice education. The historical evolution of social justice activism within the professional community is analyzed. Other influential trends including the development of outdoor programs sensitive to social justice concerns, the cross fertilization from other related fields, and the demographic and economic imperatives to transform the field are described. The methodological fit between outdoor experiential education and social justice education is the final influence presented. The article concludes that potentials for social justice education within the outdoor experiential education field create an imperative for inclusion. |
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