A social worker, a community development worker and an adult educator walk into a bar : on strange bedfellows and social pedagogy

Abstract

With a long tradition that can be traced to the 19th century, social pedagogy has evolved as a discipline that combines educational and social perspectives and interventions. Since its origins, it has been concerned with the mutual relations between human development, on the one hand, and the development of a just and democratic society, on the other. Whereas in a few countries social pedagogy is a professional occupation recognized by the state, in most places it constitutes a framework that contributes to other occupations, and at the same time is informed by other fields. Prominent among these fields are social work, community development, and youth and adult education. This paper discusses the particular features of these three fields and their connections to social pedagogy.