Learning Through Life Transitions: Relational Perspectives on Migration, Family, and Community

Michael Bernhard

doi:10.4312/as/19723

Authors

Michael Bernhard Goethe-University Frankfurt, Germany

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4312/as/19723

Keywords:

transitions, learning, migration, family, community, gender

Abstract

This paper examines the relational dynamics that shape learning during life course transitions, particularly in the context of migration. Adopting a relational doing transitions framework, the study investigates how the interplay between transitions, such as migration and transitions into parenthood, along with different actors influences learning processes. Data were collected through 20 biographical-narrative interviews with those dubbed “skilled” migrants to Canada and analysed using the documentary method. The analysis empirically underscores that learning is co-produced through complex social interactions, rather than being an isolated individual process. The findings suggest that aspects such as family roles, cultural dislocation, and gender norms can both enable and constrain learning during transitions. This research challenges linear models of transitions, highlighting the intertwined nature of personal and social dimensions in shaping learning experiences and educational opportunities. The paper concludes by emphasising that adult education practices must consider these relational factors to better support persons navigating transitions during times of societal change.

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