(Eco)Pedagogical Love and Community-Based Andragogy for Rural Communities: The Transformative Learning Journey of Sapphaya, Thailand

Abstract

Freirean critical pedagogical philosophies and educational perspectives are centred on humanisation, and the transformative value of love, empathy and care for environmental and human wellbeing. Love-based (eco)pedagogies within transformative adult learning advocate pluralistic dialogues, authentic praxis-based learning, and humanising pedagogies to enrich the human condition. Whilst there are numerous studies on critical pedagogies, there is yet to be a study in which the interacting dimensions of ecopedagogy, pedagogical love and community-based andragogy are utilised as a transformative force for rural communities. Explicitly, this chapter utilises a case study approach to explore the transformative learning journey of a rural community in Sapphaya, Chainat Province, Thailand. It discusses how community stakeholders, policymakers and educational facilitators united collaboratively in participatory action research and sustainable developmentplanning to create a community-based cooperative, engage in community-based skillsdevelopment, and curate ecopedagogical engagement programmes to transform its community and preserve its rural cultural heritage.