Motherwork as a Site of Adult Learning

Women do a disproportionate amount of motherwork throughout the world. At the same time, patriarchal society has subordinated women, institutionalized motherhood and mandated that only mothers should do this work. This book examines the lived experience and learning of motherwork through art-informed inquiry that includes poetry and story telling. The central argument is that motherwork is a rich site of knowledge creation, where subsistence-oriented work, learning and personal transformations take place. The author argues that while the current societal climate focuses increasingly on the market economy, at the expense of individuals and those marginalized, it is time to take a renewed look at women's motherwork, and to advocate for public policies that legitimize the value of this work and recognize how this work contributes to the lives of individuals, families and all of society. This study will contribute to the work of adult educators who are engaged in transformative or feminist education, to art-informed qualitative researchers and to women and caregivers who contribute so profoundly to the lives of children and others in need of care and advocacy.