Witches Ways of Knowing: Integrative Learning in Joining a Marginalized Group.

Although the literature on adult learning is extensive, most of the content is based on research with adults who enrolled in mainstream groups and organizations. Why adults would engage in learning to become a member of a marginalized group and the learning process they undergo to achieve that goal is a question that has been largely ignored in previous research. The authors of this study wanted to know how the decision to join a stigmatized, less visible and less accessible group would be different from or similar to the motivation for participation in mainstream groups. Further, they were interested to determine the nature of the learning process and how it extends what they already knew about the learning process. Wicca was chosen as the context for the study because Wiccans are not easily accessible and provide instances of harassment from employers, friends and family, both indications of a marginalized group. Data were gathered by personal interviews and analysed by the constant comparison method. A...