Reconciling Claims for the Individual and the Community: Horace Kallen, Cultural Pluralism, and Persistent Tensions in Adult Education

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Abstract
This article analyzes the work of Horace Kallen and its relationship to his characterization of adult education. After developing philosoplhies supportive of cultural pluralism, individualism, and the American Idea, Kallen integrated his commitments into a sweeping vision of both general and adult education. Kallen wrote on, and was actively involved in, various arenas of adult education throughout his life. Thus, understanding his vision in all its complexity can help us analyze some of the basic tensions inherent in our current and sometimes conflicting conceptualizations of the field.