A Case Study Of Ethical Vegans And Mezirow’s Theory
This case study was designed to test if Mezirow’s descriptions of transformation theory explain the process of learning to become an ethical vegan.
The findings showed that transformational learning is more of a journey over time than a decision at one point in time.
Social-cultural power appeared in the pervasiveness of the ideology of human superiority within family, community, industry and education. Participants observed that information was manipulated by various health, research, educational or market place institutions.
The contest in which these ethical vegans learned was an unconscious set of beliefs regarding the inferior status of animals.
There is a power of family and friends to create a dilemma for the developing vegans, as these people often reject the vegan ideology.
Learning can begin at an intrapersonal level, as many described their learning as discovering the truth.
Realizing that nonhuman animals are powerless, vegans initially felt compelled to dismantle the conditions of power.