Centred knowing and its influence in emancipatory learning

This article reports on specific findings related to the knowing process of emancipatory learning that emerged from a qualitative study of change agents. The study involved 24 women who had a reflective awareness of consciousness‐raising leading to their commitment to social action. Data were gathered using a semi‐structured, open‐ended interview schedule. A comparative analysis of the data was done. To ensure credibility of the study's findings, peer debriefing and member checks were employed. While the study disclosed broader findings related to the nature of emancipatory learning and its facilitators, this article explicates three: (a) emancipatory learning manifested itself within these women's lives through a transformation from alienation to agency in knowing; (b) a knowing process centred in authenticity was an essential dynamic of their critical reflection; and (c) the knowledge constructed from this knowing in part motivated their action for the development of society.