Toward a critical HRD in theory and practice

Citation

Fenwick T (2004) Toward a critical HRD in theory and practice. Adult Education Quarterly, 54 (3), pp. 193-209. https://doi.org/10.1177/0741713604263051

Abstract
Drawing from critical management studies and critical pedagogy, this article proposes principles and practices to support the emerging critical human resource development (HRD) field as one stream among existing theories and practice of HRD. A critical HRD would challenge the subjugation of human knowledge, skills, and relationships to organizational or shareholder gain and focus on transforming workplaces and HRD practice toward justice, fairness, and equity. Because both HRD practices and critical perspectives themselves are so diverse, a critical HRD must be formulated in sufficiently broad terms to encourage a variety of conceptual developments including discursive, gendered, materialist, and anti-racist lines of analysis. Theoretical dilemmas of a critical HRD are discussed, such as ideological contradictions between the radical orientation of critical theory and the managerialist or performative frames to which much HRD practice is accountable. Possible configurations of a critical HRD are described, as these might play out in contexts of HRD practice.

Keywords
Human resource development; Critical pedagogy; Critical management studies; Workplace learning; Emancipatory learning; Reflexivity; Education Research;Education Sociological aspects Research

Journal
Adult Education Quarterly: Volume 54, Issue 3

People

Professor Tara Fenwick

Emeritus Professor, Education