‘Crossing the Road’: The value of inclusive pedagogical practice for South Asian women in Burnley, East Lancas

Abstract

Abstract In 2007, the University of Central Lancashire developed a Foundation Degree in Community Leadership. This course was initially conceived to meet a demand within the female South Asian community of Burnley for a higher education programme that would build their capacity to be more effective community activists, and moreover, a requirement for a course that would be able to meet family, cultural and social needs. The purpose of this paper is to explore the value of widening participation to higher education for South Asian women from Burnley in terms of social capital, community cohesion and contribution to the local knowledge economy. The authors used an action research methodology as part of a reflective research process influenced by the work of Paulo Freire (Freire, 1996).
This paper argues that widening participation to higher education for women from minority backgrounds is a valuable tool in addressing cultural and social segregation. Moreover, it demonstrates an added value that by broadening the knowledge economy of the Pakistani diaspora in Burnley there is a resulting resonance within the heritage domicile of Gujrat, Pakistan.