J. Adam Perry PhD
Associate Professor, Adult Education, St. Francis Xavier University
Learning, Mobility, and Community Life in Rural Canada
Learning, Mobility, and Community Life in Rural Canada
My research explores how people learn through everyday life in communities undergoing social and demographic change. Working within traditions of adult education, I explore how informal and community-based learning shape experiences of migration, mobility, citizenship, and belonging, particularly in rural and peripherally economic regions.
Adult Learning in Rural Communities
How residents engage in dialogue, collaboration, and community-building in rural regions experiencing demographic change.
Migration and Rural Settlement
How newcomers navigate settlement and integration in smaller communities.
Mobility and Informal Learning
How people learn to navigate migration, labour mobility, and life transitions.
This image was created by Addy Strickland.
Current Research
My current projects focus on rural communities in Nova Scotia.
One project examines how community-based adult education initiatives can foster dialogue and social connection among young adults, older adults, and recent immigrants living in rural communities. Through participatory workshops and collaborative learning activities, the project explores how residents reflect on shared challenges and collectively imagine possible rural futures.
A second project examines how English as an Additional Language (EAL) programs shape the settlement experiences of newcomers in Nova Scotia, with particular attention paid to how language learning is a community-based practice.
Earlier Research
My earlier research examined how migration and work shape informal learning.
My doctoral research focused on migrant farm workers participating in Canada’s Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program, examining how immigration policies and workplace structures shape workers’ opportunities for learning. During my postdoctoral fellowship at McGill University, I expanded this work to examine low-wage migrant workers’ experiences of learning to navigate migration and inter-provincial mobility within Canada.
Subsequent projects examined youth mobility in Atlantic Canada, immigrant settlement in rural Nova Scotia, and rural age-friendly community development.