The PhD research project deals with the social change and coping strategies of individual and society in rural areas, who are affected, in form of operational closure of the largest employer, by a variation of structural conditions (labour market, family structure, social community, regional and structural development, education etc.). It addresses the impact of work-based insecurities, rising social inequalities within and across nations, with a specific regional focus on South Tyrol - a multicultural, rural area in northern Italy, bordering with Austria and Switzerland.

Since the end of the 18th century the identity and the social position of people is mainly determined by their position in the labour market (cf. Nüchter, 2009; Heinz, 1995). The workplace represents the main source of autonomy, identity and development. Therefore, in our Western society is still "work and identity" and "work and socialization context" substantially. The current crises and decline of existing jobs leads to contradictory everyday life experience of individual citizens; their "new normal" involves irregular work histories (with the various forms of precarity, part-time work, etc.) rather than a lifelong permanent placement (Bourdieu, 2004; Negt, 2001; Beck, 2008; Gorz, 2000; Rifkin, 2004; Castel & Dörre, 2009).

Therefore, the concept of Life-long, Life-wide, Life-deep Learning emerges: it is designed to enable people, at any stage of their life, to take part in stimulating learning experiences, as well as developing education and training. Learning takes place not only in school but also in the multiple contexts and valued practices of everyday lives across the life span. Lifelong learning has acquired considerable conceptual significance in adult education research. Admittedly, its origins lie in the policy field rather than in social science, and this has led some researchers to question its value. In the policy domain, the concept has won considerable prominence in recent years. It effectively forms the core concept of the educational and training policies of the European Commission, as well as providing an underpinning to the work of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. While the precise meaning of this concept remains somewhat elusive, it is invariably used in ways which highlight the significance of learning in adult life, and which promote a broad understanding of learning as a life-wide process (cf. Field, 2005).

Transformative learning is the process by which we call into question our taken for granted frames of reference to make them more inclusive, discriminating, open, and reflective so that they may generate beliefs and opinions that will prove more true or justified to guide action. Transformative learning is “[…] an approach to teaching based on promoting change, where educators challenge learners to critically question and assess the integrity of their deeply held assumptions about how they relate to the world around them.” (Mezirow & Taylor, 2009). The study of transformative learning itself is grounded in systems of thoughts characterized by ‘deeply held’ epistemic assumptions. It takes its roots in heterogeneous educational practices, theories and environments, shaped by social, political, economical, cultural, epistemological and linguistic singularities.

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