Baha'i Pathways to Knowing: Activating Adherents of a World Religion in Knowledge Creation

This thesis explores ways of creating knowledge in the Baha'i Faith, and more specifically among Baha'is in the capital district of Apia in Samoa. Based on participant observation in activities inside and outside of the Baha'i community and on conversations with Baha'is, what is argued is that Baha'is emphasise in both action and statements the significance of as a Baha'i to be active in a conscious development of self and others. In particular I discuss learning in the contexts of individual life trajectories, individual and collective studying of Baha'i teachings, putting the teachings into practice in form of developing own character and bringing the ideas of the Baha'i Faith to others, and in the context of a dialogical practice Baha'is referred to as consultation. Whereas the thesis offers discussions of these contexts discretely, in order to to highlight what learning was from Baha'is point of view the thesis also make use of a concept of individuals moving in pathways to knowing that cross activities and community boundaries.