8 Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed
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Mark Garavan
Abstract
This chapter talks about Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Freire's work is rooted in the concrete social, economic and cultural reality of 1960s Latin America. The book was written while he was in exile in Chile following the Brazilian military coup of 1964. Published in 1970, it was based on many years of direct experience of working with the poor of Brazil and Chile. The book presents some aspects of what the writer has termed the 'pedagogy of the oppressed', a pedagogy which must be forged with, not for, the oppressed in the incessant struggle to regain their humanity. Freire outlines how radical social change can occur in situations of deep oppression. His concern however is to outline a process not a programme. Revolution, he asserts throughout, can only emerge from dialogue with the people. Dialogue is a fundamental precondition for their true humanisation.
Abstract
This chapter talks about Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Freire's work is rooted in the concrete social, economic and cultural reality of 1960s Latin America. The book was written while he was in exile in Chile following the Brazilian military coup of 1964. Published in 1970, it was based on many years of direct experience of working with the poor of Brazil and Chile. The book presents some aspects of what the writer has termed the 'pedagogy of the oppressed', a pedagogy which must be forged with, not for, the oppressed in the incessant struggle to regain their humanity. Freire outlines how radical social change can occur in situations of deep oppression. His concern however is to outline a process not a programme. Revolution, he asserts throughout, can only emerge from dialogue with the people. Dialogue is a fundamental precondition for their true humanisation.
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Contents v
- Notes on contributors vii
- Acknowledgements x
- Introduction 1
- 1 Thomas Paine’s The Rights of Man 8
- 2 William Thompson’s Practical Education for the South of Ireland 21
- 3 James Connolly’s Labour in Irish History 38
- 4 Robert Tressell’s The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists 54
- 5 Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex 71
- 6 Thomas Szasz’s The Myth of Mental Illness 88
- 7 Kwame Ture and Charles Hamilton’s Black Power: The Politics of Liberation 105
- 8 Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed 123
- 9 Ivan Illich’s Tools for Conviviality 140
- 10 Adrienne Rich’s On Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence 157
- 11 The Brundtland Committee’s Our Common Future 175
- Concluding remarks 192
- Bibliography 198
- Index 211
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Contents v
- Notes on contributors vii
- Acknowledgements x
- Introduction 1
- 1 Thomas Paine’s The Rights of Man 8
- 2 William Thompson’s Practical Education for the South of Ireland 21
- 3 James Connolly’s Labour in Irish History 38
- 4 Robert Tressell’s The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists 54
- 5 Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex 71
- 6 Thomas Szasz’s The Myth of Mental Illness 88
- 7 Kwame Ture and Charles Hamilton’s Black Power: The Politics of Liberation 105
- 8 Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed 123
- 9 Ivan Illich’s Tools for Conviviality 140
- 10 Adrienne Rich’s On Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence 157
- 11 The Brundtland Committee’s Our Common Future 175
- Concluding remarks 192
- Bibliography 198
- Index 211
