Pedagogy of the Oppressed, 30th Anniversary Edition

Having studied the works of Paulo Freire for a few years in my doctoral studies, I always wanted to read Pedagogy of the Oppressed at one point. I finally made time and am not disappointed. Freire made his point quite clearly and I can see where his pedagogical ideas arise from. It helps that I understand the context of Freire’s work because otherwise this book is very likely to be seen as a Marxist educational tract. The language is that of revolution, but not of the violent sort. Instead, Freire took pains to stress that the revolution was that of the mind alone through pedagogy. He referred to this as a dialogical revolution, not a violent one. Understanding the history of this book and Paulo Freire is required in order to properly interpret the contents. Freire was an educator in Brazil in the 1960s who worked with illiterate peasants. He developed a way to teach the peasants how to read in a phenomenally short time. The problem with that was Freire also taught them to question their place in the world. The military dictatorship running Brazil could not allow its subjects to question its authority. No totalitarian state can allow that. It lets the peasants begin to reject the rule by the elites. As a result, Freire was imprisoned. Later, he was exiled whereupon he set out to transform the lower classes through education. Brazil’s mistake was the world’s benefit though. Freire would work on his theories and write many books. This book was the first of several and it had a major impact on the world of education. Today, Freire is seen as the Godfather of Critical Pedagogy. His work influences educational theorists. Action research methods are often found to draw many of their ideas from Freire. For all of these people, it begins with the reading of Pedagogy of the Oppressed. What is somewhat controversial today is how Freire wrote about the Cuban Revolution in this book. Bear in mind he wrote it in 1973 and this was before a lot of the information about the failures of Castro’s regime had become widely known. His point of view was without a doubt biased as he wrote from the perspective of someone who would have supported Castro had he been in Cuba in the 1950s. Most of what Freire quotes from the revolution deals with the way Castro’s revolutionaries merged with the peasants of Cuba until both were the same. That was instrumental in the success of the Revolution. So Freire points this out and the process by which it occurred. While some are willing to label Freire a Marxist for this view, the point must be made that historically speaking, this was exactly how successful revolutions were able to survive and grow in a hostile climate. It was through a dialogue that the relationship between the two groups grew. Had Castro used coercion to force support from the peasants his revolution would have failed. That he would install a repressive regime lacking many of the freedoms he promised to the peasants is noted by Freire. Indeed, Freire points out that this is not a true revolution when this occurs as the oppressor has simply been replaced by another oppressor. This is a pretty important point to note. There is no way the book could have been used as the pedagogical guide that it is if Freire had advocated violent insurrection and totalitarian government. Keep in mind that he wrote this book for people living in Latin America, not the United States. This is also where people have incorrect perspectives. It is also why the book was well received by people in Latin America, most of whom were living under repressive totalitarian governments. Freire was speaking directly to them, the people for whom education was denied. He saw education as one of the pivotal means of creating the ability for the people to revolt against the oppressors. The language used in the book is clearly Marxist in nature, but it is simplistic in identifying who the players are in the system of oppression. Again, he was speaking to people who had low levels of education. He kept it simple so they could understand and apply the concepts to their own lives. Remember, Freire found a way to teach adult peasants how to read in a month. He understood who he was teaching on a level beyond most people. Reading Pedagogy from that perspective really is the best possible way to begin interpreting it. The book itself is a education cornerstone. Freire followed it up with more books, but this one is the base he would build his philosophy of Critical Pedagogy upon. It is clearly worth five stars as one of the seminal educational texts of all time.

This book is mind blowing. However, it wasn't always that way. I attempted to read this book as an undergraduate and found it incomprehensible (due to my own lack of interest thinking about anything beyond being in my classroom and teaching my students- well, at least being in charge of them). I reproached it again as a masters' student in music education. It made some sense to me, but I read it as if I was the oppressed (which I was, in a way), but I was unready to see my own role of oppressor as an educator (though I am very progressive, constructivistic, and student-centered). I finally came back to this gem in my first year as a doctoral student. What I saw in Freire's translated words both caused be to 1) become somewhat saddened by my own oppressive ways and 2) found myself reinvigorated to help my own students, friends, and families realize how powerful they really are by truly working with them (not at them or for them). I find each new reading of this book to yield even more insights (and this is a book that deserves multiple reads). This book is amazing, if you are ready for it. I find the 1 star ratings as rather interesting as they mostly fall into two camps: 1) anti-socialistic or 2) disliking the writing style. As for the first concern, this work is built upon the ideas of Marx and Fanon (among others). Both of these writers were radicals who believed in fostering more equitable systems to live in. The knee-jerk reaction of many against "socialist" ideas is narrow-sighted and ignorant of both the inequitable realities of life and the possibilities that capitalism is not the cure all or all-powerful truth. Instead of socialism, let's see it as focusing on social justice. As for the second concern, let us not forget that this is a translated work with all the oddities that come with such a venture. Also, Freire employs a great deal of philosophical metaphors through his work that take a great deal of decoding at times. However, just because something is hard does not mean it is bad. Overall, this is a genius work by a caring and gentle mind. If can absolutely change your view of teaching (and even your world view) if are ready for it. I am grateful to have such a work in my life and be in a place where I can seek to help foster conscientização in my loving work with students.

As a neophyte in the rather intimidating world of theory and critical pedagogy, I am both delighted and impressed by the ability Paulo Freire had to effectively communicate in a manner that was powerful yet unpretentious. His seminal work, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, is indeed a wake-up call to educators everywhere and should therefore be required reading for anyone who ever has, or ever will, set foot in the classroom. Freire's simple message is this: True education is a dialogical process in which teachers become students and students become teachers, all in the name of liberation for everyone involved. The first chapter - while admittedly depressing - introduces ideas and terms that are necessary for the comprehension of the latter three. The basic plot of domination is thus summarized: Through violence and exploitation, an oppressor class "dehumanizes" an oppressed group that ultimately becomes incapable of recognizing its own oppressive situation. Therefore, in order to overcome this oppressive state of affairs, intervention is not only desirable but necessary. The oppressed must experience an awakening period in which they open their own eyes (rather than have their eyes opened for them) to the true status of their situation. However, Freire contends that in order to achieve true liberation, the oppressors and the oppressed must join together in communion towards a common altruistic goal: humanity. This is the cornerstone of Freire's argument. I have to admit, as an enthusiastic rookie to critical pedagogy, I have little to disagree with or respond to after reading this epic expression of love. Nonetheless, my major critique is that the idea of liberation for all is a bit idealistic given the current state of the American education system. In a culture of high-stakes testing, it is difficult - if not impossible - to envision such a radical shift in paradigm ever coming to pass. So why invest so much time and effort in studying and lauding Freire? I believe that to simply disregard Freire's fundamental argument because its ultimate goal is currently infeasible on a large scale in America would be tragically fallacious. His banking concept of education is a call for all educators to think critically about what they do and say (and, just as importantly, what their students do and say) in the classroom. To ignore this is to ignore our vocation. The second half of Freire's work shares an implementation plan for liberation praxis and concludes with a discussion of the (fine) line between antidialogical and dialogical action. This is important substance, as many teachers - I include myself in this - fall into the traps Freire cautions against, even when they are acting in what they believe to be the students' best interest. Every student is a person. The idea sounds simple enough, but it gets complicated when teachers are more preoccupied with test scores and teaching standards than the people themselves. So, in the name of "leaving no child behind," the people are soon forgotten. Who knew that a humble priest from Brazil would have such an impact on American critical teaching theory? The mission now - as Freire's secular disciples - is to spread his word. Freire's message of hope still lives on, but will die out if we allow our voices to be silenced.

It's a very good book if you love words and sentence structure. One down side is, it's VERY hard to read. Many of the words are massive and obscure, plus he writes in other languages and does not translate them, as if you should know on your own. The book is very redundant. He beats home the same points all the way through it, but this does help for a better understanding of what he is trying to teach you. I trully enjoyed the book, because of the way he spoke and structured his paragraphs. I loved the words used. It is a long book and takes a lot of time to read and to be honest I do not agree with a lot of the things he teaches, but I liked hearing his side and coming to understand why he felt the way he did.

This book completely changed my life. I am pursuing a career in education now mostly because of what I read in this book and the experiences it drove me to live through in my life. It is hard to describe why this book is so wonderful, but I will try my best. Firstly, it is a very wise and succinct analysis of the concepts of dialogue, class, and exploitation. Secondly, he uses a lot of terms in this book that he dedicates sufficient time to defining and then applying, such as "oppression," "dehumanization," and the ever-present "conscientization," and "praxis." This made it a thought provoking book to read because it drove me to question my beliefs, not only regarding those specific words but also about how I communicate and what I do when I communicate. This book forces its readers to engage with it. Freire does not back away from making controversial statements but he also resists the temptation to simply fall into an ideological analysis. Many people called him a "marxian" writer, but it is clear that in this book he is critiquing contemporary (to when he wrote the book) Marxism-Leninism, Maoism, and the socialist governments of Central and South America. Freire is very goal and solution-oriented, not content to simply observe and criticize but to also offer alternatives based on his experience and research. Anyone interested in sociology, education, or who just wants to read something thought-provoking and challenging must read this book. For those who feel very strongly about their beliefs and do not want them questioned, this book will be very painful to read. Whatever your ideological beliefs, this book will make you question them and most likely alter them. I have not looked at reality in the same way since I first read this book. I have now read it several times and will continue to re-read it in the years to come.

This book was recommended to me by a colleague who knew I am currently pursuing my Ph.D., and I am profoundly grateful. I am in my third year of coursework in an International Educational Leadership program, and not once has this book been assigned or even mentioned — and it absolutely should have been. Pedagogy of the Oppressed is not an easy read, especially if you come from a community that has experienced marginalization. At times, it is unsettling, even painful, because it names realities many of us have lived but lacked language to describe. Yet that discomfort is precisely what makes it transformative. Freire does more than critique oppressive systems; he offers a framework for understanding them and practical tools for engaging them differently. He challenges educators and leaders not just to recognize injustice, but to refuse to reproduce it. This book does not merely diagnose what is wrong with education and society — it invites readers to become active participants in humanizing them.

If you are a part of the global awakening that is occurring all over the world, you will definitely like this book. Paulo Freire presents a beautiful investigation into the education system in its most common form. If you are curious to find out why the status quo exists, read this book. From an early age you are taught to think and learn a certain way. The ideas presented in this book will help you and those around you to expand your understanding of what it means to learn and to teach. As a corporate executive, I am constantly looking for ways to improve myself as a leader. This book gave me insight about myself as a person and as a leader that I have never had. This book should be mandatory reading for every high school student, forget Shakespeare. This book will change your life and your perspective. Freire examines how the government and other dominating world interest have formed your understanding of the world for you. I can not recommend this book highly enough! When anyone asks if I have read anything good lately, this is my first mention. It will shatter your views on oppression and why it happens. It will help you pin point instances in your own life where you are being unfair and oppressive in nature. Freire is able to display to the reader their own oppressive qualities. This book covers human nature, psychology, philosophy, self help, leadership, and so much more. You will not regret taking the time to read this! It is a little bit older and it has been translated from Portugese so there are a couple very dense parts. Well worth the extra time it takes to slow down and ponder the meaning and implications of the topics covered.

To give this work only 3 stars might seem sacrilegious, since it is often referred to in publications on education, having acquired a status as a classic in the field. There are three reasons why I didn't give it four stars. 1) Freire's writing is a bit tedious. He repeats some of his arguments, making the book longer than it should. 2) The book is defined by the circumstances it was written in. This is not a priori negative (Bonhoeffer comes to mind), but in this case, the references to 'the revolution' do not really help to get the author's message across. 3) The book actually only treats adult education, in particular settings. This implies the reader has work to do before this perspective on education can be applied to education in e.g. Western school systems. The third point brings me to the reason why I would have loved to give the book 3.5 stars. Because although this book comes to us, present readers, from a context completely different from ours, and a time long gone, it is still very relevant. Both on the aims of education - liberate people, enable them to think critically, etc - and on the problems on the road to achieve these aims, this book has a lot to say. Readers can expect to carry some of this book's arguments in the back of their heads, and to notice how this changes the way they think about and act in the field of education. In that regard, it is indeed a classic in (philosophy of) education.

Cracking piece of analysis that deconstructs our approach to imposing learning on others

教育学や開発学を学ぶ人間には必読。

This book has been a standard for me since grad school. I recommend it highly.

Amazing

Required for uni