Pedagogy of Freedom

In Pedagogy of Freedom Paulo Freire travels ever more deeply into the territory where learning and activism are the essence of human life. This profound book shows why an engaged way of learning and teaching is central to the creation of the individual, culture, and history.

Freire finds in today’s emerging global society a new context in which education cannot be indifferent to the reproduction of dominant ideologies and the interrogation of them. He argues against “progressive” liberalism and its passive acceptance of a world where unemployment and hunger must inevitably co-exist with opulence. In so doing, he shows why an acceptance of fatalism leads to loss of personal and societal freedom-and how those individuals who think without optimism have lost their place in history.

This book displays the striking creativity and profound insight that characterized Freire’s work to the very end of his life-an uplifting and provocative exploration not only for educators, but for all who learn and live.

Author Biography

The late Paulo Freire of Brazil—teacher, philosopher, and activist—is widely regarded in the United States and elsewhere as one of the most influential educators of the twentieth century.