Pedagogy of the Oppressed

Pedagogy of the Oppressed

• Genre: Nonfiction; education; philosophy; social criticism
• Originally Published: 1968 in Portuguese, with the English translation in 1970
• Reading Level/Interest: College/adult
• Structure/Length: Approximately 183 pages, approximately 7 hours and 41 minutes on audio
• Central Concern: Freire’s seminal work delves into the dynamics of oppression and offers a revolutionary perspective on education. Rejecting traditional “banking” models of education, where knowledge is “deposited” into students, Freire advocates for a problem-posing approach where educators and students collaboratively engage in dialogue, fostering critical consciousness and liberation. The book contends that only through understanding oppression and its mechanisms can marginalized communities empower themselves to challenge and transform their conditions.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Theoretical discussions on societal structures, oppression, and power dynamics. It also critiques traditional educational systems and may challenge deeply held beliefs about teaching and learning.

Paulo Freire, Author

• Bio: Born 1921; died 1997; Brazilian educator and philosopher; a key figure in the critical pedagogy movement; faced imprisonment and exile for his revolutionary ideas during Brazil’s military regime.
• Other Works: Education for Critical Consciousness (1974); Pedagogy of Hope: Reliving Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1994); Pedagogy of Freedom: Ethics, Democracy, and Civic Courage (1998)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• Oppression and Class Struggle
• Humanism and the Pedagogy of Liberation
• Conscientization

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

• Develop a working understanding of Paolo Freire’s term “conscientization” and explore Freire’s philosophy as an educator and how that philosophy is reflected in his work.
• Study paired texts and other resources to make connections to the text’s three themes of Oppression and Class Struggle, Humanism and the Pedagogy of Liberation, and Conscientization. 
• Learn about, develop, and implement a Participatory Action Research project in the spirit of Paolo Freire and his beliefs as explored in Pedagogy of the Oppressed.
• Analyze and evaluate theme, narrative structure, symbolism, and other literary elements to draw conclusions in structured essays regarding self-reflection, the relationship between the oppressor and the oppressed, different concepts of education, and the work that leads to liberation.