Pedagogy of the Oppressed, 30th Anniversary Edition [Paperback]

Paulo Freire (Author), Myra Bergman Ramos (Translator), Donaldo Macedo (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2000 | ISBN-10: 0826412769 | ISBN-13: 978-0826412768 | Edition: 30th Anniversary

First published in Portuguese in 1968, Pedagogy of the Oppressed was translated and published in English in 1970. The methodology of the late Paulo Freire has helped to empower countless impoverished and illiterate people throughout the world. Freire's work has taken on especial urgency in the United States and Western Europe, where the creation of a permanent underclass among the underprivileged and minorities in cities and urban centers is increasingly accepted as the norm. With a substantive new introduction on Freire's life and the remarkable impact of this book by writer and Freire confidant and authority Donaldo Macedo, this anniversary edition of Pedagogy of the Oppressed will inspire a new generation of educators, students, and general readers for years to come.

For more information, visit www.pedagogyoftheoppressed.com.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An inspiring and inspired document arising out of concrete experience with peasants, urban laborers, and middle class converts to freedom. . . . This book will prompt the reader to reconsider his or her situation in an oppressive society."—Christian Century

"[Paulo Freire] radiates the kind of immediateness that only a philosopher engulfed by terrible reality can project."—America

"Pedagogy of the Oppressed meets the single criterion of a 'classic': it has outlived his own time and its author's. For any teacher who links education to social change, this is required reading. Freire remains the most important writer on popular education and surely the virtual founder of the perspective known as Critical Pedagogy."—Stanley Aronowitz

"This is truly revolutionary pedagogy."—Ivan Illich

"Wherever education is explicitly involved in struggles for equity and justice, Freire's ideas and his books, especially Pedagogy of the Oppressed, will live on." —Herbert Kohl in The Nation

"Brilliant methodology of a highly charged and politically provocative character."—Jonathan Kozol

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Portugese

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 183 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic; 30th Anniversary edition (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0826412769
• ISBN-13: 978-0826412768
• Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 6.2 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (69 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,842 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #6 in Books > Education & Reference > Schools & Teaching > Pedagogy
  • #19 in Books > Education & Reference > Schools & Teaching > Education Theory
  • #19 in Books > Education & Reference > Schools & Teaching > Instruction Methods

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 52 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Freire should be required reading for all educators October 12, 2009

By Rita A. Sperry

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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.

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Pedagogy of the Oppressed May 21, 2009

By Avid Reader

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This is an excellent book.

I do not have a great deal to add to many reviews that have been written on this widely read book. But I would like to say a couple of things here.

First of all, this book has often been criticised for being biassed. Indeed, Freire expresses a strong bias. But, he makes no attempt to hide this and is often quite explicitly self-conscious of his own bias. All points of view are biassed. The reader should be wary on any book that claims to be "objective" or "unbiassed" on any subject. Selection and perspective are inevitable.

Secondly, Freire did make some quite naive remarks about Lenin and Mao, and he had very romantic view of the Cuban revolution, but these do not detract from the insights and intelligence of his views of education and how it can aid human liberation from oppression.

Thirdly, this book should be read alongside his Education for Critical Consciousness.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Banking - We must rethink our current educational practices November 25, 2010

By Rebecca

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When I look at today's current educational practices through the lens of Freire's discussion about 'banking', I feel very sad. The push for increased and higher-stakes standardized testing methods encourage us to use the banking method of education (dropping "facts" into the students' brains, and calling that "education"). Reading Pedagogy of the Oppressed is an important step in illuminating how harmful these practices are to the children we want to help become active members of society.

The concept of a ruling class and an oppressed class may be controversial, but is very, very true in the current stratified society of the USA, both within the area of public education, and within other portions of society.

Freire may have written this book 30 years ago, but it is just as relevant to the USA today as it was to Brazil in the 1970s.