Paulo Freire, Social Movements, and the Continued Relevance of the Pedagogy of the Oppressed for U.S. Activists

• In Event: Education, Emancipation, and Political Struggle: Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Paulo Freire

Abstract

In this paper, the presenter analyzes the relationship between Freirean theory and social mobilization, examining the unique social and political context that Freire wrote his most famous text Pedagogy of the Oppressed. She argues that it is impossible to understand Freire’s ideas without understanding their dialectical relationship to the social movements that were active during this period. Next, she reflects on the continued relevance of Freire’s ideas for social movements today, in particular in the U.S. context. As a “second generation Freirean,” The presenter’s enthusiasm for Freirean educational approaches was never about Freire the person, but rather, the uptake of Freirean ideas within grassroots movements. She describes the 9 major lessons she took from Freire as a young scholar activist in the early 2000s. She analyzes Freire’s significance for social movements and educators in the 2000s when “another world” seemed possible and resistance to neoliberal globalization was at a peak in the United States and Latin America. Finally, she reflects on the current social context in the United States and the rise of both right-wing authoritarianism and grassroots movements for racial justice such as Black Lives Matter, arguing that Freire continues to offer important lessons for activists in this polarized U.S. context.

Author

• Rebecca Tarlau, Pennsylvania State University