What can music programs in prison learn from Paulo Freire’s pedagogy of the oppressed?

• In Event: Prison Working Group: Education, treatment, and rehabilitation of people in prison

Abstract

Prior studies provide insight into the positive outcomes of music programs for incarcerated individuals, such as stimulating self-development and facilitating connections. Our realist literature review reveals that the approach of the music facilitator is an important mechanism underlying these outcomes, which can be linked to Paulo Freire’s pedagogy of the oppressed. This pedagogy argues that we need to move towards education where dialogue is essential to make people conscientious about their (oppressed) position in society.

We used a multi-method approach to study the link between the principles from Freire’s pedagogy and music programs in prison, which include (1) theory-gleaning interviews with international academics and program developers, (2) and participant observations at six music programs in prisons across the UK and Flanders (Belgium). (3) To include the voice of people in prison, we applied the Most Significant Change technique in the music programs observed in Flanders.

This research offers insights into how some music programs in prison embody Freire’s pedagogy and where they are still falling short. Music facilitators treat participants as human beings, ensuring that everyone’s (musical) voice is heard. Despite their great efforts, their managing role is often in contrast with Freire’s idea of an equitable dialogue. Music programs in prison hold great potential to create societal awareness of oppressing systems, but the political dimension is often missing.

Authors

• Silke Marynissen, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

• Dorien Brosens, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

• Geert Vandermeersche, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels Research Centre on Innovation in Learning and Diversity (BILD)