Paper Summary:

This paper explains the central themes in Paulo Freire's work "Pedagogy of the Oppressed" and looks at how the work can be broken down into four parts, each chapter supporting the ideas of the last. Specifically, the paper relates that the central themes upon which Freire bases his pedagogy are that of critical consciousness of the oppressed and that of dialogue between the oppressed and their liberationist instigators who, through communication with and because of a sincere love of the oppressed, become one with them in their fight for freedom. The paper also briefly discusses chapters one through four of the book and looks at Friere's thoughts on a universal education. The paper contends that Freire's observations are legitimate and timely even today more than 30 years after they were written, published and made popular.

From the Paper:

" Although the term "critical consciousness" was developed and made popular by Paulo Freire, its essence or definition dates back to ancient Greece. At that time philosophers instructed their students to develop an "impulse and willingness to stand back from humanity and nature and to make them objects of thought and criticism and to search for their meaning and significance." In Pedagogy of the Oppressed Freire further explains this definition as a sociopolitical educative tool that engages learners in questioning the nature of their historical and social situation"

Sample of Sources Used:

• Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York, NY: Continuum.

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