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