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A review by yikesbmg
Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire
5.0
This is another book I've wanted to read for a long, long time. I'm so glad I finally did and that I read it after college, right before starting my job in public service. I think Freire provides an incredible framework for thinking about large (or small) scale community work and a deep, much needed explanation of the word "revolution." His work is steeped in leftist tradition, as demonstrated by his emphasis on critical thinking about systems and structural conditions, faith and trust in the people, and the possibility/necessity of change.
I wasn't sure if Freire was saying leaders usually (read: historically) have been members of the oppressive class that join in solidarity with the oppressed or if he's promoting that pattern. Even if he was saying the former, I don't know why he wouldn't have pushed against it. Given what he shared in this book, I'm not convinced that leaders from the oppressive classes, even if in solidarity with the oppressed, can "lead" a revolution for the former. I'm not sure why he didn't explore development of leaders or authoritative structures among the oppressed themselves after cultural revolution takes place.
I learned a lot from this book that I'm going to apply in my interpersonal interactions and life's work. I would recommend this book to anyone working with "vulnerable," "marginalized," or [whatever other word you want to use] communities. It's also a great pick for anyone interested more in learning more about power structures (and dismantling them!), theories of revolution, education, and parenting.
I wasn't sure if Freire was saying leaders usually (read: historically) have been members of the oppressive class that join in solidarity with the oppressed or if he's promoting that pattern. Even if he was saying the former, I don't know why he wouldn't have pushed against it. Given what he shared in this book, I'm not convinced that leaders from the oppressive classes, even if in solidarity with the oppressed, can "lead" a revolution for the former. I'm not sure why he didn't explore development of leaders or authoritative structures among the oppressed themselves after cultural revolution takes place.
I learned a lot from this book that I'm going to apply in my interpersonal interactions and life's work. I would recommend this book to anyone working with "vulnerable," "marginalized," or [whatever other word you want to use] communities. It's also a great pick for anyone interested more in learning more about power structures (and dismantling them!), theories of revolution, education, and parenting.