Routledge Pedagogy of Commitment (Series in Critical Narrative)

This first English translation of Pedagogy of Commitment takes readers deep into the acts and meaning of living a life of community and social commitment. Paulo Friere discusses how, for teachers specifically, this commitment is not only to students, to the underprivileged, or to the education of those who speak a different language, but to the transformation of the self to become more deeply responsive to the needs of social transformations. More than any other Freire book, this speaks directly and plainly to the lives of individuals and to teachers. It is an inspiring and passionate call from a global giant of progressive education. Review "Pedagogy of Commitment, structured in five parts, presents speeches, interviews, texts from seminars, and manifestos from work in Argentina, Chile, Nicaragua, Paraguay, and Uruguay. These selected texts give readers who may have less familiarity with Freire's work, as well as those more conversant in this work, a means of understanding the substance of the ideas without loss of nuance. Pedagogy of Commitment,. . . offers an excellent introduction to Freire's ideas and, like so many of his works, a means for readers to deeply contemplate the place of these ideas within the current organization of education. . .Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers, undergraduate students, graduate students, and professionals." ―CHOICE “Throughout this powerful work, it is as though Freire were sitting across the table engaged in dialogue with the reader, potently examining facets of progressive education. In the era of Neoliberalism this crucial new book brings out key ideas of critical pedagogy, Freirean thought, and the necessity for resistance as a continuing project in our current local and global contexts. Central themes throughout this book include popular education, criticality, hope, and the contextual nature of humanity and history, as well as of struggle and transformation. Reading Freire’s newest compilation is like medicine for the critical pedagogue’s soul” ―Teacher’s College Record “This volume provides a resource for encouragement and renewal of vision for educators influenced by Freirean pedagogy.” ―Reflective Teaching “Freire was not merely focused on literacy, but literacy as a means of consciousness raising, as a means to understand oppression, for raising questions about your position among the oppressed―and why you shouldn’t accept it―and questions about what your society is like and why it should be changed.” ―Noam Chomsky "Pedagogy of Commitment provides a brilliant example of the range and scope of Paulo Freire's understanding of education as the practice of freedom and its far-reaching influence throughout the globe. This book is steeped in history, addresses the role of pedagogy in different geographical contexts, and offers a constant challenge for what it means to make education critical and transformative. This is an essential book on Freire's work and is crucial for understanding the revolutionary nature of his pedagogy and his important attempts to connect education to democratic social change.” ―Henry Giroux, McMaster University “In this new book, Paulo Freire makes the explicit link between his pedagogy, politics, and philosophy. This is a unique contribution to the Freire corpus, indispensible for anyone who wants to understand the range and depth of Freire’s thinking. In these pages we find crystal clear statements of the necessary link of the politics of radical humanism for education, revolution, and freedom.” ―Stanley Aronowitz, Graduate Center of the City University of New York About the Author Paulo Freire (1921-1997) was one of the world's most influential education writers. He is the author of many books, including Pedagogy of the Oppressed and Pedagogy of Freedom (2001).