50 Years of Pedagogy of the Oppressed – for more Freire, never less

Abstract

The proposal of a dossier that has as its theme the fundamental work of Paulo Freire (1921-1997), titled Pedagogy of the Oppressed, makes itself not only opportune but necessary. 50 years after the publication of this work, alandmark in Freire’s production, we live currently in Brazil a time of strange resurgences. Resurgences of authoritarians peeches and practices, stimulation of intolerance, of hate, populist demonstrations and, in various cases, with a fascist orientation. The intention with this text is to reflect on the theoretical-epistemological characterof  Freire’s legacy in general, and in particular on the topicality of Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1970). Contrasting with the obscure clamors that even propose the “expulsion” of Freire’s propositions from the Brazilian education, we propose a long life to Pedagogy of the Oppressed, between educators of such a mistreated country, where the “Meanness” of the reactionary elites – as Freire used to say – insists on producing injustices. With this text, wedon’t want much, but to produce a small amount of dialogue, more tolerance, a little bit of hope and joy amongthe teacher practice, and generosity between people. As it is stated on the last phrase of Pedagogy of the Oppressed, a little bit of “Faith in men and in the creation of a world in which loving is less difficult”.