Paulo Freire's Intellectual Roots

This set of essays by well-known and influential educationalists is a timely and important contribution to Freire scholarship, and a welcome commentary on the implications of Freire's thinking for the field of critical pedagogy. -- Peter McLaren, Professor and author of Che Guevara, Paulo Freire, and the Pedagogy of Revolution * Endorsement *
Paulo Freire’s Intellectual Roots: Toward Historicity in Praxis not only captures, but it also confirms the centrality of Freire’s leading ideas in the development of critical pedagogy throughout the world. By inserting Freire in history, the authors of this insightful edited volume convincingly adhere to Freire’s insistence for an unabashed language of critique that denounces the cynical neoliberal educational discourse of privatization, accountability, and market solutions to school reforms that, more often than not, deform. The authors brilliantly re-invent Freire by moving beyond a language of critique and embracing his conviction of viewing history as possibility and not determinism—a language of possibility which is invariably anchored in hope—a hope that shows that changing the world may be steeped in formidable obstacles but history has always shown that it is possible. -- Donaldo Macedo, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Liberal Arts, University of Massachusetts Boston * Endorsement *
This impressive collection establishes Freire as part of philosophical, psychological, educational, and spiritual history leading back to the German philosopher Hegel. Commitment to social justice is the common thread of this complex and lively book. In situating Freire in this rich context they make his contribution poignantly relevant in today’s world. -- Vera John-Steiner, PhD, author of Notebooks of the Mind and Creative Collaboration and Regents’ Professor of Linguistics and Education (emerita), University of New Mexico, US * Endorsement *