Book of the Month: Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire

< 1 min read

YEREVAN, Armenia – This month we feature Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire, recommended by Assistant Professor at the American University of Armenia (AUA)’s School of Public Health Dr. Byron Crape.

Pedagogy of the Oppressed was Freire’s doctoral thesis, first written in Portuguese, about a new pedagogy for education among the poor and the oppressed. This new pedagogy was so threatening that after a military coup in Br
azil, he was exiled from his own country. The book flips the educational process upside down and from outside-in to inside-out.  The “teacher” is now in dialogue with the class, a facilitator equal to other participants. The process empowers and transforms (“conscientizacao“ in Portuguese) participants, enabling the discovery of their voices and dignity in the storm of dominating elements in society.

Dr. Crape shares, “This book is a heavy read, where each page needs a long pause to digest. Pedagogy of the Oppressed has been the most influential book in my life for formulating how I relate and interact in and with the world. It continues to follow me wherever I am facilitating learning.”

 

You can read more about the book here. Pedagogy of the Oppressed is also available at the AGBU Papazian Library.
Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia and affiliated with the University of California. AUA provides a global education in Armenia and the region, offering high-quality, graduate and undergraduate studies, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting public service and democratic values.