ABSTRACT

This reflection on Paulo Freire’s seminal volume, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, examines the lessons learnt from Freire and their place in contemporary pedagogical theory and practice. Freire’s work has inspired ground-breaking research which Vandenbroeck has collated, demonstrating the ongoing influence on early childhood educators.

Vandenbroeck brings together an international cohort of early childhood experts to present cross-cultural perspectives on the impact of Freire’s research on education around the globe. This book covers discussions on:

  • The background to and impact of Freire’s work
  • Alternative approaches to supporting child development
  • Pedagogical approaches in Portugal, South Africa, Japan, New Zealand and the United States

Vandenbroeck concludes with a vision for theorising and implementing emancipatory practice in early childhood education in contexts of neoliberalism.

An insightful resource for academics and students in the field of Early Childhood Education and Care, Revisiting Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed is a benchmark of the progress made in the field over the last half a century.

chapter |8 pages

Introduction

On Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed and this book

chapter 2|17 pages

Paulo Freire

His modernity and new ways of thinking about early childhood education

chapter 3|28 pages

A Freirian view of early childhood education in Portugal

A complicit response to Michel Vandenbroeck’s Introduction

chapter 4|19 pages

Pedagogies of children and youth in South Africa

Why Paulo Freire is crucial in this age of neoliberalism

chapter 5|19 pages

Contesting the evidence

Alternate approaches to supporting children’s development through critical consciousness

chapter 9|21 pages

Transforming early childhood education

Dreams and hope in Aotearoa New Zealand

chapter 10|16 pages

Discussion

Early childhood education as a locus of hope