Introduction

The foundations of critical pedagogy have clearly emerged from a variety of intellectual traditions. The purpose of critique within critical pedagogy then is to serve as a powerful lens of analysis from which social inequalities and oppressive institutional structures can be unveiled, assessed, and, most importantly, transformed through the process of ongoing political engagement and social action. It is precisely for this reason that a critical pedagogy is also founded on the liberating principle of dialogue, which can only be enacted through ongoing, interactive classroom spaces, where teachers and students together can reflect, critique, and act upon their world. The author argues passionately to invigorate the contribution of critical pedagogy to the struggle in education today. McLaren's analysis focuses on the significance of dialectical theory, the nature of knowledge, the concepts of hegemony and ideology, and the effects of the hidden curriculum on public schooling.