Tom S. Friere, Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Tom Schleicher

Tom Schleicher
September 18, 2007
WGS 220 Section 05
Friere, Paulo. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. 5-23.

Description:
Humanization and dehumanization are polar opposites, however neither
exists without the affirmation of the other (5)
Analysis:
Dehumanization applies both to the oppressed and the oppressor (6)
Is a distortion of becoming more human (6)
Dehumanized have the job of restoring humanity to both themselves and the
oppressor (6)
True generosity is meant to thwart false generosity (6)
When the oppressed "regain" their humanization they become the oppressors
(7)
Due to association of their previous situation (7)
Prescription—imposition of one man's choice on another (8)
Freedom not a gift (8)
Without freedom the oppressed cannot be authenticated (8)
Fear freedom (8)
Pedagogy—must be formed in conjunction with the oppressed, not for them (9)
Liberation cannot be achieved idealistically (9)
Oppressor only solidary with oppressed when he recognizes the oppressed
are just people unjustly treated (10)
Oppressor/Oppressed relations must be objectively verifiable (10)
Cannot conceive of objectivity without subjectivity (10)
Subjectivity important (10)
To achieve praxis oppressed must "confront reality realistically" (11)
People are "consciously activating the subsequent development of their
experiences" (12)
World and action are interdependent (12)
No reality transforms itself (12)
Pedagogy of the oppressed presents itself as the pedagogy of man (12)
Has 2 distinct stages:
1. oppression revealed and the oppressed commit themselves to change (13)
2. pedagogy is no longer of the oppressed, but of all men (13)
Oppression signifies violence (13)
Oppressed cannot start the violence (13-14)
In response to violence love can be found (14)
An act is only oppressive if it prevent men from becoming more human (14)
Former oppressors will never feel liberated (15)
Oppressors have a materialistic concept of the world (16)
Oppressors are blind to privilege (16)
Oppressors view the world in a sadistic manner (16)
Some oppressors join the oppressed in the quest for liberation (17)
Trusting the people is important for the "converts" (17)
Fatalism is a viewpoint of the oppressed (18)
At some point the oppressed envy the oppressor and their way of life (18)
Oppressed experience self-depreciation (19)
Oppressed distrust themselves and thereby perpetuate their oppression (19)
Oppressed have a belief in the authority of the oppressor (20)
In order to secure a change the oppressed must first become aware of the
causes they wish to attain (20)
Oppressed must see themselves as men attempting to become more human (21)
To achieve praxis one must believe in the oppressed and trust them (21)
The correct method of revolutionary leadership is dialogue (22)
Oppressed must take responsibility for the struggle for liberation (22)
In order to regain humanity the oppressed must believe in themselves as
men and not as things (23)
The oppressed must be committed and involved in the fight for their own
liberation (23)
Vision:
To end the dehumanization of the oppressed while not turning them into
oppressors themselves
Strategy:
A rehumanization of the oppressed via pedagogy where the oppressors and
the oppressed work together to overcome oppression