PAULO FREIRE STILL PROVOKES WITH A WAY OF THINKING THAT CHALLENGES THE GLOBAL SYSTEM
The article “Paulo Freire: A Reference in Planetary Decolonial Pedagogical Praxis”, authored by Milagros Elena Rodriguez and Ivan Fortunato, analyzes the current relevance of Paulo Freire’s thought as a foundation for a liberating education in the face of humanity’s crises. In accessible language, the authors argue that Freire’s legacy—marked by hope, love, and faith in the transformative power of the oppressed—remains a threat to the global colonial system, which is sustained by exclusion, inequality, and a false notion of progress.
The text denounces that, although Freire’s name is used in schools and institutional discourses, his true pedagogical proposal is constantly denied. The “banking education” model, centered on memorization and obedience, remains dominant, preventing awareness and the liberation of individuals. As an alternative, the authors propose an educational praxis based on dialogue, complexity, and respect for cultural diversity, using categories such as “hoping”, “resistance”, “ecosophy”, and “diatopia”.
From an approach described as hermeneutic, comprehensive, ecosophical, and diatopic, the authors engage in dialogue with Freirean pedagogy, decolonial knowledge, and spirituality. They reaffirm that social transformation is only possible if educators and learners act together to break the cycles of oppression. Finally, the article invites readers to resist false educational policies, reaffirming education as a tool for liberation and the construction of a more just and humane world.
We wish you a good reading.
