Study Reaffirms the Relevance of Solidarity in Paulo Freire's Humanist Legacy

A new academic article titled “Education as Solidarity and Solidarity as Education: Paulo Freire's Humanist Legacies” reaffirms the relevance and urgency of the thought of Brazilian educator Paulo Freire. The work, published in the journal Espirales of the Federal University of Latin American Integration (UNILA), was written by Claudionei Vicente Cassol, Claudia Battestin, and Francisco Garate Vergara. It argues that solidarity is a fundamental principle for education and for the construction of a culture of peace, conscious of the human condition.

The research uses a dialogical methodology, based on Freire's works such as Pedagogy of Solidarity, Pedagogy of Indignation, and Pedagogy of the Oppressed. According to the authors, solidarity is an "ontological component" of the human being that must be cultivated daily. To deny solidarity is an act of violence against the essence that connects and identifies people. The article reinforces that true solidarity is linked to the fight against oppression and the transformation of reality.

The academic article explores solidarity on different fronts, such as humanism, pedagogy, and culture. For the authors, solidarity is an act of "amorousness" that calls for the radicality of change, breaking with colonialism, patriarchalism, and fundamentalism. The text highlights the need for an "effective, critical, respectful" dialogue in education, where students can express their ideas as a democratic exercise in building autonomy.

According to the researchers, solidarity also manifests as a science and as a collective consciousness. Science, for them, must have a social commitment and be at the service of all, not just of oligarchic groups. Consciousness, in turn, is seen as a dynamic attitude of reflection and action, which deepens and expands as the individual realizes they are not alone and that solidarity is a possibility for community life.

Solidarity, as a legacy of Freire, permeates the act of thinking and dialogues directly with the promotion of peace, whether through education or the establishment of a peaceful culture. The article concludes that solidarity, in Freire, is an ontological matter that involves liberation, love, dialogue, hope, and commitment to others, to humanity, and to the environment.