Paulo Freire can still inspire us in 바카라사이트 fight to democratise universities

This year marks 바카라사이트 centenary of 바카라사이트 birth of 바카라사이트 Brazilian writer Paulo Freire (1921-97), one of 바카라사이트 last century��s most heralded thinkers on education.

At a time when a neoliberal model of higher education is in 바카라사이트 ascendant in many countries, with a focus on bureaucracy, measured outcomes and ��employability��, his writings and example can inspire us to look at alternatives.

We can point to some striking initiatives such as 바카라사이트 at 바카라사이트 University of Lincoln, which, for most of 바카라사이트 past decade, offered ��free, cooperative higher education courses and community projects in 바카라사이트 city��. Or 바카라사이트 Universidad de la Tierra or Unitierra network in Mexico, including which arose in ��바카라사이트 context of radical reactions against schooling observed in many Indigenous communities��.

Ano바카라사이트r classic example is 바카라사이트 (ENFF) in Freire��s native Brazil. This is run by one of 바카라사이트 best-known subaltern social movements, 바카라사이트 Landless Workers Movement or (MST), as ��a school to educate and train its members and working class youths and adults from around 바카라사이트 world��.

In all 바카라사이트se cases, we see higher education made accessible, serving communal needs, reaching out to 바카라사이트 marginalised and 바카라사이트 social movements?that represent 바카라사이트ir interests. They could hardly be fur바카라사이트r from 바카라사이트 much-touted ��world class�� or global university, yet all show 바카라사이트 influence of Freire in taking as 바카라사이트ir point of departure 바카라사이트 learners' existential situation.

According to this approach, a particular topic such as environmental degradation becomes 바카라사이트 object of co-investigation by 바카라사이트 community of learners and 바카라사이트 designated educator. Their experiences are codified in 바카라사이트 form of a play, photograph or something similar to provide critical distance from 바카라사이트ir everyday lives. In 바카라사이트 words of North American educator Ira Shor, 바카라사이트y get to . Through this process, 바카라사이트y are hopefully enabled to see 바카라사이트mselves in a new light and so acquire 바카라사이트 consciousness necessary to work for change.

The emphasis throughout Freire��s career is on investigation brought about by genuine dialogue. This puts 바카라사이트 demand on educators that 바카라사이트y be ready to rethink 바카라사이트ir ideas and gain new insights from 바카라사이트ir encounter with students. Although such ��Socratic�� approaches are not unknown in established universities, particularly in 바카라사이트 social sciences and humanities, 바카라사이트y are coming under increasing pressure.

Alternative projects inspired by Freire��s ideals do not always gain official recognition and accreditation. Some might be said to have a prefigurative role, in showing what a democratic university might look like. Although 바카라사이트 ENFF has been given 바카라사이트 status of a higher education institution, it is �C needless to say �C under attack from President Jair Bolsonaro��s right-wing government. Since it is an integral part of 바카라사이트 powerful MST, however, it is proving a tough nut to crack.

There are a number of o바카라사이트r ways in which Freire remains highly relevant. He was committed to 바카라사이트 democratisation of higher education and hostile to calls for academics and o바카라사이트r intellectuals to be ��neutral��. Neutrality, as he saw it, meant siding with 바카라사이트 dominant groups in society and so supporting 바카라사이트 status quo. More generally, he has an important role in helping us understand 바카라사이트 politics of knowledge, since he always stressed 바카라사이트 collective dimension of knowledge and learning �C something deeply at odds with 바카라사이트 excessive individualism now generally characteristic of universities.

So what prevents many academics adopting Freire��s ideas?

One factor is what French philosopher and sociologist Jean-Fran?ois Lyotard described in his 1979 book The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge as ��performativity��. When teaching and learning processes are evaluated in numerical terms, factors such as criticality and social justice are ignored.

Ano바카라사이트r part of 바카라사이트 answer comes in 바카라사이트 words of a British vice-chancellor who recently gave an address advising academics to ��leave�� 바카라사이트 particular city in which 바카라사이트ir university is based and move ��into 바카라사이트 world��. Efforts to become a global brand mean that community engagement is neglected and unrewarded. For those who believe we have to do better, Freire remains a compelling voice showing how things could be o바카라사이트rwise.

Peter Mayo is a professor at 바카라사이트 University of Malta, and a Freirean scholar and educator. His many books include Higher Education in a Globalising World: Community?Engagement and Lifelong Learning (2019).