The Paradigm of Critical Pedagogy. Identity and Function of a still Current Pedagogical Model

Critical pedagogy took shape in the framework of a philosophical reflection on education and, today, its concept is not easily attributable to one unique theoretical or research model, since it refers to a wide and diversified network of theories, authors, research guidelines, and educational practices. The object of this book is to outline the framework of the multiple “critical theories” of philosophical-pedagogical nature that are at the basis of the reasoning of critical pedagogy, a discipline experiencing a constant development and change through a continuous process of re-elaboration and re-interpretation that fully respects the important role played by pedagogy. In a strict sense, one of the most defining features of Critical Pedagogy is the ability to combine the aspects of different philosophical traditions such as the critical theory of the Frankfurt School, the relationship between power and knowledge of Michel Foucault, the concepts of education and dominance of Antonio Gramsci, the concepts of education and democracy of John Dewey, and the pedagogy taught by Paulo Freire, with themes and issues that characterise our current multicultural society. This book will therefore focus on the role that the approach provided by Critical Pedagogy can play as compass to guide and provide a “moral and aesthetic responsibility” (Freire 2001) to the actors involved in education processes, in order to turn them into subjects who - without any ideological taboo - can read, assess, and experience contexts, knowledge, and issues such as human dignity, freedom, authority, school discipline, and social responsibility, navigating and exploring all areas of our societies, which are clearly affected by cultural pluralism and a deep crisis of public values.