Paulo Freire’s Philosophy of Education in Contemporary Context: From Italy to

Whither the seminal thinking and practice of Paulo Freire in contemporary times? If Covid 19 is the most seismic health crisis in living memory, it is also just as much an unprecedented crisis for education and society. While Paulo Freire's work so often calls attention to the deprivations and exploitations suffered by the weakest in our society, at no stage does Freire's work succumb to a negativism or a pessimism about the possibilities of transformation. To the contrary, Freire's work is always animated by a strong and fundamental affirmative spirit which calls on people to join together to make change, as opposed to simply waiting around for it to happen.

This text on Freire's contemporary importance thus seems a timely intervention. Originally a conversation between engaged interlocutors at a University of Catania symposium, this discussion then broadens out to include connection to the particular rendering of these issues across different national and international contexts.

Including essays by established and new thinkers in the Critical Pedagogy perspective, the book also includes up to date and exciting interviews with contemporary practitioners of Theatre of the Oppressed and related social-therapeutic approaches in Italy.

Jones Irwin is Associate Professor in Philosophy and Education at Dublin City University, Republic of Ireland. Letterio Todaro is Associate Professor in History of Education at University of Catania, Sicily, Italy.

Contents: Jones Irwin: «Authority and Freedom in Freire»: Freire's Significance as an Educational and Political Philosopher - Letterio Todaro: Italy Meets Freire: The Rationale for a Promising Encounter in the Critical 1970s - Jones Irwin: Exploring Some Tensions in Freire's Educational and Political Philosophy - Marco Catarci: Paulo Freire's Emancipatory Education: From Problem posing Education to Interculturalism - Elena Marescotti: «This School Called Life»: The Adult Education of Paulo Freire amid Risk and Extraordinary Effort - Stefano Salmeri: The Thought of Paulo Freire as Emancipatory Practice in Education - Jones Irwin: Understanding Freire's Thought in a Postmodern Context - Freire in Italy Again Today: An Interview with Paolo Vittoria - «Plurality, Listening and Awareness»: An Interview with Ilaria Olimpico - Theatre of the Oppressed in Italy after Freire and Boal: An Interview with Roberto Mazzini - Epilogue: From Italian Autonomism to Freire in Italy.