Current and Future Potentials of Liberation Pedagogies: A Discussion of Paulo Freire’s, Augusto Boal’s, and Johannes A. van der Ven’s Approaches

Abstract

In a time of social crises, pedagogical approaches are necessary that are sensitive to power relations, social crises, and political transformations. The pedagogies of Paulo Freire, Augusto Boal, and Johannes A. van der Ven represent such approaches. In this article, I aim to critically re-read these three theories and contextualize them within the vibrant and transnational history of liberation theologies. This historical approach makes it possible to uncover untapped potential for today and to think of liberation pedagogy at the cutting edge. Even though the three approaches were developed in contexts different from today’s, Freire, Boal, and Van der Ven, reflected on some commonalities that are also characteristic of the social crises of our time. With their help, I am going to outline three elements useful for the much-needed elaboration of a contemporary liberation pedagogy. A lively theory-practice-relationship and an embedding of theory in social movements (1); a complex analysis and critique of society and education and an easy-to-understand short version of it (2); and a profound emancipatory concept of education that gives freedom to learners while not being politically neutral (3).