Walter Omar Kohan

Paulo Freire: A Philosophical Biography by Walter Omar Kohan is, it seems to me, a hybrid of several genres. There is certainly a biographical aspect, yet there is also an engagement with Freire's work. This engagement itself seems to be part critical summary of the works and how they have been received to this point as well as Kohan's own ideas about Freire's life and work and how they speak to our contemporary social and political environment, both in Brazil and beyond.

Like many who are or have been in education, I am familiar with Freire's work. I was, again like many, introduced to his thought with Pedagogy of the Oppressed, and from there went on to read more of his work. He absolutely influenced what I thought of education as well as how I taught. So I came to this book expecting, for lack of a better term, a refresher course in his thought as well as learning more about it and his life. I was pleasantly surprised by what I actually found here.

While my initial expectations were met, they became secondary to what I feel I took away, and will take away on subsequent readings. There are what for me were new ways into Freire's ideas and different thinkers to consider him alongside. This is where rereadings will be most useful, I need to revisit those others and find those dialogues between them and Freire. I also think this is where there will be a wide range of responses to the book. I happen to have read, studied, and taught Foucault so I am particularly interested in that dynamic. other readers will find other couplings that will strike them. One of the more interesting aspects is that very few readers will likely agree immediately with all of Kohan's connections and readings. That is a good thing as long as the reader dives deeper to understand and then make sure of what they think or, egads, alter one's position.

As an aside, there will be some who dismiss this book as well as Freire by making broad, largely incorrect, statements about what Freire was and what he believed. there is a person on one site, doesn't use his name (I don't blame him), who claims to be an educator yet on any book that even remotely suggests social justice starts blowing his dog whistle and spewing forth nonsense. Don't pay attention to him and don't be like him. Read and make up your own mind and, this is seemingly his biggest (of many) weaknesses, read with an eye toward detail and nuance, not broad categories that fit nicely in today's political rhetoric.

I would recommend this mostly to readers already familiar with Freire, though I would make sure that those new to Freire read this fairly soon. Placing his ideas in the context of our contemporary environment is essential to both understanding and applying Freire's thought.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.… (meer)