Social and political tensions heightened after the attacks of 9/11 have created an increase in Islamophobia. Historically, vilified depictions of Muslims have legitimized discriminatory acts against Muslim Americans. In this context, Islamophobia has infiltrated our classrooms, making it urgent for educators to develop a critical pedagogical…

While the genre of "testimonio" has deep roots in oral cultures and in Latin American human rights struggles, the publication and subsequent adoption of "This Bridge Called My Back" and, more recently, "Telling to Live: Latina Feminist Testimonios" by Chicanas and Latinas, have demonstrated the power of "testimonio" as a genre that exposes…

In the 1960s, evaluation thrived in the sunshine of political support for our work. We also experienced the dark side of the force of politics: efforts to introduce partisan biases favorable to special interests. In response to politics as contamination, at least two families of stances developed: populist and public interest. The populist stances…

This qualitative study utilized the method of narrative analysis to explore the counter-learning process of an oppressed Kurdish woman from Turkey. Critical constructivism was utilized to analyze counter-learning; Frankfurt School-based Marcusian critical theory was used to analyze the sociopolitical context and its impact on the oppressed. Key…

In the last decade, the "Reflect" approach--an alternative to the "great divide" theory of literacy--has gained wider currency in developing countries because of its ability to deal with social, cultural and political issues by placing the identification and solution of local problems in the hands of local people. In Ghana,…

The work of Paulo Freire is associated with themes of oppression and liberation, and his critical pedagogy is visionary in its attempts to bring about social transformation. Freire has created a theory of education that embeds these issues within social relations that center around both ideological and material domination. In this review essay,…

Educators of urban adults should attempt to deconstruct the dynamics in the classroom that replicate the social, political, and economic discourse of the dominant group. We must work to surface the complexity of diverse experiences represented by multiple oppressed groups.

To improve current civil society and achieve the possibilities globalization offers, we must incorporate an education-for-empowerment approach to lifelong learning. This chapter explores the potential, promise, and implications for local action and dialogue.