Paulo Freire’s: Conscientization

Conscientization, or the processes through which people and communities gain a critical grasp of their social reality via contemplation and action, is a crucial idea in Freire’s philosophy. This entails analyzing the underlying reasons for oppression as they are felt in the present and taking appropriate action.

This involves more than just learning the fundamentals of both writing and reading. It is essential to break the silence of society, which keeps tyranny hidden and unmentioned.

The Archaeology of consciousness:

Freire distinguished three degrees of political understanding: “magical consciousness, naive consciousness, and critical consciousness” in what he called the “archaeology of consciousness.” It was the responsibility of the instructor to promote a discussion and emancipation movement that would help people develop heightened awareness. Thus, we can clearly see the connection between Freire’s work and the notion of independence that is so essential to social work.

About Paulo Freire’s:

In his well-known work, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Paulo Freire (1921–1997) explains the majority of the most important concepts. This was first established in 1968 (in Portuguese, with the first English version appearing in 1970), but it has since been republished, reproduced, and used as a source of encouragement by social workers all around the globe. 

Freire was dedicated to providing the underprivileged a representation, and his thoughts on schooling were designed to increase political consciousness. In addition to being useful in his native Brazil, his methods of critical discourse and consciousness-raising are extensively employed by a generation of social and development professionals working in impoverished neighborhoods in both wealthy and poor nations.

Throughout a long and successful career instructing Portuguese in secondary schools and literacy programs, Freire evolved his perspective. Subsequently, in the Brazilian state of Pernambuco, he was named director of the Department of Education and Culture of the Social Service. There, he first began assisting poor, uneducated people. Because of his outstanding performance, he was given the opportunity to lead the country’s literacy initiative. He intended to acquire 35,000 slide projectors from Poland in order to launch 20,000 cultural learning circles around Brazil. Sadly, after a military takeover in April 1964, Freire was forced to leave Brazil after serving a brief sentence for being a traitor.

Importance:

It appears obvious and quite understandable to claim that “conscientization” is occupying reality. However, Paulo Freire outlined significant ways in which the act of consciousness may play a crucial role in the construction of the historical subject and the battle for liberation behind these words. Conscientization cannot be described as a method of educating individuals in a manner that creates new forms of estrangement. For this reason, this phrase has a unique significance in relation to the evolution of historical topics, when those who were able to create a life free from exploitation and oppression were able to self-organize and fight for their rights.