Towards a Theory of Anti-Oppressive Education
Kevin Kumashiro
This article serves as a critical introduction to the problematic nature of traditional, western pedagogy for education, and its pervasiveness in neoliberal education institutions around the world. This pedagogy constructs a classroom environment where the only agent who has the ability to validate information is the instructor, and the participants of the class must respect the instructor's teaching as the absolute truth. This pedagogical style is often accompanied by discipline-and-punish techniques that complement the authoritarian classroom environment. The author explores ways to improve the classroom for those whose identities fall outside the simplistic conception of self that western pedagogy provides for. This mode of instruction moves away from the comfortable "truths" in education that are essential in order to support the authoritarian classroom and instead encourages a diverse understanding of lived experiences. Access the full article here.
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