First Freire: Early Writings in Social Justice Education

In his new book, Carlos Alberto Torres, an internationally renowned critical theorist of education, explores the early writings of Paulo Freire, whose ideas have had a tremendous and long-lasting impact on the world of pedagogy and politics. Torres analyzes Freire’s works, from the 1960s and 1970s, before Freire gained worldwide recognition for his Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Offering an in-depth look into the formative thinking of Freire, Torres identifies how his ideas produced frameworks for educating global citizens, building community and mutual respect, creating social responsibility, instilling an appreciation for diversity, promoting multiple literacies, and social justice education. This volume is the result of more than 3 decades of research drawn from Freire’s personal library and the archives of the Paulo Freire Institute, as well as the author’s extensive conversations with Paulo Freire over 2 decades. Dr. Torres was also Freire’s adviser during his tenure as secretary of education in the Municipality of São Paulo, Brazil.