Paulo Freire & the Cold War Politics of Literacy (review)

This book seeks to provide "both a political biography of Paulo Freire and an examination of the politics of literacy during the Cold War" (p. 2). It consists of six chapters: an introductory chapter setting the historical context (addressing primarily the 1950s), two chapters dealing with Freire's work in Brazil, one describing his work in Chile, one discussing his influence in Nicaragua, and another examining initiatives from his position in the World Council of Churches (WCC), an influential coalition of more than 300 Christian denominations based in Geneva. The book ends with an epilogue.

I found the book's title, Paulo Freire & the ColdWar Politics of Literacy, intriguing, but as I read the book the title seemed misleading. The traditional sense of "Cold War" refers to the conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union and their local, national, and regional alliances following World War II, a conflict in which both sides struggled for primacy of their respective political and economic models (capitalism under democratic governance vs. socialism under the leadership of a Communist Party). The title suggests a tension that was not reflected in the work of Freire. I could not nd evidence in the book that either camp—locally or internationally—attempted to manipulate his work directly.

The book presents the trajectory of Freire's contribution to adult education, tracing his work from his engagement in the northeast of Brazil (Nordeste) to his position as a key member of the WCC's Office of Education. Although Freire's work as secretary of education in the dominant state of Sao Paulo is also discussed, this section is brief, and the strong political nature of his work in that setting is underexamined. As a historian, Kirkendall conducts impressive archival work, locating obscure documents in many parts of the world and giving numerous details about the many social and political contacts Freire had. Kirkendall also demystifies some of the successes Freire presumably had in making his literacy approaches a reality. His references are extensive and meticulous. Yet, Kirkendall does not offer an analysis of Freire's books, thus missing an examination of the evolution of his thought across various experiences during his lifetime.

Although Kirkendall does exhaustive work tracing Freire's social and political connections, he makes little effort to deal systematically with the substance of Freire's work: his philosophy of education and how he saw literacy in the process of developing a sharper understanding of one's sociopolitical environment. Missing from Kirkendall's account is Freire's work in the Cajamar Institute, a venue that offered seminars and courses to workers in the Nordeste and provided the central experience that made Freire and other popular educators of his time recognize the importance of inculcating among its citizens a critical understanding of Brazilian society and history. According to Freire himself, the Cajamar Institute functioned as a seed for a popular university that would depart from the traditional model and help workers understand the compelling reasons for liberation and devise better methods for such a struggle, as discussed in Myles Horton and Paulo Freire, We Make the Road by Walking: Conversations on Education and Social Change (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1990). Also not mentioned is Freire's discovery of Antonio Gramsci's thought, which occurred through Freire's work with educators in Chile—an influence that shaped his endorsement of collective action. On this point, see Peter Mayo, Gramsci, Freire, and Adult Education: Possibilities for Transformation (London: Zed Books, 1999). In addition, Kirkendall does not discuss the friendships Freire established with U.S. adult educators, from Myles Horton to Donaldo Macedo, who have further disseminated his work. Kirkendall does mention Freire's influence on Jonathan Kozol, but Kozol is not an adult educator.

On the question of literacy, Kirkendall misses some key aspects of Freire's methods. Freire's position on primers and methods constitute core aspects of his philosophy, which called for an intensive production of text written at the local...