Culture, Politics & Pedagogy: A Conversation w/ Henry Giroux

http://www.mediaed.org

An active citizen, says the prolific and influential Henry Giroux, is "somebody who has the capacity not only to understand and engage the world but to transfom it when necessary, and to believe that he or she can do that." In this provocative new interview, Giroux speaks with passion about the inextricable links between education, civic engagement, and social justice. Strongly influenced by Paulo Freire, the Brazilian scholar of progressive education, Giroux advocates for a pedagogy that challenges inequality, oppression, and fundamentalism. Essential viewing for students of education, cultural studies, and communication.

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  News & Politics

[koyunbaba73]

Equality of opportunity and equality before the law are moral imperatives and do exist in Canada and the United States, but that is very different from equality of outcome (result). To achieve equality of outcome, freedom must inevitably be taken away. On the other hand, where freedom exists, outcomes will always be unequal. A society must choose which is more important. Europe has chosen equality, America has chosen freedom, but there are many in America who advocate for the European model.

[doctordoak2]

Why does it have to be premised in oppositional terms? Isn't what's in a teacher's interest in their students' interests? What makes you think that pulling teachers down will somehow benefit their students?

[doctordoak2]

What is freedom without equality?

[educatietreiro]

Very good movie. Congratulations for this.

[spitfirepilot]

where there is inequality, there is lack of freedom

[konduct522]

I like a lot of this channel's videos but this one just isn't saying anything to me. If it's against the NCLB policy then find someone worthy of talking about it. Still not sure what that nut was trying to say but I wouldn't let him teach my children?

[Autopilot84]

It's a notion of equity, not equality.

[koyunbaba73]

I also don't like no child left behind. As a music teacher and an advocate for contextualized and integrated learning, I find teaching for the purposes of testing to be harmful. But I think Giroux's comments are alarming. He feels that one of the purposes of education is to raise people who will want to "close the gap between the rich and the poor."  The only way to do that is by cutting the rich down. This is Marxist ideology at its worst. Freedom is better than equality.

[kelle shugrue]

then why so many posts here?