A global intellectual in a globalising world

ABSTRACT

This paper presents Paulo Freire (1921-1997), on the centenary of his birth in 2021, as a global icon in education, whose actions, reflections and writings, as well as dialogues and talks, occurred against the background of an ever globalising world. To quote Martin Carnoy on a text concerning globalisation, published two years following Freire’s demise, processes of globalisation have intensified and acquired new meaning through advances in information technology which render production, cultural manifestations and education ever more synchronised on a planetary scale in real time. Drawing on Walter Kohan, I examine the notion of Freire as an itinerant educator, educationist and intellectual. The paper then explores the nature of hegemonic globalisation against which he struggled in his later years, until the time of his death. All this, I argue, renders him a global intellectual in a globalising world.

KEYWORDS:

• Itinerant
• global intellectual
• dialectics
• critical literacy
• praxis

Acknowledgement

I am indebted to Professor Ronald G. Sultana and Kirstin Sonne for their feedback on an earlier draft. The usual disclaimers apply.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).