First Freire

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.

Carlos Alberto Torres is a political sociologist of education and distinguished professor of social sciences and comparative education, associate dean for global programs, and founding director of the Paulo Freire Institute, Graduate School of Education and Information Studies–UCLA. He is also president of the World Council of Comparative Education Societies (2013–2016). Visit the author’s website at www.carlosatorres.com.

"First Freire: Early writings in social justice education has brought fresh perspectives to the life and times of Freire while constructing the historical context, assembling the eclectic ideas, and reiterating the concepts which give Freire such staying power. This book implicitly drives home the message that the onus is on us, a public who cares enough to learn about the life of Freire, to continue to imagine, dream, experiment and innovate in education to strive for the world we want."

-- International Review of Education

"Thus, considering my own biography, I found that there is something

about the way Torres connects the humanities – literature and poetry, in particular– with social theory in First Freire that invigorates my understanding of both – the synergism making each of them more accessible."

International Studies in Sociology of Education, 2015

Vol. 25, No. 2, 150–163

“Particularly important is Torres' ability to situate Freire's work in the political context that framed and defined his writings.”
—Martin Carnoy, Stanford University

“First Freire is a fascinating discourse on the meaning and power of Freire's contribution by a noted colleague and scholar.”
—Henry M. Levin, William Heard Kilpatrick Professor of Economics and Education, Teachers College, Columbia University

“Professor Torres successfully combines, in unconventional ways, his personal reminiscences of Freire with essays that illuminate Freire’s political philosophy and thoughts on the anthropology of education, demonstrating specific approaches one can use to engage in the method of thematic investigation proposed by Freire. A considerable merit of this book is how it persuasively shows the timely relevance of the critical observations of this great Latin American thinker to contemporary society, as we struggle to go beyond economic and technological globalization to rebuild our changed but still community-oriented selves.”
—Nelly P. Stromquist, professor, University of Maryland

2015 American Association for Adult and Continuing Education Cyril O’Houle Award for Outstanding Literature in Adult Education