A Shared Vision of Radical Education. Going Beyond Specific Differences in the Relation between Paulo Freire and Ivan Illich

This essay explores the specific differences between philosophies of Paulo Freire and Ivan Illich, while nonetheless arguing for their shared vision radical education. With a focus on Freire’s earlier period work, especially seminal Pedagogy Oppressed, we point to differing reception respective works in Europe 1970s (where Illich is often seen as an incompatible extreme case). retrospect seems somewhat surprising argue that fundamentals thinking are critique banking education re-conceptualisation authority teaching renewed systems. Both thinkers reject two most obvious positions post-May ’68. On one hand, there New Right perspective, represented by Philosophes France, who view all Leftist thought Stalinist. other side, have what might be termed «Deleuzian-Guattarian» alternative, crucially 1974 text, Anti-Oedipus. Here, whole conception possible «revolution» (the ’68 dream), deemed impossibility. Instead, both share sense critical educational project emancipation, albeit with different emphases. Moreover, current crisis under late capitalism (and subject conditions Covid pandemic) returns powerful resources centre stage politics.