CFPCritical Pedagogyin Literary Education

CFP Critical Pedagogy in Literary Education
Critical Pedagogy in Literary Education emphasizes critical thinking, social

justice, and empowerment through the study of literature. With its roots in the work of
Paulo Freire, the visionary Brazilian educator, it has evolved and flourished in various
areas within the broader field of education.
According to Johnson and Freedman (2006, p. 16), "when teachers decide to

embrace critical pedagogy, they are choosing to adopt a questioning stance in their
classrooms." Critical pedagogy advocates for the teaching of skills and strategies
necessary to develop a critical/questioning attitude toward texts and the world. By
addressing issues of social power, oppression, and aspects of class, race, and gender,
critical pedagogy promotes student practices that foster active and engaged reading.
Students are encouraged to seek meaning and question the ideologies inherent in the
texts they read, standing outside the textually or professionally inscribed reading
position to offer new interpretive perspectives.
In the context of teaching literature, critical pedagogy involves analyzing texts

not only for their literary qualities but also for their social, cultural, and political
implications. It encourages students to question and critique dominant narratives in
literature, as well as the power dynamics embedded within them.
Key components of critical pedagogy in teaching literature include:
1. Interrogating Power Structures: Critical pedagogy prompts students to

examine how power operates within literary texts, considering how certain voices are
privileged or marginalized.
2. Promoting Critical Thinking: Students are urged to analyze texts from

multiple perspectives, taking into account how social, historical, and cultural factors
shape meaning.
3. Fostering Empowerment: Critical pedagogy aims to empower students to

become active agents in their learning and in society. This involves encouraging them
to voice their interpretations and perspectives, even if they diverge from traditional
readings.
4. Connecting Literature to Social Justice: Critical pedagogy often seeks to link

literary study with broader social justice issues, prompting students to explore themes
such as inequality, discrimination, and resistance within texts.
5. Engaging in Dialogue: Critical pedagogy values dialogue and discussion as

essential components of learning. Teachers facilitate conversations that encourage
students to challenge assumptions, ask questions, and engage with diverse viewpoints.
Overall, critical pedagogy in teaching literature aims to cultivate critical
consciousness, empathy, and a sense of social responsibility among students,
empowering them to become active participants in shaping a more just and equitable
society. We invite papers related to the overall theme of the issue as described above.
Potential research areas include, but are not restricted to:
 Changing the Word and the World through Literature

 The Resisting Reader in the Literary Classroom
 Educating the Oppressed Today
 Reader-Response theories in the light of Critical Pedagogy
 ‘Creation plus Critique’ in Literature Teaching
 Exploring issues of oppression and social justice through Literature
 Interrogating texts
 Critical Pedagogy and the empowerment of the Reader
Selected Bibliography
Freire, P. & Macedo, D.(1987). Literacy. Reading the Word and the World. Routledge
Monchinski, T. (2008). Critical Pedagogy and the Everyday Classroom. Springer.
Morrell, E. and Morrell, J. (2024). Freire and Children's Literature. Bloomsbury.
Rabinovitz, P.J. and Smith M.W(1988). Authorizing Readers. Resistance and Respect
in the Teaching of Literature. Forward by W.C. Booth. Teachers College
Press/Urbana, IL. National Council of Teachers of English.
Shor, I. (1987). Critical Teaching and Everyday Life. University of Chicago Press.
Wilhelm, J.D.(2008). “You gotta be the book”. Teaching Engaged and Reflective
Reading to Adolescents. Forward by M.W. Smith. New York and London: Teachers
College Press.
Tzina Kalogirou & Xavier Mínguez-López

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CFP Critical Pedagogy in Literary Education

Critical Pedagogy in Literary Education emphasizes critical thinking, social

According to Johnson and Freedman (2006, p. 16), "when teachers decide to

In the context of teaching literature, critical pedagogy involves analyzing texts

Key components of critical pedagogy in teaching literature include:

1. Interrogating Power Structures: Critical pedagogy prompts students to

2. Promoting Critical Thinking: Students are urged to analyze texts from

3. Fostering Empowerment: Critical pedagogy aims to empower students to

4. Connecting Literature to Social Justice: Critical pedagogy often seeks to link

5. Engaging in Dialogue: Critical pedagogy values dialogue and discussion as

 Changing the Word and the World through Literature

Tzina Kalogirou & Xavier Mínguez-López

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