91 pages • 3 hours read
Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom
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Book Brief
216
Book • Nonfiction
1990s
1994
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom by bell hooks is a collection of 14 essays and interviews that examine how to transform the multicultural classroom into an inclusive space dedicated to the practice of freedom for all students, focusing on engaged pedagogy, feminist pedagogical strategies, and addressing issues of language, class, and desire to confront bias and foster a democratic educational environment. The book discusses topics such as racism, sexism, and marginalization experienced by individuals in educational settings.
Informative
Inspirational
Contemplative
Emotional
Challenging
Reviews & Readership
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Review Roundup
bell hooks' Teaching to Transgress is praised for its visionary and accessible approach to pedagogy, advocating for education as a practice of freedom. Critics commend its blend of theory and personal narrative, engaging educators and students alike. However, some find its radical ideas challenging to implement within traditional academic structures. Overall, it remains an influential work in educational theory.
Who Should Read Teaching to Transgress?
Readers who will enjoy bell hooks' Teaching to Transgress are often educators, activists, and scholars passionate about progressive pedagogy and social justice. Comparable to Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed and Audre Lorde's Sister Outsider, they seek transformative educational practices and critical theory to empower marginalized voices.
12,520 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Paulo Freire
Paulo Freire
A Brazilian educator whose works on the marginalized poor and education significantly influenced bell hooks's concept of engaged pedagogy.
Toni Morrison
Toni Morrison
A novelist whose works were the focus of hooks's Ph.D. dissertation. Hooks uses Morrison's novels to discuss the necessity of transforming teaching strategies to truly embrace multiculturalism.
Ron Scapp
Ron Scapp
A colleague and friend of hooks, he is featured in an interview discussing the role of the professor in progressive education.
Chandra Mohanty
Chandra Mohanty
A postcolonial feminist scholar who collaborated with hooks on seminars to address the challenges in multicultural education during their time at Oberlin College.
Adrienne Rich
Adrienne Rich
A feminist poet whose work on race and accountability provided insights into feminist solidarity across racial lines, although hooks notes the complexities in these conversations.
216
Book • Nonfiction
1990s
1994
Adult
18+ years
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