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Pedagogy of Resistance: Against Manufactured Ignorance
Henry A. Giroux argues that education holds a crucial role in shaping politics at a time when ignorance, lies and fake news have empowered right-wing groups and created deep divisions in society. Education, with its increasingly corporate and conservative-based technologies, is partly responsible for creating these division. It contributes to the pitting of people against each other through the lens of class, race, and any other differences that don't embrace White nationalism. Giroux's analysis ranges from the pandemic and the inequality it has revealed, to the rise of Trumpism and its afterlife, and to the work of Paulo Freire and how his book Pedagogy of Hope can guide us in these dark times and help us produce critical and informed citizens. He argues that underlying the current climate of inequity, isolation, and social atomization (all exacerbated by the pandemic) is a crisis of education. Out of this comes the need for a pedagogy of resistance that is accessible to everyone, built around a vision of hope for an alternative society rooted in the ideals of justice, equality, and freedom.
286 pages, Hardcover
Published March 24, 2022
About the author
Henry A. Giroux
135 books237 followersAmerican cultural critic. One of the founding theorists of critical pedagogy in the United States, he is best known for his pioneering work in public pedagogy, cultural studies, youth studies, higher education, media studies, and critical theory.
A high-school social studies teacher in Barrington, Rhode Island for six years, Giroux has held positions at Boston University, Miami University, and Penn State University. In 2005, Giroux began serving as the Global TV Network Chair in English and Cultural Studies at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.
Giroux has published more than 35 books and 300 academic articles, and is published widely throughout education and cultural studies literature. Since arriving at McMaster, Giroux has been a featured faculty lecturer, and has published nine books, including his most recent work, The University in Chains: Confronting the Military-Industrial-Academic Complex.
Routledge named Giroux as one of the top fifty educational thinkers of the modern period in 2002.
A high-school social studies teacher in Barrington, Rhode Island for six years, Giroux has held positions at Boston University, Miami University, and Penn State University. In 2005, Giroux began serving as the Global TV Network Chair in English and Cultural Studies at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.
Giroux has published more than 35 books and 300 academic articles, and is published widely throughout education and cultural studies literature. Since arriving at McMaster, Giroux has been a featured faculty lecturer, and has published nine books, including his most recent work, The University in Chains: Confronting the Military-Industrial-Academic Complex.
Routledge named Giroux as one of the top fifty educational thinkers of the modern period in 2002.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 10, 2022
If you call your book "Pedagogy Of..." you are purposely linking your work to the seminal Pedagogy Of The oppressed by Paolo Freire (if you've not read that - run off now and do it - its short, punchy and really rather life-changing). That's fine, Giroux knows he is building on and having a conversation with both The Pedagogy Of The Oppressed and The Pedagogy Of Hope. What is frustrating is that the book feels too specific to the current moment, and that it spends most of its time explaining the problem, and scant time on positing a solution.
The lion's share of the first half of the Pedagogy of Resistance explaining the current global problem, how education now exists to fulfil neo-liberal goals, and social media becomes an echo chamber to squash the imagination of a potential better world. It would be a decent summary, if it wasn't well over half the book reminding me of recent US politics. The US focus also seems problematic as it doesn't really pick up how some of the techniques of squashing inquiry have already happened in authoritarian countries elsewhere (a deep dive into education in China would have been a fascinating example of the contradictions of trying to grow through knowledge expansion whilst also restricting knowledge). By the time we get to the attempt at a solution, it became clear to me that Giroux seemed more comfortable treating this as a point in time and history rather than suggesting anything radical. After a lengthy discussion on Freire and how it might be applicable (it is), he eventually gloms onto a solution coming from Black Lives matters and other social activist groups owning their own education. He already seems higher education mired in managerialism and people trying to hold onto jobs as culture wars force them into safe silos.
The problem isn't that Giroux's analysis is wrong. The problem is we have been having these conversation for ten years, and The Pedagogy Of The Oppressed/Hope is still a better battle cry.. I was pretty snippy about Tom Fletcher's Ten Survival Skills For A World In Flux, but that name-dropping book had a lot more solutions to similar problems than this does, its emphasis on being a good ancestor probably didn't occur to Giroux as his pessimism is such that he doesn't wholly seem to believe other generations are possible. The lack of a global focus, or case studies outside of Trump's America is also a failing, people have lived under authoritarian and oppressive regimes for centuries - there are case studies there to see how education can survive and free people. Perhaps it is cautious as it is more of an academic book, but I was still disappointed.
The lion's share of the first half of the Pedagogy of Resistance explaining the current global problem, how education now exists to fulfil neo-liberal goals, and social media becomes an echo chamber to squash the imagination of a potential better world. It would be a decent summary, if it wasn't well over half the book reminding me of recent US politics. The US focus also seems problematic as it doesn't really pick up how some of the techniques of squashing inquiry have already happened in authoritarian countries elsewhere (a deep dive into education in China would have been a fascinating example of the contradictions of trying to grow through knowledge expansion whilst also restricting knowledge). By the time we get to the attempt at a solution, it became clear to me that Giroux seemed more comfortable treating this as a point in time and history rather than suggesting anything radical. After a lengthy discussion on Freire and how it might be applicable (it is), he eventually gloms onto a solution coming from Black Lives matters and other social activist groups owning their own education. He already seems higher education mired in managerialism and people trying to hold onto jobs as culture wars force them into safe silos.
The problem isn't that Giroux's analysis is wrong. The problem is we have been having these conversation for ten years, and The Pedagogy Of The Oppressed/Hope is still a better battle cry.. I was pretty snippy about Tom Fletcher's Ten Survival Skills For A World In Flux, but that name-dropping book had a lot more solutions to similar problems than this does, its emphasis on being a good ancestor probably didn't occur to Giroux as his pessimism is such that he doesn't wholly seem to believe other generations are possible. The lack of a global focus, or case studies outside of Trump's America is also a failing, people have lived under authoritarian and oppressive regimes for centuries - there are case studies there to see how education can survive and free people. Perhaps it is cautious as it is more of an academic book, but I was still disappointed.
September 3, 2026
I really should have read this book when it first came out because now, four years later, education and academia are even more under threat and Trump is back. That's on me though, and Giroux's book is an excellent call to action for everyone. Thanks to Bloomsbury Academic and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My sincere apologies for the delay in reviewing.
I work in academia, which means that education is a big part, if not the biggest part, of my job. With everything happening in the world, I think it is more important than ever that as many people as possible have access to a rigorous education which fosters both critical thinking and an active engagement with the world around us. I myself benefitted immensely from teachers and educational systems that forced me to confront difficult things, to try and think beyond what was currently established, and to always connect what I was learning to my own lived experience.. I try to do this for my students as well, although I'll let them be the judge of how well it works. Academia currently is under attack, especially in the US but also in the UK and parts of Europe. These attacks are not just matters of policy but can become deeply personal and dangerous, as the recent sad events around Prof. Dr. Arday in the UK showed us. Universities have to be independent from political pressure in order to provide a space for students to express their thoughts freely and develop their own philosophies of knowledge. For me, Pedagogy of Resistance was a very useful book to think with, weighing up my own experiences of education with my own current role in it and my hopes for how it might develop in the future.
Giroux's Pedagogy of Resistance is split into three parts. The first, 'The Crisis of Democracy and the Deep Roots of Racial Terror' dives deeply into the state the United States found itself in 2021 and 2022. This part is deeply marked by the Covid-19 pandemic and, of course, by the first presidency of Donald J. Trump. What I wouldn't give to hear Giroux's thoughts on the second term we're currently finding ourselves in! The second part, 'The Crisis of Pedagogy' focuses on the attacks aimed against educational institutions in the US, for example political attacks against Critical Race Theory and a desire for a patriotic education. He terms this "apartheid pedagogy", which is focused on maintaining and strengthening current power structures while ignoring the urgency of issues around race/ethnicity, class, gender, climate change, and more. In the final part, 'From Hope to Resistance in the Age of Plagues', Giroux explores Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of Hope and I really liked this emphasis on the need for hope in the face of neoliberalism's and capitalism's doom narrative. I will say the book is entirely focused on the US and its cultural narratives, which means that not all of its points or lessons will be equally applicable to the rest of the world. However, its main argument, that education has always been political and takes place outside of the classroom too, is evergreen and urgently needed.
Pedagogy of Resistance is a useful read for anyone involved in education in some way, which is probably most of us. Despite its US-focus, the book gave me a lot to think about which I will definitely take into my further work.
URL: https://universeinwords.blogspot.com/...
I work in academia, which means that education is a big part, if not the biggest part, of my job. With everything happening in the world, I think it is more important than ever that as many people as possible have access to a rigorous education which fosters both critical thinking and an active engagement with the world around us. I myself benefitted immensely from teachers and educational systems that forced me to confront difficult things, to try and think beyond what was currently established, and to always connect what I was learning to my own lived experience.. I try to do this for my students as well, although I'll let them be the judge of how well it works. Academia currently is under attack, especially in the US but also in the UK and parts of Europe. These attacks are not just matters of policy but can become deeply personal and dangerous, as the recent sad events around Prof. Dr. Arday in the UK showed us. Universities have to be independent from political pressure in order to provide a space for students to express their thoughts freely and develop their own philosophies of knowledge. For me, Pedagogy of Resistance was a very useful book to think with, weighing up my own experiences of education with my own current role in it and my hopes for how it might develop in the future.
Giroux's Pedagogy of Resistance is split into three parts. The first, 'The Crisis of Democracy and the Deep Roots of Racial Terror' dives deeply into the state the United States found itself in 2021 and 2022. This part is deeply marked by the Covid-19 pandemic and, of course, by the first presidency of Donald J. Trump. What I wouldn't give to hear Giroux's thoughts on the second term we're currently finding ourselves in! The second part, 'The Crisis of Pedagogy' focuses on the attacks aimed against educational institutions in the US, for example political attacks against Critical Race Theory and a desire for a patriotic education. He terms this "apartheid pedagogy", which is focused on maintaining and strengthening current power structures while ignoring the urgency of issues around race/ethnicity, class, gender, climate change, and more. In the final part, 'From Hope to Resistance in the Age of Plagues', Giroux explores Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of Hope and I really liked this emphasis on the need for hope in the face of neoliberalism's and capitalism's doom narrative. I will say the book is entirely focused on the US and its cultural narratives, which means that not all of its points or lessons will be equally applicable to the rest of the world. However, its main argument, that education has always been political and takes place outside of the classroom too, is evergreen and urgently needed.
Pedagogy of Resistance is a useful read for anyone involved in education in some way, which is probably most of us. Despite its US-focus, the book gave me a lot to think about which I will definitely take into my further work.
URL: https://universeinwords.blogspot.com/...
March 11, 2022
Pedagogy of Resistance: Against Manufactured Ignorance by Henry A Giroux offers what one expects from one of his books: informed analysis along with ideas for improving our society. While he can often write prose that needs to be read carefully because of the ideas presented it is accessible to most readers who want to understand what he offers.
The connectedness of so many things, always the case but more so in our social media age, makes trying to sum up the arguments here difficult. It is, in fact, that connectedness and the often-ensuing confusion that authoritarians, fascists, and gangster capitalists count on to keep people following the path those in power have chosen for them, usually along with the absurd battle cry of "freedom." So while my brief summary may leave out many things, rest assured that most of those subtle nuances are covered in the book.
It has long been mentioned that a large part of the problem(s) today can be attributed to the "dumbing down" of the population. As evidenced by some GOP legislators, the dumbing down has worked amazingly well. While the ways that term gets used is often questionable the basic premise holds, the population is no longer, on the whole, being educated, they are being trained and indoctrinated. Trained for jobs but not to think critically, indoctrinated into the cult of manufactured ignorance, market mentalities and moralities, not educated to understand and appreciate human beings as valuable in and of themselves and not just for their market value.
It is in this attack on an educated populace that a radical pedagogy becomes essential to our survival as a democracy. We have to start seeing ourselves as part of a community, if not several communities, and stop internalizing the privatization that the right has used to eliminate the idea of a public good, a public space, and a public solution to a problem. As long as they can keep us thinking that all of our problems are just personal and have nothing to do with the society and the institutions that exercise power and control, they can continue destroying anything that even resembles a democracy and turn everything into a market that benefits only those already in power.
Whether you agree with what I took from this book or not, you owe it to yourself to read this and think carefully about the things Giroux discusses. Just dismissing it and my poor summation, or even agreeing without seeking the nuance, serves no purpose, you are neither actually rebutting anything nor actually agreeing to any type of action. So read this.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
The connectedness of so many things, always the case but more so in our social media age, makes trying to sum up the arguments here difficult. It is, in fact, that connectedness and the often-ensuing confusion that authoritarians, fascists, and gangster capitalists count on to keep people following the path those in power have chosen for them, usually along with the absurd battle cry of "freedom." So while my brief summary may leave out many things, rest assured that most of those subtle nuances are covered in the book.
It has long been mentioned that a large part of the problem(s) today can be attributed to the "dumbing down" of the population. As evidenced by some GOP legislators, the dumbing down has worked amazingly well. While the ways that term gets used is often questionable the basic premise holds, the population is no longer, on the whole, being educated, they are being trained and indoctrinated. Trained for jobs but not to think critically, indoctrinated into the cult of manufactured ignorance, market mentalities and moralities, not educated to understand and appreciate human beings as valuable in and of themselves and not just for their market value.
It is in this attack on an educated populace that a radical pedagogy becomes essential to our survival as a democracy. We have to start seeing ourselves as part of a community, if not several communities, and stop internalizing the privatization that the right has used to eliminate the idea of a public good, a public space, and a public solution to a problem. As long as they can keep us thinking that all of our problems are just personal and have nothing to do with the society and the institutions that exercise power and control, they can continue destroying anything that even resembles a democracy and turn everything into a market that benefits only those already in power.
Whether you agree with what I took from this book or not, you owe it to yourself to read this and think carefully about the things Giroux discusses. Just dismissing it and my poor summation, or even agreeing without seeking the nuance, serves no purpose, you are neither actually rebutting anything nor actually agreeing to any type of action. So read this.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
March 20, 2022
This is an important book that captures the damage to democracy in educational institutions as well as society at large. Pedagogy of Resistance examines how the recent Trump administration eroded the social fabric of the US, with comparisons being made with authorian Europe in the 1930s/1940s..and we all know what followed...
Education
Giroux examines,what he terms 'Gangster Capitalism' and its effects on public schools and Higher education institutions. He provides many examples, one, in particular, is the 'dumming down' of society.
There is much discussion about the atrocities carried out towards African American citizens and an in-depth examination of the Black Lives Matter movement. He also examines censorship and Critical Race Theory.
An excerpt;
'Apartheid pedagogy uses education as a disimagination machine to convince students and others that racism does not exist, that teaching about racial injustice is a form of indoctrination, and that understanding history is more an exercise in blind reverence than critical analysis.'
'His writing style is engaging and at times thought-provoking. The style of writing is dense and scholarly, however, the message is loud and clear.
'In an age of social isolation, information overflow, a culture of infantilization, consumer glut, and growing white supremacist and rebranded fascist movement, it is all more crucial to take seriously the notion that a democracy cannot exist or be defended without citizens who are critical, knowledgable, and willing to act on their insights and values.'
Pedagogy of Resistance is best read as a series of individual essays. It is a timely analysis of contemporary society.
Education
Giroux examines,what he terms 'Gangster Capitalism' and its effects on public schools and Higher education institutions. He provides many examples, one, in particular, is the 'dumming down' of society.
There is much discussion about the atrocities carried out towards African American citizens and an in-depth examination of the Black Lives Matter movement. He also examines censorship and Critical Race Theory.
An excerpt;
'Apartheid pedagogy uses education as a disimagination machine to convince students and others that racism does not exist, that teaching about racial injustice is a form of indoctrination, and that understanding history is more an exercise in blind reverence than critical analysis.'
'His writing style is engaging and at times thought-provoking. The style of writing is dense and scholarly, however, the message is loud and clear.
'In an age of social isolation, information overflow, a culture of infantilization, consumer glut, and growing white supremacist and rebranded fascist movement, it is all more crucial to take seriously the notion that a democracy cannot exist or be defended without citizens who are critical, knowledgable, and willing to act on their insights and values.'
Pedagogy of Resistance is best read as a series of individual essays. It is a timely analysis of contemporary society.
June 29, 2023
Pedagogy of Resistance: Against Manufactured Ignorance by Henry A. Giroux
This is a timely, densely-packed nonfiction book that offers a searing commentary on education in relation to issues, such as: the destruction of our democracy, Trumpism, rising fascism in the US, propaganda and the prevalence of misinformation, and the effects of white supremacy. It’s an impressive feat of research and critical analysis. In my opinion, the best word to describe this book is: intense.
I’m giving it a 3.5 (and rounding up on Goodreads) because the sheer intensity and weight of the content can be difficult to take in. I had to read it in small portions—which unfortunately probably worsened my feeling like I was missing the broader point that the author was trying to make. Much of the book is dedicated to detailing these serious issues rather than focusing on explicit solutions. I found myself getting lost in these details. I nearly abandoned this one altogether, but I’m ultimately glad I stuck it out. The writing really is remarkable.
I do recommend for those interested in education and pedagogy issues related to our current political climate. This one does feel oriented towards a specific, academic/educator audience.
Thanks to @bloomsburypublishing and @netgalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
📖: (3.5/5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
This is a timely, densely-packed nonfiction book that offers a searing commentary on education in relation to issues, such as: the destruction of our democracy, Trumpism, rising fascism in the US, propaganda and the prevalence of misinformation, and the effects of white supremacy. It’s an impressive feat of research and critical analysis. In my opinion, the best word to describe this book is: intense.
I’m giving it a 3.5 (and rounding up on Goodreads) because the sheer intensity and weight of the content can be difficult to take in. I had to read it in small portions—which unfortunately probably worsened my feeling like I was missing the broader point that the author was trying to make. Much of the book is dedicated to detailing these serious issues rather than focusing on explicit solutions. I found myself getting lost in these details. I nearly abandoned this one altogether, but I’m ultimately glad I stuck it out. The writing really is remarkable.
I do recommend for those interested in education and pedagogy issues related to our current political climate. This one does feel oriented towards a specific, academic/educator audience.
Thanks to @bloomsburypublishing and @netgalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
📖: (3.5/5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
July 29, 2022
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
This book is an important exploration of the creeping fascism in today's society, and how the Right is attempting to destroy education through lies and outright attacks on public schools. The author does not attempt to remain neutral, and at many times this book is a strong polemic against Trumpism and fascism - as well it should be. The most terrifying part of this book is the comparison Giroux makes between Trumpism and the white-supremacist Right and fascist movements of the past. They seem a little too close for comfort - which makes it utterly stomach-churning. After his comparison, Giroux examines education and pedagogy and how they can be taken back, brought back to life, and used to bring our democracy back - and even make it better. He states many times that democracy cannot exist without an educated population, something that explains all in one why the anti-democratic Right wants to destroy it, and why it is so very important that we grab it back and reform it. A terrifying book, but an important one for everyone concerned by the politics of Trumpism to read.
This book is an important exploration of the creeping fascism in today's society, and how the Right is attempting to destroy education through lies and outright attacks on public schools. The author does not attempt to remain neutral, and at many times this book is a strong polemic against Trumpism and fascism - as well it should be. The most terrifying part of this book is the comparison Giroux makes between Trumpism and the white-supremacist Right and fascist movements of the past. They seem a little too close for comfort - which makes it utterly stomach-churning. After his comparison, Giroux examines education and pedagogy and how they can be taken back, brought back to life, and used to bring our democracy back - and even make it better. He states many times that democracy cannot exist without an educated population, something that explains all in one why the anti-democratic Right wants to destroy it, and why it is so very important that we grab it back and reform it. A terrifying book, but an important one for everyone concerned by the politics of Trumpism to read.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews