Identity in the Philosophies of Dewey and Freire: Select Analyses

Abstract

Identity, even if it has not been separately treated in the educational philosophies of John Dewey and Paulo Freire, remains, nevertheless, an important component of the teaching and writing of the two philosophers. This paper first presents a limited discussion of some theoretical and conceptual points on identity, followed by a general discussion of identity as it has been, either directly or indirectly, located in the educational philosophies of Dewey and Freire. The importance of identity, whether at the community, national, or even international stages, and as an educational and social development construct, is being rendered more fluid , dynamic, and therefore , probably less tangible by such transnational and trans-continental forces of globalization, information technology, and the electronic media. The paper ends with the acknowledgment that, while observations in this short article could only be the beginning of an interesting debate, a vigorous undertaking in reexamining questions and issues of identity (against the backdrop of Dewey an and Freire an philosophies of education) should be appreciated.