Lionnell “Badu” Smith is a doctoral student in the Department of Communication and Film where he studies rhetoric, media, and cultural studies. In his research, he explores the intersections of language, race, power and identity; critical [communication and rhetorical] pedagogies; and media representations of Black men. He has presented papers at various conferences and spoken on a number of research panels. He is an award-winning educator with nearly 10 years of teaching experience and a 2018 Fulbright-Hays Fellow.
aulo Freire, often referred to as the “father” of critical pedagogy, is popularly recognized for ... more aulo Freire, often referred to as the “father” of critical pedagogy, is popularly recognized for his work in education and is known worldwide as one of the most significant educational thinkers of the 20th century. What is less known about Freire, but equally important, is the influence of his Christian faith on his overall educational philosophy and vision (Kirylo & Boyd, 2017). While there are only a few works in which Freire explicitly writes and speaks about his religious beliefs, those writings, nevertheless, are enough to make clear the spiritual dimensions of his thinking that had a profound influence on him. Boyd (2012) notes that while Freire wrote only a handful of theologically oriented essays, he was significantly guided and energized by a personal spirituality that informed his generally hopeful perspective in the face of many barriers and personal struggles. In this essay, I aim to contribute to the small pool of scholarship that focuses on Paulo Freire’s understanding...
In this essay, I offer a close reading of Paulo Freire’s essay “My Faith and Hope” in which he th... more In this essay, I offer a close reading of Paulo Freire’s essay “My Faith and Hope” in which he theorizes a liberating faith. I condense Freire’s thoughts about faith, spirituality, and theology into ¬¬¬¬three major themes or arguments. First, I argue that Freire’s liberating faith involves the complexity of becoming unsettled which empowers one to divorce silence for a holy rebelliousness against injustice. Second, I argue that Freire’s liberating faith encompasses the challenge of being in faith which is a process in which one commits to being actively engaged in the struggle to free the oppressed. Finally, I argue that Freire’s liberating faith is comprised of the courage to battle through hope which Freire describes as a permanent search, process or journey toward liberation or freedom —that is, the journey of inconclusion. Finally, I discuss the implications that Freire’s view of a liberating faith has on racial equity in education.
In this essay, I discuss the overwhelming presence of whiteness within communication studies and ... more In this essay, I discuss the overwhelming presence of whiteness within communication studies and its effects on Black/African American communication scholarship. This autoethnography reveals a juxtaposition of my initial experience with the National Communication Association and its current political struggle with issues of diversity and intellectual merit. Drawing from personal experiences and observations, I argue that communication pedagogy is essentially a double-edged sword that simultaneously liberates and subjugates. The goal of the essay is articulated in a pointed call to action for communication faculty, imploring us all to use our pedagogical agency to de-center whiteness within communication studies.
aulo Freire, often referred to as the “father” of critical pedagogy, is popularly recognized for ... more aulo Freire, often referred to as the “father” of critical pedagogy, is popularly recognized for his work in education and is known worldwide as one of the most significant educational thinkers of the 20th century. What is less known about Freire, but equally important, is the influence of his Christian faith on his overall educational philosophy and vision (Kirylo & Boyd, 2017). While there are only a few works in which Freire explicitly writes and speaks about his religious beliefs, those writings, nevertheless, are enough to make clear the spiritual dimensions of his thinking that had a profound influence on him. Boyd (2012) notes that while Freire wrote only a handful of theologically oriented essays, he was significantly guided and energized by a personal spirituality that informed his generally hopeful perspective in the face of many barriers and personal struggles. In this essay, I aim to contribute to the small pool of scholarship that focuses on Paulo Freire’s understanding...
In this essay, I offer a close reading of Paulo Freire’s essay “My Faith and Hope” in which he th... more In this essay, I offer a close reading of Paulo Freire’s essay “My Faith and Hope” in which he theorizes a liberating faith. I condense Freire’s thoughts about faith, spirituality, and theology into ¬¬¬¬three major themes or arguments. First, I argue that Freire’s liberating faith involves the complexity of becoming unsettled which empowers one to divorce silence for a holy rebelliousness against injustice. Second, I argue that Freire’s liberating faith encompasses the challenge of being in faith which is a process in which one commits to being actively engaged in the struggle to free the oppressed. Finally, I argue that Freire’s liberating faith is comprised of the courage to battle through hope which Freire describes as a permanent search, process or journey toward liberation or freedom —that is, the journey of inconclusion. Finally, I discuss the implications that Freire’s view of a liberating faith has on racial equity in education.
In this essay, I discuss the overwhelming presence of whiteness within communication studies and ... more In this essay, I discuss the overwhelming presence of whiteness within communication studies and its effects on Black/African American communication scholarship. This autoethnography reveals a juxtaposition of my initial experience with the National Communication Association and its current political struggle with issues of diversity and intellectual merit. Drawing from personal experiences and observations, I argue that communication pedagogy is essentially a double-edged sword that simultaneously liberates and subjugates. The goal of the essay is articulated in a pointed call to action for communication faculty, imploring us all to use our pedagogical agency to de-center whiteness within communication studies.
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