Since the 1990s, education policies in Peru have been shaped by a hegemonic neoliberal agenda. This agenda has prioritised quality education aligned with market needs across the educational system resulting in teaching practices that focus on the memorisation of contents rather than critically raising students' awareness of social injustices in their communities and the need for transformation. Despite this context, a group of Peruvian rural teachers demonstrate a commitment to social justice through the praxis of critical pedagogies. This research focuses on the narratives of seven teachers working in rural schools in two of Peru’s most disadvantaged regions, Cusco and Ayacucho. Methodologically, this research deploys a narrative approach through the use of in-depth interviews to explore what teachers do and the values that underpin their teaching. The teachers’ practices were each rooted in social justice theoretical frameworks including key Freirean concepts such as, dialogue, critical consciousness, problem-posing and epistemological curiosity. They also emphasised the revalorisation of indigenous knowledge and local culture contributing to social justice-oriented practices. Far from rejecting the neoliberal policies, these seven teachers recognise the role of Western knowledge alongside the contributions of indigenous knowledges to promote transformations in rural education. This research contributes significantly to the field of social justice in education by highlighting how a group of rural teachers actively reconstruct and reinforce Indigenous knowledge within a context shaped by historical systems of oppression affecting these communities. Finally, these teachers are playing a political role towards social transformations from their communities.
Practicing critical pedagogies in a neoliberal policy context: teachers’ narratives from rural Peru
Espinal Meza, S. (Author). 17 Jun 2025
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)