ESPOUSING HOPE OR ENTRENCHING GLOOM? A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF OXFAM'S GLOBAL INEQUALITY REPORTS THROUGH THE LENS OF FREIRE'S PEDAGOGY OF HOPE.
Saved in:
| Title: | ESPOUSING HOPE OR ENTRENCHING GLOOM? A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF OXFAM'S GLOBAL INEQUALITY REPORTS THROUGH THE LENS OF FREIRE'S PEDAGOGY OF HOPE. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | ARKO, BENEDICT1 |
| Source: | Policy & Practice: A Development Education Review. Autumn2025, Issue 41, p30-50. 21p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Critical pedagogy, Critical discourse analysis, Collective action, Climate change, Social injustice, Social change, Ecofeminism, Nonprofit organizations |
| Company/Entity: | Oxfam International (Organization) |
| People: | Freire, Paulo, 1921-1997 |
| Abstract: | As inequality, climate crisis, and threats to democracy grow, debates on poverty and justice have become urgent. This article applies critical discourse analysis (CDA) and Paulo Freire's 'pedagogy of hope' to examine how Oxfam's global inequality reports (2016-2025) have evolved. It asks whether these reports only dramatise crisis or also foster hope and action. A comparison of ten reports shows a shift: earlier texts stressed crisis and elite blame, while later ones highlight collective action and alternatives. Using CDA's three levels, text, discourse, and social practice, the study finds Oxfam increasingly challenges the view that neoliberalism is inevitable. Later reports emphasise feminist economics, grassroots organising, and fairer wealth distribution as real solutions. Guided by Freire's idea that hope arises through struggle, the study shows that while early reports risked hopelessness, later ones invite readers to see themselves as agents of change. The article argues that advocacy texts can be pedagogical tools, naming injustice while building the emotional and political conditions for democratic renewal and resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Policy & Practice: A Development Education Review is the property of Centre for Global Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
|---|---|
| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 190730875 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
| IllustrationInfo | |
| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: ESPOUSING HOPE OR ENTRENCHING GLOOM? A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF OXFAM'S GLOBAL INEQUALITY REPORTS THROUGH THE LENS OF FREIRE'S PEDAGOGY OF HOPE. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22ARKO%2C+BENEDICT%22">ARKO, BENEDICT</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Policy+%26+Practice%3A+A+Development+Education+Review%22">Policy & Practice: A Development Education Review</searchLink>. Autumn2025, Issue 41, p30-50. 21p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Critical+pedagogy%22">Critical pedagogy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Critical+discourse+analysis%22">Critical discourse analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Collective+action%22">Collective action</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Climate+change%22">Climate change</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+injustice%22">Social injustice</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+change%22">Social change</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ecofeminism%22">Ecofeminism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Nonprofit+organizations%22">Nonprofit organizations</searchLink> – Name: SubjectCompany Label: Company/Entity Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Oxfam+International+%28Organization%29%22">Oxfam International (Organization)</searchLink> – Name: SubjectPerson Label: People Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="PE" term="%22Freire%2C+Paulo%2C+1921-1997%22">Freire, Paulo, 1921-1997</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: As inequality, climate crisis, and threats to democracy grow, debates on poverty and justice have become urgent. This article applies critical discourse analysis (CDA) and Paulo Freire's 'pedagogy of hope' to examine how Oxfam's global inequality reports (2016-2025) have evolved. It asks whether these reports only dramatise crisis or also foster hope and action. A comparison of ten reports shows a shift: earlier texts stressed crisis and elite blame, while later ones highlight collective action and alternatives. Using CDA's three levels, text, discourse, and social practice, the study finds Oxfam increasingly challenges the view that neoliberalism is inevitable. Later reports emphasise feminist economics, grassroots organising, and fairer wealth distribution as real solutions. Guided by Freire's idea that hope arises through struggle, the study shows that while early reports risked hopelessness, later ones invite readers to see themselves as agents of change. The article argues that advocacy texts can be pedagogical tools, naming injustice while building the emotional and political conditions for democratic renewal and resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Policy & Practice: A Development Education Review is the property of Centre for Global Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=190730875 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 21 StartPage: 30 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Critical pedagogy Type: general – SubjectFull: Critical discourse analysis Type: general – SubjectFull: Collective action Type: general – SubjectFull: Climate change Type: general – SubjectFull: Social injustice Type: general – SubjectFull: Social change Type: general – SubjectFull: Ecofeminism Type: general – SubjectFull: Nonprofit organizations Type: general – SubjectFull: Oxfam International (Organization) Type: general – SubjectFull: Freire, Paulo, 1921-1997 Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: ESPOUSING HOPE OR ENTRENCHING GLOOM? A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF OXFAM'S GLOBAL INEQUALITY REPORTS THROUGH THE LENS OF FREIRE'S PEDAGOGY OF HOPE. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: ARKO, BENEDICT IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 09 Text: Autumn2025 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 1748135X Numbering: – Type: issue Value: 41 Titles: – TitleFull: Policy & Practice: A Development Education Review Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
