A limit-situation is a historical condition that prevents people from having freedom. Any limit-situation implies that some groups of people will benefit from it, while other people will be harmed. For example, Freire sees underdevelopment as a limit-situation that has harmed Third World countries.
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Limit-situation Term Timeline in Pedagogy of the Oppressed
The timeline below shows where the term Limit-situation appears in Pedagogy of the Oppressed. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 3
...they understand that they are limited by their concrete experiences in the world—Freire calls these “limit-situations.” Limit-situations are a product of history, which means that they are not permanent and can...
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“Themes” and “limit-situations” are closely related—sometimes, oppressed people live in conditions that prevent them from understanding the ideas...
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...are affecting the peasants, and then determine if the peasants are aware of the area’s limit-situations and themes. Next, the educators use visual, auditory, or tactile materials to represent the limit-situations...
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