Ivan Illich Fifty Years Later: Situating Deschooling Society in His Intellectual and Personal Journey

In 1971, Ivan Illich wrote Deschooling Society, a plea to liberate education from schooling and separate it from the state. This book sheds light on how Illich produced a critique of schooling that can be defined by its eclecticism, guided by his early neo-scholastic and anti-modern foundation, his discovery of St. Thomas through Jacques Maritain, and the existential turning points that influenced his public life and intellectual direction.

Format: Hardback
Length: 176 pages
Publication date: 06 October 2022
Publisher: University of Toronto Press

In 1971, priest, theologian, and philosopher Ivan Illich penned the seminal work "Deschooling Society," a profound plea for the liberation of education from the confines of schooling and the separation of education from the state. As we commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of this influential publication, Ivan Illich Fifty Years Later delves into the theological foundations that shaped Illich's thought and the diverse intellectual and ideological strands that contributed to his visionary ideas. Guided by the central question of how Illich arrived at the point of writing "Deschooling Society," the book sheds light on the eclecticism that characterized his critique of schooling. Bruno-Jofré and Igelmo Zaldívar explore the intricate framing of this controversial book, drawing upon Illich's early neo-scholastic and anti-modern foundation, his encounter with St. Thomas through the influence of Jacques Maritain, and the existential turning points that shaped his public life and intellectual trajectory. Employing interpretive theories from Quentin Skinner, Reinhart Koselleck, and William H. Sewell, as well as concepts such as educationalization, transnationality, and configuration, the authors offer an original and interdisciplinary analysis of "Deschooling Society" and its profound significance in Illich's intellectual journey.

In 1971, priest, theologian, and philosopher Ivan Illich penned the seminal work "Deschooling Society," a profound plea for the liberation of education from the confines of schooling and the separation of education from the state. As we commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of this influential publication, Ivan Illich Fifty Years Later delves into the theological foundations that shaped Illich's thought and the diverse intellectual and ideological strands that contributed to his visionary ideas. Guided by the central question of how Illich arrived at the point of writing "Deschooling Society," the book sheds light on the eclecticism that characterized his critique of schooling. Bruno-Jofré and Igelmo Zaldívar explore the intricate framing of this controversial book, drawing upon Illich's early neo-scholastic and anti-modern foundation, his encounter with St. Thomas through the influence of Jacques Maritain, and the existential turning points that shaped his public life and intellectual trajectory. Employing interpretive theories from Quentin Skinner, Reinhart Koselleck, and William H. Sewell, as well as concepts such as educationalization, transnationality, and configuration, the authors offer an original and interdisciplinary analysis of "Deschooling Society" and its profound significance in Illich's intellectual journey.

Weight: 440g
Dimension: 160 x 238 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781487545062