Radical Questioning on the Long Walk to Freedom: Nelson Mandela and the Practice of Critical Reflection

Abstract

Nelson Mandela's autobiography The Long Walk to Freedom describes how an iconic political activist and freedom fighter reflected on, and sometimes modified, four core assumptions at the heart of his struggle to overturn the White supremacist, minority hegemony and create a free South Africa. Critical reflection's focus is on understanding the dynamics of power (and how to manipulate these) and on uncovering (and combating) ruling class hegemony. Although clearly unaware of adult education's utilization of the idea of critical reflection, Mandela's reasoning on tactics and strategy, his awareness of the need to reappraise assumptions that previously were viewed as gospel, and his use of multiple lenses through which to view his actions as a freedom fighter, exemplify the practice of critical reflection. The article does not presume any sort of historical accuracy, conducting instead a thematic content analysis of Mandela's own personal account of events, which others have challenged.

Keywords

Nelson Mandela critical reflection adult learning

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