The ideas of the Pedagogy of the Oppressed were highly influential throughout much of the world- affected greatly revolutions, education, etc.  The Pedagogy of Hope is about the impact of the Pedagogy of the Oppressed.
Who is Paulo Friere?  He was born in Brasil in 1921.  His parents were hit very hard by the great depression- he credits those early experiences as having much affect on his work.  Friere was influenced by Marx.  He was also reading catholic intellectuals.  He got a degree in law but practiced it very little.  He then moved towards SESI, where he worked creating a literacy project- Brasilian government was overthrown and he was put in jail for creating this project that helped indigenous people learn to read.  He was invited to Harvard and spent time there during many of the protests against the Vietnam war.  He then served as high ranking officials in international and Brasilian education departments.
Concepts behind his philosophy:
-Consciousness-  Piaget- disequilibria.  There are two states we are involved in: assimilation and accommodation.  We have a framework of things we know- we are constantly assimilating.  When things change (like your parents are divorced) you then attempt to accommodate.   You learn a new understanding of things.
Marx- German ideology of the consciousness.  What we know is a result of what we live.  Critical consciousness is to begin to understand what has been absorbed through your life.
Language- read the word, read the world.  Friere wants the indigenous people to do is to use their language- not to get a job, but because their families are starving.  Syntax/vocabulary-  Language includes a deep understanding of history.  Knowing that history has shaped language means knowing that we have the ability to change and reshape the world now.
Friere’s literacy project.  Conscientzacao.  Rita’s experience in Kerola- a state in southern India.  A socialist state (not authoritarian).  This literacy project began with everyone in the entire county lighting a candle at the same time.  At that time Kerola had a 15% literacy rate.  There were tutors assigned to each of the clusters of households.
Literacy program:  1) Culture circle, learning is social.  2) Problemitizing the ordinary
3) Dialogue (actually listening)  4) Praxis.

If you search on the internet for popular education, you will come to some current Freirien projects in education.
 

Interesting web sites:

http://www.flora.org/mike/

http://www.oneworld.org/cantera/education