Prof. Peter Mayo, a leading scholar at the Department of Arts, Open Communities and Adult Education within the University of Malta’s Faculty of Education, has presented a copy of his latest book to the University Rector, Prof. Alfred J. Vella.
As previously announced on Newspoint, the publication, titled Culture, Power and Education – Representation, Interpretation, Contestation, was released in December 2024. The book represents another significant contribution by Prof. Mayo to the field of critical education and cultural studies.
Building on the foundational ideas of Antonio Gramsci, Prof. Mayo delves into the concept of hegemony and further develops it through the revolutionary pedagogical lens of Paulo Freire. Drawing also on his own academic journey and ongoing search for heterotopian alternatives, Mayo presents compelling insights into the transformative potential of education.
This latest work navigates through the complex intersections of culture, power, and resistance. It explores how both popular and elite cultures are deeply embedded within broader social structures and power dynamics. Through richly contextualized case studies, the book reveals how culture operates as a site of contestation and negotiation—highlighting the interplay between representation, politics, and educational practice across different historical and geographical contexts.
Based primarily on Prof. Mayo’s second PhD in Estudios ArtÃsticos, Literarios y Cultura, the book is already being translated and published in Spanish, reflecting its international relevance and appeal.
The book came out in Catalan and Turkish translation versions and renowned Sociologist Bob Jessop wrote this endorsement of the book: "In this well theorised and historically contextualised book, Peter Mayo explores the leading figures in critical education studies and shows how popular and elite culture are thoroughly embedded in wider social relations. His case studies reveal the symbiosis of culture, politics, hegemony, representation, resistance, in difderent periods and countries." Bob Jessop, Emeritus Professor, University of Lancaster.
Culture, Power and Education – Representation, Interpretation, Contestation is now available for purchase.
