Habermas and Paulo Freire: beyond the commonplaces

Abstract In recent times, some works have pointed out a close analytical connection between Jürgen Habermas and Paulo Freire, describing, for example, 'dialogue' as a category that theoretically brings them together. This article aims to verify the existence of effective convergences between Habermas and Freire. In this sense, methodologically, their main productions are reviewed. As a result of this scrutiny, present article differs from the perspectives that highlight such an analytical connection. Although it is possible to identify some convergences involving them, these convergences are general. Thus, what is conceived as approximations between Habermasian and Freirean works often have the status of commonplaces.