Educação popular: experiências participativas e formação da consciência crítica em espaços públicos no município de Eusébio (CE)

Abstract

Currently, in our Brazilian society, we have lots of initiatives regarding the increasing of the participation of individuals in the process of decisions of public issues, among these, we could mention, Associations and Public Policy Councils. Such experiences comprise the educational spaces. This paper aims mainly to investigate the contribution of participatory experiences, as well as, the learning results experienced from them concerning the formation of critical consciousness by the "simple-minded man" in the Municipal Council for Women Rights (COMDIM) and Dwellers’ Association and Friends of Cauassu (AMACAUASSU) in the municipality of Eusébio - CE, the researcher’s acting policy spaces. The option for the searching of my practice is hereby supported by Paulo Freire (2005, 2006, 2008), to whom knowledge should have eminently a liberating function, including the sharing of Popular Education. The main actor of the study is the simple-minded man (Martins, 2010). Besides the bibliographical study, a qualitative approach was used to produce the data (Gonsalves, 2001) ethnographic strategies, such as the participating observation, semi-structured interviews, field journal; fragments of life history of subjects, group dynamics and focus groups. I also used the analysis of official documents of the spaces, and a questionnaire with closed questions to build the socioeconomic profile of the subjects. We interviewed four subjects of COMDIM, seven of AMACAUASSU, and a focus group with the board of the Association. The observations took place in several stages: meetings, public hearings, meetings, moments of training and evaluation. The results show that despite the emancipation of Eusébio has been brought forth by means of a referendum, this has not occurred by virtue of the organization and by the mobilization of civil society, but by the forces and interests of political parties. Spaces are on a significant organizational effort, but still not depicted as effective spaces of politicization of social issues. We could highlight as hindrances for the educational process and, consequently, for the participation and retention of subjects in those spaces: the prevalence of the traditional ways of doing politics which are based upon the social authoritarianism, personality, clientele, and Brazilian cordiality; the exaggerated concentration of civil society representatives within the policymakers Councils; discontinuity in training activities, and also the influence of the religious training of the subjects - Catholics or evangelicals - resulting in a hierarchy of values, with the subordination of the activities of the Association of the Church, just to mention a few. However, despite the weaknesses, there are nuances of awareness and gradual approximations of a democratic way of being. The "simple-minded man" as being an unfinished gentry, and they become more human in their experiences with other individuals. You need to understand that this man has a history prior to his insertion into these spaces, and beyond that. He is a fellow of relationships! And as the subject of many relationships, not just out of social aspects, for often allows some influences stand out and prove to attempts to raise awareness of this man. The experience of the principles of Popular Education, based on the contributions of Paulo Freire, which could contribute to the formation of critical consciousness of the "simple-minded man" that has been the most significant one. Thus, contributing to the construction of a new political culture.