Protagonismo juvenil: uma práxis sócio-histórica de ressignificação da juventude

Abstract

This paper aims at proposing an approach both political and pedagogical to help consolidate juvenile protagonism as a social-historical praxis on the re-establishment of the meaning of youth, thus serving as a reference to the implementation of a youth national policy. Therefore, it initially presents the historical evolution of national policies towards youth by focusing on the contextualization of the current reality of Brazilian youngsters as well as finding the concept of national policies and analyzing the programs and projects which constitute our national policies concerning youth. Then, it intends to search for references regarding the concept of juvenile protagonism, and more importantly, to rescue its cultural, political and historical roots which may enable us to reflect upon the concept of juvenile protagonism present in our national legislation. Besides, it intends to be a critical review of available material such as researches, productions and pedagogical proposals involving the theme. Following the sequence, it aims at analyzing the historical building of the category concerning youth by especially focusing on Psychology, and presenting the theoretical principles of Social-historical Psychology as well as its concepts regarding youth. This research is based on Vygotsky and other current authors who have taken his work as a basis to produce additional reflections. Next, based on the social dimensions of education, it presents the contributions of some political and pedagogical approaches which have been proved to be efficient concerning social changes. In addition, it highlights a concrete experience concerning juvenile protagonism so as to strengthen the process of teaching-learning as a tool to enhance juvenile participation in society as well as to provide them with adequate conditions to develop both individually and socially. Eventually, it aims at tracing principles and strategies to build up a political and pedagogical approach in order to consolidate juvenile protagonism as a social-historical praxis based on the dialectic interaction among the political, educational, social and subjective dimensions of psychological phenomena. This will certainly help solve the complex task of empowering youngsters so that they can perceive themselves as active agents to change their own histories and society