O corpo-próprio como território : sentidos e sentimentos fluídos da educação de jovens e adultos

Abstract

Black and Indigenous women are not the only target group of Youth and Adult Education (in Portuguese: EJA – Educação de Jovens e Adultos), but they are certainly the majority in the classes that make up this modality. This observation is based on my experience working in this modality for over 15 years in thirteen different schools of the Municipal Education Network in the city of Cuiabá. By returning to school as adults, these women are challenging the systems of capitalism, sexism, patriarchy, and misogyny that have, over the years, placed limitations on their own bodies and left a mark of coloniality on them. In the context of youth and adult education, our approach centered on understanding how education, or the absence thereof, influenced the bodies of these women participating in EJA in the Aguaçu district of Cuiabá. In the pursuit of this objective, we have been guided by the qualitative phenomenological research of Merleau-Ponty and Freire, as it enables us to explore and integrate the subjective experiences that involve the individual, the other, and the world in their essence, in their way of living and being, and in their interrelations. This methodology draws inspiration from the intricate ethnography of Clifford Geertz, who conceptualizes culture as an interpretive theory that forms the foundation of descriptive and interpretive concepts. This theoretical framework served as a foundation for this thesis, integrating it with the concept of escrevivência, a writing methodology developed by Conceição Evaristo that allows us to narrate and reflect on lived experiences, re-signifying them and giving them new meanings in the academic context. The research team had the opportunity to engage in conversation circles with the community, specifically with the seven women participating in the study. These circles were moments of dialogue, recognition, and exchange of experiences. The research team also conducted semi structured interviews with each of the participants individually. The results of the research indicated that, despite the legal frameworks in Brazil that guarantee the right to education for all as a matter of state duty, this right is not fully upheld in practice, which has direct consequences for individuals and society. The ongoing challenges, including the systemic patriarchy, gender inequality, and the marginalization of women, perpetuate a cycle of subjugation that is perpetuated by the acceptance of unequal wages, multifaceted roles, and extended work hours. It has been demonstrated that a liberating and emancipatory education can bring about positive changes in people's lives, and that individuals have the capacity to influence their own circumstances and the world around them.