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9/1/1987 - A Question of Participation by Ann Mische

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT WRITER S CONSENT INSTITUTE OF CURRENTWORLD AFFAIRS Rua Lucinda Gomes Barreto Vila Carro So Paulo Brazil 03440 September AEM I A Question Participation Mr Peter Bird Martin Institute Current World Affairs West Wheelock Street Hanover NH 03755 Dear Peter I begin first newsletter about youth education Brazil incident I observed after arrival Brazil One family I staying giving motorcycle campus university So Paulo chance noticed congregation students front buildings investigate The before group radical students tried occupy unused space university buildings hoping student The military police called students arrested In reaction rally organized mobilizing about dents shouting their determination defend democracy Chanting Fora Policia police group invaded meeting where university rector presumably called police participating panel discussion about future university The students demanded speak rector wanting permission space promise police would After haranguing attempted containment sides rector would students interrupting conference would later small delegation He roundly booed The demonstration stripped focus began after agreeing recongregate another place students drifted Universities Brazil traditionally militant action during years military Brazil which ended universities repeatedly erupted violence often violent response government But interesting about particular attempt student participation limited scope One politically aware student I spoke later complained nowadays students Brazil worked about trivial things lacking social vision This demonstration seemed largely provocative nature fueled adolescent thrill confrontation genuine anger And serving rally seeking space student rather changes university government policy mobilized students reality small number university containing Ann Mische Institute Fellow studying youth educational movements Brazil AEM I All which raises questions about quality participation Brazil three New Republic which still trying decide means democracy As country politicians wrestle writing constitution finance minister Bresser wrestles country creditors majority people surveying possibilities participation mixture curiosity fatalism Do students anyone political space provocative Is military really picture waiting wings How openness country Can provocation genuine dialogue Or sluggishness system laden bureaucracy corruption special political economic interests momentum movement change coming process democratization I begin story because typical because students I talked Brazil markedly unpoliticized But incident illustrate tensions limits passions blindnesses operating country struggles meaning democracy implication education It provides discuss problem participation Brazilian culture especially among youth which focus early impressions country Why I Am Here Before continuing I introduce myself those reading understand I studying adolescents Brazil I learn My interest Brazil originates directly experience teacher inner adolescents New York New Haven As I experimented various methods teaching writing learned great about these students expressed conditions their lives I struck problem participation faced these teenagers Not society provide opportunities schooling employment students themselves seemed construct internal psychological barrier against participation standard sense This especially intelligent whose consciousness intensified adolescence seemed complicate accentuate economic social pressures unemployment schools family structures culture based drugs materialism The struggle freedom identity which always adolescence negative Freedom these students rejecting positive roles straight honest society instead losing oneself finding oneself depending point negative underworld roles crime drugs promise excitement money As teacher struggling these issues earlier student philosophy psychology I became interested ideas Paulo Freire Brazilian educator educational theorist developed radical method literacy training called conscientization conscientizago liberation pedagogy Freire methods developed means literacy training Brazilian peasants workers oppressed alienated AEM I society tools awareness reflect their social conditions actively participate changing Freire ideas worldwide influence ideas about education social change particularly because helped redirect social theory mechanistic societ toward dnamic understanding consciousness people effecting effected social change Paulo Freire Conscientization Here I briefsuy Paulo Freire keeping I writingmore about coming months In Freire professor philosophy history education University Recife began working popular literacy movements Brazil During became concerned education stood mostly recreation dominant ideology aimed preserving paternalistic oppressive social economic relations maintaining docile unquestioning populace He realized people critically world become Freire subjects rather objects history would learn articulate accurately conditions their lives He began experiment methods literacy training which instead using empty foreign phrases Eva A Eva grape words chosen their concrete reference their personal political emotion favela comida trabalho These words could broken syllable groups recombined other words illiterates could short begin reading writing Important Freire ideas realization people reading reading world The concept literacy broadened critical comprehension society understanding which pedagogical philosophical political implications First method requires definition traditional relation between student teacher The learner longer viewed waiting installment information passive receiver knowledge rather actively participate creation knowledge through dialogue others about conditions their lives For purpose teacher becomes group leader importantly learner students The teacher codifies situations learners pictures symbols through dialogue stimulates learners decodify these situations This reflection their situations eventually leads learners critical rather magical consciousness world hence conscientization It leads reness power rather receive actions others Using philosophical categories drawn existentialism phenomenology marxist humanism psychoanalysis Freire discusses being works transforms world creates culture rather simply receives culture Once human being understood educational becomes oriented towards liberation which oppressed becomes conscious power struggle against oppression AEM I Like liberation theology which origins Brazil Freire ideas political implications Freire describes methods revolutionary although steers ideological rigidity marxist reformers insists impetus context social change people interpretation their lives rather Leninist intellectual vanguard The method tends community organizing labor unions populist action people social expression their dissatisfaction their newly discovered power In years leading Brazil military Freire ideas began prominence Brazil especially during populism Joo Goulart government During almost euphoric spirit those times which country became swept sense democratization reform Freire ideas widely discussed Brazil social development In Ministry Education began nationwide literacy campaign using Freire methods which mobilized thousands student volunteers country This movement short after which overthrew Goulart government Freire jailed exiled expressions condemned subversive He spend years exile Chile Europe during which wrote Education Practice Freedom Cultural Action Freedom known United States The Pedaqogy Oppressed His ideas major impact educational movements around world notably literacy movements Guinea Bissau Mozambique Nicaragua among others In United States ideas influenced labor movement feminist theory black power activism educators looking empowering methods teaching Freire backABrazil teaching Catholic University So Paulo where I taking course He serving consultant Ministry Education current constitutional process Brazil which should interesting observations country encounters difficulties application implications ideas Wh I AmHere It interest these difficulties which brings Brazil which serves between educational concerns historical curiosity As teacher I fascinated possibilities nherent these methods ideas I experience difficulties using approach teenagers I described earlier Many these teenagers seemed choosing freedom rejecting oppression negative sense participation pursuit material possessions While Freire methods imply rejection social political status involve degree positive participation action They require exchange ideology personal protection which predominates among youth spirit conaunity responsibility AEM I But teenagers issues social responsibility individual definition Self consciousness questions independence identity complicated confused social pressures today barrage media images Both adolescence educational economic political spirit seems agitate against positive participation which Freire methods depend Does imply limits Freire ideas which grown mainly experience adults Or extended rethought order respond problems adolescents others living today complex society What forms education would necessary students freely world characterized oppression violence distractedly rapid change Bringing these questions teaching experience I Brazil study limits possibilities movement educational change emerging Freire particularly applied adolescents I understand movement context political economic social changes involved Brazil attempt transition democracy I expect problems adolescents Brazil New York City methods reapplied there I interested Brazil political social pressures educational methods Freire among other react built tensions During adolescence important choices regarding conformity resistance alienation participation egoistic pursuits community spirit I interested kinds choices Brazilian youth making especially about participating their emerging democracy those choices effected different kinds education As I described earlier issue participation Brazil particularly potent merely adolescents people classes Are people themselves accustomed authoritarian paternalistic ready conflicts responsibilities democracy With question I depart explict question youth momen order describe early impressions attitudes Brazilians toward their country political economic situation O Povo Burro Earlier I mentioned activism those university students That exactly Brazilians apolitical their political interest takes peculiar inverted Everyone ready about disinterested everyone politics brasileiro burro The first I heard lament around rowdy dinner table modest elderly middle class couple I staying For every several their married children So Paulo New York arrive confirming I about Brazil children never succeed leaving unless perhaps leave country This particular family informed chattering condemnation Brazilians about family futebol soccer It Brazilian people stupid AEM I novela nighly operas which unifying force countr As I traveled around So Pauio talking people different classes I heard lament repeated again again brasileiro estdpido ignorante It emerges general attitude condemning people there placing oneself outside people A working class small family sewing factory favela could spent hours describing things I The wealthy director elite swimming school characteristic Brazilian hospitality welcomed spent afternoon discussing religion politics But while people condemn Brazilian disinterest politics nearly everyone cntary state country As I whether things changed since military people almost invariably answer things gotten worse This large economic judgment Inflation continued increase after disastrous Cruzado which prices which frozen released causing prices skyrocket Under Bresser salaries frozen until September prices allowed slowly result buying power diminishing The buing power accentuated recent ending stabilization allowing rents increase cases No explain purpose because often throwing their hands exasperation example unaccountable stupidity government As regards external I surprised every Brazilian I spoken thinks course Brazil should American creditors Quem pagar almost proverbially showing little sympat economic difficulties government Mostly blame military letting first place spending amounts government salaries superfluous building projects which remain unfinished funds When I asked particularly insistent whether paying wouldn cause great economic sacrifice especially country turned vague insistent government should arrange things without sacrificing social programs How could It could leadership Now leaders stupid corrupt playing games children It interesting listen fatalistic voices Brazilians condemn stupidity politicians people juxtaposed optimism flurry action projected nightl television Every night cover constitutional assembly which attempting frame Brazil fourth constitution which saddled contradictory providing structure range stability solving inndiate crisis situations economy politics including Brazil first direct presidential elections years length current president Jos4 Sarney whose initial popularity sinking Sarney office unelected president after sudden death He AEM I extremely popular Tancredo Neves mobilized democratic hopes country following miitary before taking office One student Catholic University So Paulo described constitutional assembly besteira grotesque At beginning process government tried involve people calling small community groups country religious educational union neighbOrhood professional lists suggestions considered constitution And hopes change raised grass roots level But process hands politicians elected delegates assembly The debate raging assembly between presidentialismo parlimentarismo former which would strengthen power president latter which would power legislative creating prime minister handle business The student stated problem succinct Brazilian irony parlimentarism would perfect congress could changed presidentialism would great president could changed seeing constitutional assembly dominated delegates interested preserving their power their political parties neither these likely So order progress Brazil Whose fault besteira The Brazilian people people electing serving representati being ignorant uneducated listening sweet talking politicians protesting abuses accusations placing himself within realm responsibility It people instance elected Jnio Quadros mayor So Paulo people switch English crazy After visiting London ordered municipal buses painted introduced double deckers streets So Paulo As second president before military government prohibited bikinis polish horse racing In younger reportedly president governor elected basis charisma people spends drinking pinga prone making forgetting Dona Dulce mother family teacher municipal schools month announced newspapers television teacher salaries would aised paychecks there increase explanation given As result everyone bureaucracy little afraid I found trying someone responsibility giving permission visit municipal schools So Paulo experience which proven round robin cross references which least benefit introducing parts It people failed become mobilized August attempt general strike organized largest leftist parties Workers Party PT Partido Trabalhador Communist Party PCB Partido Communisto Brasileiro But fault organizers instead focusing immediate economic issues salaries working conditions tried mobilize workers around abstract political issues direct elections democratization reform And hardly anyone turned strike leaving leftists redder faces Except radical intellectual enclaves democratic spirit Brazil reached level political principles staying within realm pocket AEM I concerns When I military government could return I mixed reactions The family I staying insists Brazil economic crisis great would interest militar return But others leftist parties start gaining control popular elections militar would probabl return The people would probably protest especially rering under military things seemed economicall stable buing power greater althOugh breath people blame military current economic problems country And I Brazil population accustomed watching political process seemingly sluggish irrational corrupt their hopes prone criticize distance After rapid sketch Brazil political economic situation should clear pedagogy Paulo Freire proposes focus community participation going difficulties realization But precisel these difficulties encrusted political interests widespread fatalism shrugging democratic responsibilities which account emergence these methods moment Latin American history Conscientization tries fight fatalism people watching events happen without feeling possibilit protesting interfering And manner which Freire ideas received country about future Brazil deaxxzracy And What About Youth While I haven talked about youth Brazil I given picture atmosphere which children teenagers The activism university which I described earlier seems exception teenagers I spoken mostly middle class idealize United States shrug politics struggling their dependence protective parents But I discussion experience youth future letters I spending month talking students teachers various schools after having braved weeks bureaucracy finally receive necessary letter authorization Secretary Education I already visited struggling school favela having granted entrance courageous director mayor The students mistook Princess Anne England visiting Brazil clamored autographs After discovering their mistake content think I friend Michael Jackson In letter I discuss depth problems schools Brazil As I introduced Brazil Received Hanover