Proteção e promoção da infância: tensões entre coletivismo e individualismo no Brasil

Abstract

The aim of this study is to develop a reflection, guided by individualism and collectivism notions, about how childhood protection logic and childhood promotion logic appear historically in educational processes and in Brazilian legislation. Two important ideas are taken in consideration. First, the individualism and collectivism concepts have been successful ones to explain the phenomena related to the cultural differences. Second, individualistic or collectivistic cultural features mark the social interactions dynamics, the values and the attitudes. Then, this study appreciates some historic features of Brazilian education that link its origin to the present days. Along the discussion, priority is given to school and to Child and Adolescent Statute as phenomena that bring the above named logics up-to-date. This study suggests the protection logic prevalence and its close connection to collectivistic principles. At the same time, it indicates a powerful influence of the Catholic model on the Brazilian education and legislation related to the childhood.. Keywords: individualism/collectivism; protection/promotion; chidhood.

Keywords

• individualismo/coletivismo
• proteção/promoção
• infância