A hermenêutica da subcidadania: tornando o capital cultural visível

Abstract

This research has aimed to set up the concepts in relation to undercitizenship carried out by Jesse Souza (2006), and of dominant and legitimate culture, cultural capital, made by Pierre Bourdieu (2007). This study has been done between students from 12 years old until 17 years old and from 8th and 9th grades of elementary level in two public schools and one private school in Juiz de Fora city. A qualitative approach has been chosen because it has been considered the most appropriated one. On the theoretical framework there is a brief reconstruction of the historical period of Brazil that starts the process of colonization by Portugal until 1930. In that historical time, there was the slavery system with Indians and black people. Speaking about the black ones, we can point out the social neglect, abandon in omission to incorporate them in the process of free labour and employed person, the poor condition of housing and sanitation, besides the disruption of nucleus family. These aspects have been results of the tragic system after the slavery abolition. The Royal Family’s arrival in Brazil has allowed an advance in the modernization of the colony to an independent state, generating changes that has influenced new behaviours, new ideas and the urban space. However, the slavery heritage system with strong traditionalist base has led to an alliance between the capitalist modernization and the patriarchal tradition of lords. In that context, the marginalization of black people population and mixed races has been disguised among the liberal speeches while white immigrants have occupied jobs in farming and industries. When they realized that the lifestyles were a mark and discern individuals and their social class like elite, middle and poor ones, it has been possible to favour their privileges a literate society or require individual effort in order to usufruct of socializing environments. The result of the survey data with these students have indicated that public school students have had the hedonist culture with little education and a distortion between ages and grades at school. The economic profile of these learners has shown that they are responsible in jobs that require physical strength and low education level between the incomplete early years and complete final years of elementary school level. These students see school as a representation of a “future” improving their life condition. The private school study has served as a guidance throughout this research. The findings have shown a gap in social life in both teenagers group. The results obtained have presented conclusions that could be used as subsidies to expand the discussions and reveal the social conditions experienced by public students, in order to make new pedagogical strategies and educational politics more effective for the acquisition of dominant and legitimate culture, cultural capital.