O letramento político e as representações das juventudes no Programa Parlamento Jovem de Minas

Abstract

This master's dissertation seeks to understand the social representations of youth in the context of the Youth Parliament of Minas, a political training program linked to the Legislative Assembly of Minas Gerais (ALMG). The study focuses on the analysis of young parliaments in the cities of Montes Claros and Guaxupé. It uses an approach to youth that takes into account the multiple relationships and social conditions that affect this stage of life, which corroborate the understanding that youths are diverse. For the establishment of the discussions, the categories social representations and political literacy are also used. The first enables an understanding of the effects of the representations that are built on certain social groups, such as the common sense perceptions that represent youth in the perceptions of “disinterest” in politics. The second allows the development of reading on the educational process developed within the Youth Parliament of Minas. The research is developed from a qualitative methodology, and document research and fieldwork through virtual social networks were adopted for data collection. Citizen education offered by the program is seen as an essential tool for young people to understand their possibilities for political participation and them to collaborate with community life. In the context of the Youth Parliament of Minas, young people are seen as people concerned with social issues and interested in participating in politics.