Perspectivas sobre os conceitos de criança e infância em dissertações produzidas no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação PPGE/UFMS-CPTL (2021-2023)

Abstract

The understanding of the concepts of child and childhood is diverse and socio-culturally influenced, evolving throughout human history. This study aims to provide an overview of research on these two concepts – child and childhood, focusing on dissertations produced within the Postgraduate Program in Education at the Três Lagoas Campus (PPGE-CPTL) linked to the research line Education, Childhood, and Diversities. The main objective is to map the dissertations produced in this research line and create a reflective database involving the relevant concepts within the dissertations completed in the PPGE-CPTL, identifying theoretical and methodological trends of the research conducted throughout the program's existence. To achieve this goal, a quantitative-qualitative approach was adopted, employing a bibliographic study qualified as exploratory and descriptive in line with the established objectives, and configuring itself as a state of knowledge. Data were collected from the program's website and the Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (BDTD). Nineteen dissertations aligning with the research objectives were identified, and their information underwent analysis and discussion using elements of the content analysis technique from the French tradition. The investigation emphasized the significance of the PPGE-CPTL's production for dialogue and debate in the field of education, highlighting the quality of the dissertations produced and the adherence of definitions and concepts related to child and childhood, whether explicit or the absence of this discussion in a clear and substantive manner in a significant number of works.