Cidadania em perspectiva: uma análise de possíveis representações sociais de voluntários universitários fluminenses

Abstract

This academic work entitled "Citizenship in perspective: an analysis of possible Social Representations of university volunteers from Rio de Janeiro." aims to investigate the possible social representations of citizenship presented in the discourses of volunteers involved in the social project “Ação no Pé Pequeno,” which is linked to a Catholic confessional higher education institution. The research seeks to analyze how these representations influence the educational practices developed in the social actions carried out by these volunteers, as well as the relationship of alterity present in their discourses and pedagogical approaches. For this purpose, a psychosocial approach was used, based on theoretical references from authors such as Ferreira, Reboul, and Mazotti. Throughout the research, we observed a mistaken hybridization of the terms “citizenship and charity” in the volunteers' discourses. This confusion creates a distorted view of the citizenship actions present in volunteer work, where they are seen in a more traditional and individualistic manner, with help for vulnerable groups perceived as an act of personal kindness and faith, disconnected from a broader context of guaranteeing rights and citizenship.