Political praxis in Brazilian student occupations in the years 2015 and 2016

Abstract

Student occupations whose general guidelines defended public education and were organized in an augestionary way marked the years 2015 and 2016 in Brazil. This article aims to address dimensions of the political praxis of young people during student occupations in São Paulo in those years. The empirical corpus of the research was built through focus groups, interviews and participant observations with students from four Brazilian cities in the state of São Paulo. In addition to the political praxis category, political psychology references supported the corpus analysis. Based on the empirical material, the supposed spontaneity of the movements is discussed, as well as the process of taking over spaces, organization and leadership. It is understood that the political praxis of the young people approached in the research had significant creative, reflective and multitudinous traits. Finally, even in the face of difficulties, wear and limits, the gains arising from political praxis took place in material dimensions, but also relational and organizational.