Social representations, concepts and History: time to reverse anti-politics in teaching about the Brazilian military dictatorship

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5433/2238-3018.2026.v32.53605

Keywords:

Social representations, Categorizations, Conceptual change, History didactics

Abstract

The article investigates how students’ social representations of the military dictatorship in Brazil influence their understanding of history. The aim is to analyze these representations and propose teaching methods that promote critical reflection and the overcoming of preconceived and historically uninformed ideas. The proposed method includes the application of questionnaires to students and teachers, collecting quantitative data on their perceptions. The results reveal a polarization of opinions, with both positive and negative views of the military regime. The conclusions emphasize the importance of teaching that promotes dialogue and metacognition, allowing students to confront and re-evaluate their historical representations, contributing to a critical and conscious education about the past.

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Author Biographies

Alain Dalongeville, Ministere de l'Education Nationale

PhD in Educational Sciences from the University of Paris 8. Series editor for secondary school History and Geography textbooks (Levels 1 and 2) at Éditions CEC, Montréal, Québec, Canada.

Luis Fernando Cerri, Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa

PhD in Education from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP). Professor in the Department of History at the State University of Ponta Grossa (UEPG), Brazil.

References

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Published

2026-06-26

How to Cite

Dalongeville, A., & Cerri, L. F. (2026). Social representations, concepts and History: time to reverse anti-politics in teaching about the Brazilian military dictatorship. História & Ensino, 32, e53605. https://doi.org/10.5433/2238-3018.2026.v32.53605

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