The group as a device*: The ecosophic micro-intervention in educational pro-cesses within environmental education

Abstract

How does one go about designing modes and forms of coexistence that will induce subjec-tive changes in people, contributing at the same time to better their relationships with oth-ers and with the environment, examining the institutionalization of human life in the con-temporary world? This is the driving question of the present research work. The hypothe-sis presented is that this can happen through environmental-pedagogic micro-interventions with their main focus on group processes and an analysis of the role of the researcher in the research process. Ours is a research-work/intervention based on the epis-temology of institutional analysis, more especifically on the ecosophy and cartographic method of Félix Guattari. This design of environmental education highlights the relevance of three ethical-aesthetic registers - the social, mental, and environmental ecologies - and provides the theoretical support needed to our analyzing the ability one has to re-invent oneself and the environment from the perspective of an environmental-education process. The group device aimed at intensifying the transversalities and the emotional, inventive, affective, imaginative and intuitive human capacities, favoring collective learning and participation, as well as autonomy, solidarity and self-managing processes. The activities carried out were presented as possible alternatives to develop such capacities by putting into motion instituent forces within the group processes, as well as encouraging action-reflection and caring for oneself, others and the environment.