Reflections on Paulo Freire’s research itinerary: Contributions to health

Abstract

Objective: to reflect on Paulo Freire’s Research Itinerary as a theoretical-methodological framework developed within the Culture Circles and their contributions to health. Method: the text was constructed with the support of the Freirean praxis, seeking to reflect on its method of work, which occurs in three dialectical and interdisciplinary phases: thematic research; coding and decoding; and critical unveiling. The research itinerary values the cultural and historical sources of the participants, which can be revealed in the Culture Circles. Results: this framework is based on a critical-social pedagogy, which has an ethical commitment to emancipation and liberation from society to promote quality of life. For this to occur there are two fundamental elements in its philosophy: awareness and dialogue. These reflect a true exercise of transdisciplinarity, especially in the area of health, whose practices are aimed at the human being. Paulo Freire is an educator, based on a political-humanist vision, whose main concepts are: dialogue, culture, praxis, oppressor/oppressed, emancipation and Culture Circles Conclusion: freirean praxis reflects reality and intervenes in such, theorizing it not pedagogically but in its political dimension. It is articulated with qualitative research, seeking to unveil social reality.