O cinema e a ciência política na escola : reflexões a partir de práticas extensionistas

Abstract

This paper presents a reflection on a university extension experience that used cinema as a didactic resource to work on Political Science concepts with high school students from a public school in Maceió/AL. For this purpose, the short film “O fim do recreio” (The end of recess) was chosen, which deals with the proposal to end school recess, considered a right of children and a space for artistic and cultural manifestation. The film also criticizes conservative politics and the culture industry, which try to control and standardize young people's behaviour. Through the screening and discussion of the film, mediated by the extension workers, the aim was to promote reflection on the role of cinema as a form of representation and construction of social reality, which can stimulate critical thinking and the political participation of viewers. In this way, cinema is seen as historical mediation and a possibility for knowledge. The work also describes the activities carried out in the schools, highlighting the interest, curiosity and involvement of the students in the subject, who expressed their own experiences and opinions. The work also presents a critical reflection on the functions that cinema fulfills in society, as well as its use as a powerful pedagogical tool that can stimulate students' interest, criticality and creativity, as well as making it possible to connect the theory and practice of the Social Sciences, specifically Political Science. This work is the result of the experience with the Political Science Extension course at the Federal University of Alagoas and, above all, reflects on the difficulties, challenges and contributions of extension practice to the training of students and the rapprochement between university and school.