A participação sociopolítica de crianças e adolescentes: novas perspectivas e antigos desafios

Abstract

This article aims to discuss the importance of the sociopolitical participation of children and teenager in spaces for the construction of public policies as a strategy for strengthening democracy in modern societies. The article is the result of a bibliographic and documentary review. The reflections made are based on the perspective that naturalizing approaches to childhood and adolescence are contributory to the non-realization of the right to sociopolitical participation of the child-adolescent population. In contrastto naturalizing approaches, the sociohistorical perspective, together with the processes of empowerment and transgressive education, are identified as potentialities for the legitimate inclusion of children and teenargers in decision-making spaces (councils, public hearings, assemblies, etc.), since they seek to awaken individual and collective consciences for the construction of strategies to confront the oppressive practices of adult-centeredness, sexism, racism and capitalism.