Uses of Antonio Gramsci's thought in teacher training in Southern Brazil

Abstract

Based on documentary research, we present a mapping of Pedagogy Programs (PPs) offered by public higher education institutions in Southern Brazil to understand the presence, appropriation, and theoretical contributions of Antonio Gramsci to teacher education. The present study also provides an overview of the bibliographic sources used to disseminate Gramscian thought. Conducted across 71 Pedagogy program curricula, the research revealed that: Gramsci appears in 33.80% of the programs analyzed, with a higher incidence in state universities in Paraná and in programs at federal institutes. None of the curricula explicitly mentioned Gramsci’s Philosophy of Praxis. Furthermore, Gramsci is neither used as a theoretical reference for discussions of the principle of praxis in teacher education nor considered a primary theoretical framework among the PPs. His presence is concentrated in discipline-based curricular components within the field of educational foundations, particularly in Sociology of Education, and predominantly in the bibliographies for these courses. These bibliographies do not always include Gramsci’s original works but often rely on texts addressing his thought. The main ways in which Gramsci’s ideas are incorporated into PPs concern the social function of intellectuals and, particularly, his pedagogical theory of the unitary school and labor as an educational principle. Although Gramsci’s influence on teacher education in Brazil remains limited, we argue that his original thought is fundamental not only to the education of subaltern social groups but also remains highly relevant and strategic for addressing inequalities, promoting development, strengthening Brazil’s sovereignty, and building a genuinely democratic societal project.