Historical Relations Between Environmental Education and Social Participation

Abstract

We turn to history to investigate the relationships between social movements and the critical conception of Brazilian Environmental Education. We take historical-dialectical materialism as a theoretical-methodological reference. The data are the result of bibliographical and field research, interviewing characters of environmental history and European environmentalism areas. Our research indicates that, among the new social movements, the environmental movement assumes new criticisms, such as the use of nuclear energy, political culture, ways of life, etc. These movements contribute to the improvement of society's participation and, therefore, to its political formation. Brazil, despite its long history of exploitation and stunted by dictatorships, over time synthesizes local and foreign revolutionary ideals and becomes fertile ground for a critical movement, including education. Environmental Education strengthens along with this movement, articulating the environmental issue to justice, participation, social emancipation and sustainability.