Contextualization

Introduction to the topic

Politics can be understood as the art or science of governing and organizing society. The concept of power, in turn, refers to the capacity or influence that an individual or group has to determine or alter behaviors and actions. The relationship between politics and power is a question that permeates the history of humanity and constitutes the core of philosophical debates and reflections.

Power can be observed in various aspects of social life, from the family to large organizations and nations. According to the French philosopher Michel Foucault, power is not centralized only in the State or in a single institution, but is dispersed throughout society. From his perspective, it is exercised through a multiplicity of power relations that are established in social relationships.

Politics, according to the German philosopher Hannah Arendt, is a field of human action, in which individuals organize themselves to coordinate collective actions and decide the course of a community. For her, politics is the space for the exercise of freedom, action, and discourse.

Relevance of the topic

Understanding the dynamics between power and politics is essential to comprehend how society is organized and how decisions that affect community life are made. This understanding is crucial in a democracy, where power is exercised by the people through their elected representatives.

In an era of misinformation and political polarization, it is even more important for students to understand these concepts and develop critical skills to participate in debates and make informed political decisions. Furthermore, the study of politics and power can also help in understanding broader social issues, such as inequality, injustice, and prejudice.

Atividade Prática

Activity Title: 'Mapping Power: An Analysis of Local Politics'

Project Objective

Students will investigate the configuration of power and politics in a local sphere - the city they live in. They should identify the main agents of power, such as politicians, businesspeople, non-governmental organizations, and social movements, and analyze the power dynamics among these agents. The goal is to understand how power is exercised and the political consequences of this in the daily lives of citizens.

Detailed Project Description

Students will work in groups of 3 to 5 people and will have one week to complete the project. Each group will choose a sector of local politics to investigate, such as education, health, environment, security, etc. They will then map the main actors involved and how power is exercised in that sector.

The ideas and perceptions collected during the research will be used to create a digital poster (or infographic) that summarizes the case study. The poster should include a visual analysis of the balance of power among the different agents, the main political and ethical issues, and possible solutions to identified challenges.

Required Materials

1. Internet access for research.
2. Writing materials: pencils, pens, paper.
3. Graphic editing application to create the digital poster (e.g. Canva).

Step by Step

1. Groups choose a sector of local politics to focus on.
2. Conduct online research on the sector, identifying the main agents of power and the main political issues.
3. Analyze how power is exercised among the identified agents and the ethical and moral influences of these relationships.
4. Identify problems and challenges in this sector and propose possible solutions.
5. Gather the information and create the digital poster, visually synthesizing the findings.
6. Write a report explaining the research conducted, the findings, the proposed solutions, and the references used.

Project Deliverables

1. Digital poster: This should visually synthesize the analysis of the balance of power in the sector chosen by the students. It should be clear, appealing, and informative.
2. Written report: It should be structured in the following main topics:
   • Introduction: Students should contextualize the chosen sector, provide a brief description of the main agents of power identified, and explain the relevance of this project.
   • Development: Here, students should detail the theory behind power and politics, explain the activity in detail, indicate the methodology used, and present and discuss the results obtained.
   • Conclusion: Students should recap their main points, explain the learnings obtained, and draw conclusions about the project.
   • Bibliography: Here, students should list the sources used in the project, such as websites, articles, books, videos, etc.

These two deliverables complement each other, the poster visually illustrates the analysis conducted and the main conclusions, while the report provides a detailed explanation of the findings and the methodology used.