MATHEMATICAL EDUCATION AND HUMAN RIGHTS: A CRITICAL DIALOGUE WITH SOCIOLOGY FOR A TRANSFORMATIVE SCHOOL EDUCATION
Keywords:
Critical Mathematics Education, Human Rights, Sociology, InterdisciplinarityAbstract
This article proposes the articulation between Critical Sociology and Critical Mathematics Education to support pedagogical practices engaged in human rights education. The study recognizes that, despite traditionally being seen as disparate fields, Mathematics and Sociology can interact in a promising way in the educational context. The work challenges the historical view of neutral mathematics, arguing that the discipline, as a central language for social debates (such as statistical data and inequality indices), is intrinsically linked to social and political issues. However, sociological theories are crucial for analyzing and interpreting these numbers in different contexts. The theoretical basis includes the contributions of Pierre Bourdieu, who helps to understand the school as a reproducer of social inequalities (using concepts such as habitus and cultural capital), and Paulo Freire, who defends education as a political and dialogical act essential for the critical awareness and emancipation of students. In Mathematics, the central perspectives are Critical Mathematics Education (Ole Skovsmose), which proposes "scenarios for investigation" where students use mathematics to intervene in real social problems (such as income inequality and sustainability), and Ethnomathematics (Ubiratan D’Ambrosio), which values mathematical knowledge from different cultures, promoting inclusion and diversity. The articulation of these areas enables interdisciplinary practices, including the study of poverty statistics, the calculation of socioeconomic indicators (such as the HDI) and the analysis of algorithmic biases, transforming mathematics into a tool for analysis and intervention in social reality. However, the implementation of this approach faces challenges such as institutional resistance to the inclusion of social themes, teacher training focused on technical aspects and the scarcity of interdisciplinary teaching materials. Overcoming these obstacles requires curricular changes and investment in the continued training of educators to build mathematical education that promotes social justice and the formation of critical citizens.
