Representações historiográficas sobre o curso de Física do Pará (1963 – 1970)

Abstract

This dissertation seeks to contribute to the field of History of Science and Science Education, especially in the Amazon, by analyzing how the Physics Course at the Federal University of Pará (UFPA), established in 1965, was represented in different historiographical productions. The research aims to investigate the representations attributed to this course, based on historiographies that describe the object between the years 1963 and 1970, considering the meanings produced and shared, in light of the concepts of culture and representation developed by Stuart Hall (2016). To this end, the works of Bassalo (1995), Almeida (2006), Matos (2010) and Santos (2020) were analyzed, which address the creation of the course, the profile of the teachers, the teaching programs and the textbooks adopted. Such representations, although originating from the same modern and academic culture, reveal different meanings and dialogue with specific social, political and institutional contexts. The analysis shows that the institutionalization of the Physics Course in Pará was fraught with challenges such as the lack of specialized teachers, low demand from students, and the dominance of foreign textbooks. Thus, the research highlights how the teaching of Physics was inserted into the local culture, contributing to the valorization of scientific memory in the Amazon and to reflection on teacher training processes in the region. The text is structured in two main chapters: an academic memorial, which narrates the author's educational trajectory up to graduate school, and a scientific article, which presents the results of the research, followed by final considerations, references, and appendices that bring together documents, interviews, and sources used in the investigation.