Anísio Teixeira: from sinhôzinho to maître penseur

Abstract

This is an original article with the objective of outlining Anísio Teixeira’s contribution to the Brazilian education presented at an academic seminar. The legacy of Anisian thought and action for the Brazilian education is the object of study of this article. The object was analyzed through concepts derived from three theoretical-methodological matrices: the German thought expressed in Goethe, Max Weber and Norbert Elias; the French philosophy of Glucksmann and Lourau; and the Brazilian sociology, through the contributions of Freyre, Holanda, Leal, Faoro, Martins, Miceli, Adorno, Ramos, Coelho, Alonso and Arruda, in order to investigate the political-cultural phenomena of the national reality. The main concepts used were civilizing mission, engaged intellectual, enlightened politician, institution, maître penseur and elective affinities. The methodology used was the Eliasian kind, seeking to reconstruct the object of study from the web of social configurations in which it is immersed. The technique used was the cultural analysis of the content expressed in the bibliography and documents. The article concludes by summarizing Anisian contributions in a synoptic framework and relating the Anisian thought with the current constitutional and legal principles.