The delimitation of theoretical categories in research on public education policies

Abstract

This paper deals with the problem of theoretical foundations in public education policies research. At first, it presents the definition of theoretical categories and the conditions that demand them, such as polysemy and conceptual disputes. Then, it carries out an exercise of delimitation of the public education category, having as an epistemological focus the historicity of the categories in a dialectical perspective, analyzing the evolution of the concept of education and public interest diachronically and synchronically. Derived from such an epistemological approach, an integrative literature review is chosen based on sources from education, history, philosophy, and political science. Finally, public education is defined according to the aspects of intentionality, systematicity, its public character, and linkage to the State. In conclusion, it points out the gains of such a procedure in advancing the educational policy research field and the researcher's intellectual autonomy and critical potential.