Public Policies for Childhood: from institutional monology to polyphonic epistemology

(Portugal)

Abstract

This article proposes a critical reflection on public policies for childhood in Lusophone contexts, taking Portugal and Brazil as reference cases, based on the concept of polyphonic epistemology. It argues that, despite normative advances in the field of children’s rights, a monological institutional matrix still prevails, marked by adult-centred, technocratic and tutelary logics that limit the recognition of children as political subjects and competent social authors. Inspired by the concept of polyphony and articulated with the Sociology of Childhood and the Epistemologies of the South, polyphonic epistemology is presented as a theoretical-ethical framework that integrates three fundamental dimensions: the right to culture, the right to autonomy and the right to recognition. The analysis highlights the need to reconfigure governance paradigms by promoting public policies grounded in listening, co-authorship and epistemic justice. It therefore advocates a transformation of political and research practices through participatory approaches that place children at the centre of decision-making processes, contributing to a more plural, dialogical and inclusive democracy.