Institucionalização e gestão da cultura nas IPES: possibilidades para uma gestão cultural democrática no IFRN

Abstract

This thesis addresses the institutionalization and cultural management at IFRN, and is guided by the central research question: In the development of cultural extension projects at IFRN, what elements associated with the principles of democratic cultural management are perceptible? Based on institutional experience and engagement with cultural projects, it argues that IFRN’s practices reflect a democratic approach to cultural management, despite the absence of formal structures and normative documents that consolidate culture as an institutional field. The general objective of the research is to identify and reflect on the elements present in IFRN's cultural extension projects that may be associated with the principles of democratic cultural management. Specific objectives include investigating the process of cultural institutionalization at IFRN; analyzing three cultural extension projects from the Natal- Centro Histórico campus; identifying theoretical categories that define democratic cultural management; and examining how these categories are expressed in the projects studied. This work contributes to the academic field of cultural studies in public higher education institutions by mapping a local scenario relevant to cultural development, offering two original contributions: (1) the analysis of cultural management at IFRN, a historically technical and vocational institution that, through internal transformation, has begun incorporating new knowledge areas and practices; and (2) the documentation and critical analysis of three extension projects - Nuarte Centro Histórico, Ateliê a Céu Aberto, and Sarau Canguleiro - which exemplify educational practices that are more human-centered, socially integrated, and committed to cultural diversity. The analysis is grounded in two theoretical references: the concept of Cultural Citizenship (Chauí, 2021), and the Guideline Model for Cultural Action with a Focus on Human Rights and Sustainability (2024). These frameworks informed the development of analytical categories that align with the theoretical and methodological choices of the research, enabling a critical reading of the selected projects through the lens of democratic cultural management. The methodology integrates multiple strategies: documentary analysis of institutional policies and reports; review of communication materials and press coverage; in-person observation of project activities; and open, semi-structured interviews with four groups of participants.