Filoinfancia: pensamiento crítico en niños y niñas, para los derechos humanos, la reconciliación y la memoria/

Abstract

Abstract “Philochildhood: Critical thinking in children for human rights, reconciliation, and memory” is a research proposal developed by the Master's Program in Critical Pedagogies and Socio-Educational Intervention at Universidad Santo Tomás. It is designed as an educational proposal situated within the context of the Colombian post-conflict period, aimed at fostering critical thinking in boys and girls affected by the dynamics of the armed conflict. The study stems from the acknowledgment of traditional education's limitations to address the historical, social, and emotional needs of these populations, proposing a pedagogical transformation that contributes to peacebuilding from the school environment. The central objective of the study is to promote critical thinking and build a culture of peace with a human rights approach among minors living in the Georgina Ortiz Territorial Space for Training and Reincorporation (ETCR) in San Juan de Arama, and the Juan Pablo II settlement in Villavicencio. To achieve this, the Philosophy for Children (P4C) strategy is implemented, conceived as a pedagogical tool that promotes dialogue, reflection, and the problematization of reality based on the participants' life experiences. In this regard, the proposal recognizes children as historical and political subjects capable of understanding, questioning, and transforming their environment. The theoretical foundation of the project is rooted in critical and emerging pedagogies, drawing upon the contributions of authors such as Paulo Freire and Henry Giroux, who conceive education as a practice of freedom and emancipation. Furthermore, it is based on the Philosophy for Children program developed by Matthew Lipman, which proposes the creation of communities of inquiry in the classroom, where questioning, active listening, and “reflective silence” play a central role. This approach seeks to develop multidimensional thinking that integrates the critical, creative, and ethical (caring) dimensions, favoring the recognition of otherness and the construction of a democratic citizenship. From a methodological standpoint, the research adopts a qualitative approach with a critical-interpretive paradigm, utilizing Educational Action Research (EAR) as its main strategy. This approach implies a reflective relationship between theory and practice, in which teacher-researchers analyze and transform their own pedagogical practices in coordination with the community. Data collection techniques include participant observation, field diaries, and the design of didactic sequences aimed at generating contextualized philosophical dialogues. The study is conducted in contexts of high social vulnerability. On one hand, the Georgina Ortiz ETCR houses families of ex-combatants in the process of reincorporation; on the other hand, the Juan Pablo II settlement is made up of a displaced population facing precarious conditions regarding housing, access to basic services, and environmental risks such as floods and vector-borne diseases. These conditions reinforce the need for a relevant and contextualized educational intervention. In conclusion, the proposal seeks to resignify the place of childhood in post-conflict scenarios, moving beyond their conception as passive victims in processes of revictimization to recognize them as active agents in the reconstruction of the social fabric. Through the strengthening of critical thinking, dialogue, and memory, it promotes the formation of subjects capable of envisioning life alternatives based on social justice, equity, and respect for human rights.