NEOLIBERALISM AND CONSERVATISM: EFFECTS ON BRAZILIAN PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Abstract

The 21st century has been marked by the rise of neoliberal and conservative rationalities that have significantly impacted Brazilian public education policies, placing strain on the democratic and public nature of education. Against this backdrop, this article aims to analyze how national academic scholarship has interpreted these rationalities and their effects on the educational landscape. To this end, a qualitative study was conducted using a critical literature review, surveying scientific articles published in recognized databases—such as SciELO, the CAPES Journal Portal, and Google Scholar—within the specified timeframe. The analysis of the selected studies was guided by a critical-interpretive perspective grounded in Critical Discourse Analysis. The literature consistently points to the commodification of public education, the intensification of managerialism, curricular standardization, and the erosion of teaching conditions as key effects of neoliberalism, all linked to the rise of moral conservatism and ideological control over school curricula. This leads to the conclusion that the convergence of neoliberalism and conservatism constitutes a project that undermines the social function of public schools, while simultaneously highlighting education as a site of contestation and democratic resistance.