READING OF TEENAGERS IN SOCIAL EDUCATIONAL CENTER OF BELO HORIZONTE (MG)

Abstract

This research aims to identify the reading habits of adolescent girls while in State custody at the São Jerônimo Socio-educational Center in Belo Horizonte (MG), as well as the potential appropriation of knowledge and meaning that occurs during their stay in this transitional, confined environment. The theoretical framework draws upon thinkers in the field of Information Science — specifically those focusing on reading theory and information appropriation — as well as related disciplines such as Literature, History, and Communication, particularly those dedicated to the study of reading, its meanings, and its contexts. The research employs a qualitative methodology based on ethnographic constructs, as it investigates specific issues concerning a particular group of subjects. This approach allows for the analysis and description of a specific human group, including its institutions, interpersonal behaviors, and beliefs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 adolescent girls during non-consecutive visits to the Center over a five-month period. Content analysis of the interviews revealed varying interpretations of the meaning attributed to reading, shaped by the context the girls were experiencing at the time. Ultimately, the meanings of reading recurring in the girls' accounts were classified into four categories: reading as a strategy to cope with confinement; emotional regulation; leisure and entertainment; and a tool for learning.