The transmutation: from Portuguese to Sociology

Abstract

In this academic essay I explore my experiences and journey as a Portuguese language teacher undergoing a profound transformation triggered by my encounter with Sociology, especially from contact with Mills' The Sociological Imagination (1965). I lay bare the entire paradigm shift I experienced as a student in the Master's in Sociology program offered by PROFSOCIO at the Joaquim Nabuco Foundation (FUNDAJ). In broad strokes, I highlight the main challenges that the exercise of sociological imagination imposes on those aspiring to be humanities professors, especially in sociology. Additionally, I detail how this process of transmutation unfolded. The arguments presented here draw on various theorists, encompassing education, critical thinking, and sociology, ranging from classical to contemporary perspectives. Underpinning this trajectory of changes is the necessity to develop a more solid pedagogical practice in order to confront the obscurantism of the era of fake news and the imperative for educators to be at the forefront of practicing critical thinking, setting an example through their pedagogical approach for their students.