Health Education and Homeopathy: an approach to Popular Education and Health

Abstract

In the area of the production of knowledge about health, the contributions of other branches of medicine that allow a more integrated vision of the duality “health/disease” and that encourage more humane relationships with the users (clients), are important and should be considered. This paper approaches this subject through the practice of Popular Education*, using as its educational instrument the case of the homeopathic clinic discussed as a whole. To do this, three pedagogical workshops were organized and analyzed using different social actors: caregivers of children (parents or others with primary responsibility), teachers of community day care centers, and doctors of the NGO Homeopathic Action for Those like Us. The individual statements expressed in the workshops were systematically arranged by groups (parents/caregivers, teachers, doctors), in an attempt to identify/construct the “Discourse of the Collective Subject” - (Lefevre et al, 2000). The homeopathic clinical case serves as a valuable instrument in the learning process, i.e. a method which could be used in popular education and health, to help define the problem and think through the full complexity of the case presented within the discussion regarding health. The principles of homeopathy are compatible with those of popular education and working with them in this perspective fosters autonomy and self knowledge.