Abstract:
Recently, History of Psychology in Latin American has been focusing on the mechanisms of institutionalization of Psychology and, in this scenario, the history of undergraduate programs has been a recurrent object. Considering Brazil, such research focuses on specific institutions located, mainly, in the South and Southeast regions of the country. Thus, research in Regional History has become urgent, i.e., that considers the development of Psychology in other locations of the country. This study describes and analyzes social demands for the establishment of the undergraduate program of Psychology at the Faculdade Dom Aquino de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras/Faculdades Unidades Católicas de Mato Grosso (FADAFI/FUCMT), in 1975. In addition to this, it reflects upon its curriculum. This was the second undergraduate program of Psychology from the state of Mato Grosso and the only one in Campo Grande until 1999. To achieve its main goal, this study highlights the timeframe of training of the first class (1974-1980) and it uses primary textual and oral sources. The interpretation of these sources connected to the contextual aspects of Mato Grosso at the time, suggests the Missão Salesiana de Mato Grosso (MSMT) as an important vector of the development of Higher Education in the state. In addition to this, it was observed a close relationship between the creation of the undergraduate course investigated and the scenario of modernization promoted in the second and third quartiles of the 20th century, in the country. Finally, it is seen that this program was established idiosyncratically, serving a majority of women, remembered as mature and politicized. Thus, despite the methodological constraints of the study, its results help in an extended understanding of the history of Psychology in Brazil. They also make possible a better understanding of the relationship between Church and State in relation to the establishment of Psychology undergraduate programs in the country.
Keywords:
history of Psychology; local history; salesians; FADAFI/FUCMT