Da teoria marxista à prática extensionista: a análise de conteúdo do Observatório Econômico do PROGEB

Abstract

Since its emergence, the field of International Relations (IR) in Brazil has maintained a significant distance from Marxist theories. In this context, the Globalization and Crisis in the Brazilian Economy Project (PROGEB), affiliated with the Federal University of Paraiba (UFPB), stands out for its interdisciplinary work bridging Economics and IR, grounded in Marxist theory. For over 22 years, PROGEB has carried out teaching, research, and extension activities, fostering critical perspectives on political economy. Within this framework, the Economic Observatory emerges as an extension tool that employs content analysis to interpret political-economic phenomena, connecting theory and practice. This article aims to present the content analysis method used by the Economic Observatory, emphasizing its Marxist theoretical foundations. To this end, it introduces the project’s theoretical framework— particularly Ribeiro’s (2008) Marxist theory of economic cycles—and then compares the extension’s approach with the systematization of content analysis proposed by Bardin (1979) and Franco (2005). The methodology of this article involves a literature review on the presence (or absence) of Marxism in Brazilian IR, an examination of PROGEB’s internal dynamics and extension activities, and a presentation of the Observatory’s content analysis model as a potential form of theoretical-practical engagement in the social sciences—one rooted in Marxist theory. Additionally, this work serves as training material for new members of the project.