Research and knowledge production “in”, “for,” “about,” and “with” School Physical Education

Abstract

This analytical-critical essay problematizes different modes of research and knowledge production in School Physical Education, discussing how distinct conceptions of science, school, and teacher education are expressed within the academic-scientific field of the area. Grounded in theoretical reflections that engage particularly with Pierre Bourdieu and Paulo Freire, the text revisits questions formulated in a doctoral thesis to develop a critical interpretation of the epistemological, political, and institutional disputes that shape knowledge production in the field. The discussion is organized around four analytical modes — knowledge produced in, for, about, and with School Physical Education — understood as interpretive operators designed to highlight trends, tensions, and relations of legitimacy within the academic-scientific field. It is argued that these modes express different forms of relationship between university, school, and school actors, producing contradictions regarding the meanings attributed to research, teacher education, and School Physical Education itself. The reflections contribute to the debate on the ethical-political responsibilities of research and knowledge production in the field.