Literary reading in contexts of incarceration

critical formation and the integration of teaching, research, and extension

Abstract

This paper presents the experience report on an undergraduate course that integrates teaching, research, and extension by preparing students to participate in literary reading projects in female prisons and correctional facilities, located in Votorantim, Piracicaba, and Rio Claro, within the framework of the policy for sentence reduction through reading. The central theme of this article is the social function of literary reading in contexts of incarceration and its formative potential for university students. The core problem addressed is how to create educational practices that connect the university with contexts of imprisonment, fostering both students’ critical education and social engagement. The main objective is to present and analyze the course experience, highlighting its impact on the students’ education and on the reading practices in prison contexts. The paper defends the hypothesis that reading mediation and the careful preparation of reviews on the reports written by incarcerated women help students develop analytical, argumentative, and ethical competencies. The approach combines insights from neurosciences and reading psychology with a critical reflection on the institutional uses of literature in sentence reduction practices. The methodology includes the analysis of reading reports produced by incarcerated women, observation of mediation activities conducted by the students, and evaluation of the educational experience. The results indicate that both reviewers and mediators broadened their worldview, improved their reading and writing skills, and deepened their social engagement, while also critically reflecting on the limitations and ethical dilemmas of sentence reduction policies. The course, currently undergoing continuous refinement, has proven to be a fertile ground for advancing the integration of extension into the curriculum and for fostering the education of students committed to social justice.