This report concentrates on the specific educational phenomenon of popular education in Brazil. It highlights the social context and the frequent political controversies that surround it. The first section depicts the popular education movement with respect to its self-image. Part II describes the societal groups involved. Part III discusses in an historical and goal-related sequence the different forms through which popular education advanced. Some important data about Brazil's educational system in general are offered in part IV. The fifth section is comprised of three subchapters that attempt a differentiation between fundamentalist and realist viewpoints. The key controversies of the movement are discussed: collaboration with the state, the type of teacher required, and nondirectiveness versus manipulation. The last section sums up the findings and asks if Brazil's popular education endeavor comprises the elements of a new pedagogy. A glossary, supplementary tables, and a bibliography are attached. (YLB)