“The cicada and the ant”

qualification and competence — a critical balance

Abstract

The aim of the text is to present a critical review on the literature which deals with the con­cepts of qualification and competence. Starting from the Brazilian and French discussions, this article emphasizes different approaches in which distinct contents have been constituted in rela­tion to such concepts. Thus, this essay evidences the polysemy which emerges from the discus­sions, highlighting the impossibility of regarding the concepts as politically neutral synonyms.