Otherness and race between Africa and Brazil: Whiteness and decentering in the Brazilian Social Sciences

Abstract

From my field experience in Angola, I seek to question the traditional characterization of Brazilian anthropology — and by extension of the social sciences — as made by “Brazilians” about “Brazil”, reflecting on the new profile of social scientists regarding ethnic belonging, racial and class that has pluralized for the past 20 years. This transformation of the profile of social scientists challenges the idea of ​“us the anthropologist” built on a nation-centered idea that does not recognize its class, race and territory, i.e. white, middle class, or socialized status in the south / southeast of the country. I defend the decentering of the Brazilian social sciences inspired by the new movements of decolonization of the social sciences. This decentering involves the recognition and politicization of the hegemonic whiteness of the social sciences as a condition for its critical revision.