NEABs: epistemic Quilombos Against a “White Centered” Education

Abstract

This article is about a social movement present within different Brazilian educational institutions, entitled NEABs (Afro-Brazilian Studies Centers). The article is divided into three main parts. Initially, we will address the phenomenon of the emergence of the studies on the African continent, inserted in the Brazilian academic sphere by white researchers in compliance with international integration policies of the Brazilian government. Then we will discuss about the first initiatives under the guidance and coordination of black researchers, students and / or activists, notably in the late 1970s, until the 1990s. Finally, the most recent formation inspired by the foundation of the Brazilian Association of Black Researchers (ABPN) and the creation of the Consortium of Afro-Brazilian Studies Centers (CONNEABs). We are also interested in reflecting on the different scope of these groups that go beyond epistemic-academic discussions and enter political, cultural and even individual debates in support of black students and teachers. They thus contribute to the expansion of citizenship, political and individual rights, causing tensions by making visible the diverse kinds of racisms in the Brazilian educational environment in addition to strengthening research ties and academic networks. Here we cover a phenomenon that begins in the 1960s and undergoes changes from different contexts marked by the greater entry of Afro-Brazilians in the academic field and the expansion of debates and the legal framework, around anti-racism, in Brazilian society.