The in-visibility of Lélia Gonzalez in Brazilian social thought: reflections from teaching and bibliographic production in the field

ABSTRACT

This article analyzes the erasure of Black women intellectuals in the construction of scientific knowledge, taking as an emblematic case the (in)visibility of Lélia Gonzalez in Brazilian Social Thought. To investigate the reception of Gonzalez’s work, I adopt a qualitative-quantitative approach, combining a bibliometric analysis of academic publications with narrative interviews conducted with teachers. The results indicate that teaching and research agendas in the field largely reproduce a predominantly white, male, and historically restricted canon, thereby marginalizing authors such as Gonzalez. On the other hand, there are also signs of openness, especially in teaching, fostered by affirmative action policies, which have contributed to amplifying voices and themes previously rendered invisible.

KEYWORDS:
Lélia Gonzalez; Brazilian Social Thought; Black Intellectuality; Invisibility