The book Os Parceiros do Rio Bonito brings an admirable contribution to the Brazilian social thought for itsethic-political relevance as a work of political denounce and social criticism, for its formal or a esthetic contribution, a fine architecture of words and sociological and anthropological arguments; and also for its methodological contribution, the pertinence of an open critical act marked by flow, in contrast with the unrestricted adhesion to certain theoretical apparatus.Added to the critical attitude is the attitude of empathy for the object, that stands back from a cold and distant "sociology" but, at the same time, it refuses to attribute the characteristics that "we would like" to hear, according to the ideology or beliefs that we share. The radical aspect of this work is in the free spirit for a "sociological adventure" and, as a result, "manifestos" or "norms" of conduct are absent. Yet Cândido marks the limits between the spirit opened to diversity and the versatility in the treatment of the social phenomenon and the adventurous adhesion to a sterile relativism. Finally, the article discusses the intimate relationship between the author's intellectual conduct - its ethical position within the academic world - and its own work.
Social theory; Antonio Candido; Interdisciplinary; Research methodology