The Oxbridge Conference on Brazilian Studies is a multidisciplinary event that brings together scholars from the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, and arts to discuss topics related to Brazil. It is organized by the Brazilian Societies of the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford, attracting a growing number of researchers from the UK and beyond. First held successfully in 2012 (see below), the conference has been organized annually by the Cambridge University Brazilian Society (CUBS) and the Oxford University Brazilian Society (OUBS) ever since. See below the records of previous editions, and stay tuned for updates on the next one!
Past Editions
X Oxbridge Conference on Brazilian Studies, 2022
Modernity and coloniality in the Brazilian thought
In the Year of the bicentenary of Brazil’s independence and the centenary of Brazilian Modern Art Week, the Oxbridge conference proposes the debate “modernity and coloniality in the Brazilian thought,” focusing on the experience of the unfulfilled promises of modernity in the so-called World periphery. Departing from the independence of Brazil to the present day, we propose the debate on the endogenous and exogenous ideas of Brazil that forged the development models in the country. How to explain the challenges of contemporary Brazil and its permanent inequalities being a central part of Latin America? This year, Oxbridge invites us to imagine other realities, possibilities, and alternative futures in Brazil’s social, economic, technoscientific, and cultural spheres, seeking to escape from a subordinate logic by proposing and engaging with new looks at what constitutes the concept of Modern.
The time could not be more propitious for this task. Worldwide, Brazilian academics advance in their research despite the lack of resources. From vaccines to social sciences, from the environment to the economy, we open space for the presentation of researches and experience exchanges on topics relevant to the country. This year the event will feature two thematic panels: Society, Politics and Culture; and Health and Environment [Keynotes to be announced in due course].
Oxbridge 2022 encourages the submission of essays related to Brazil, with relevant and current topics, preferably addressing, albeit tangentially, the theme of the conference.
🗓 When? 4th and 11th November 2022. See below for the programme and schedule!
📍In-person & Online – English & Portuguese – Attendance Certificates
👉 Want to participate online? Register at Eventbrite – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/x-oxbridge-conference-on-brazilian-studies-tickets-403552685947
👉 Want to attend in-person in Cambridge or Oxford? Fill in this form: https://bit.ly/oxbridge-inperson
X OXBRIDGE CONFERENCE SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 04, 2022: Cambridge, Faculty of Education – 184 Hills Rd, Cambridge CB2 8PQ.
* 16:00 UK (13:00 Brazil) – Opening
* 16:15 UK (13:15 Brazil) – Guest Speakers: Sonia Guajajara and Nina da Hora
* 17:15 UK (14:15 Brazil) – Q&A
* 18:00 UK (15:00 Brazil) – Break
* 18:15 UK (15:15 Brazil) – Paper Presentations
* 20:15 UK (16:15 Brazil) – End
_____________________
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2022: Oxford – venue to be confirmed.
* 16:00 UK (13:00 Brazil) – Opening
* 16:15 UK (13:15 Brazil) – Guest Speakers: Helena Nader and Ricardo Galvão
* 17:15 UK (14:15 Brazil) – Q&A
* 18:00 UK (15:00 Brazil) – Break
* 18:15 UK (15:15 Brazil) – Paper Presentations
* 20:15 UK (16:15 Brazil) – End
Nina da Hora is a computer scientist, researcher and activist. Her work can be found in the intersection between race, gender, inequality and the relationship between algorithms and society, Ethics in AI, and Data Privacy. She is a researcher at the Center for Technology and Society at Fundação Getulio Vargas, a columnist for MIT Technology Review Brazil, and a member of the Tik Tok Brazil Security Advisory Council and the commission for transparency in the 2022 Brazilian elections. In 2021, Nina was featured in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list from Forbes Brazil.
Cristiane Julião, Pankararu people. Graduated in Geography from the Centro de Ensino Superior do Vale do São Francisco (CESVASF/PE). Master’s and doctoral candidate in Social Anthropology at the National Museum/UFRJ, researching on National and International Legal Anthropology focused on human rights, indigenous peoples and the environment. She is part of the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) and co-founder of the National Articulation of Indigenous Women Ancestral Warriors (ANMIGA). She represents the National Council on Indigenous Policy (CNPI) in the Council for the Management of Genetic Heritage (CGen/MMA) and is the Coordinator of the Sectorial Chamber of Indigenous Peoples, Traditional Peoples and Communities and Family Farmers (Guardians Chamber).
Vanda Witoto, Witoto indigenous leader, teacher, health professional and political leadership in the Amazonas Sustainability Network. Vanda is the first Amazonian woman vaccinated against COVID in the country. She had great prominence throughout Brazil and the world when she set up a health support unit during the oxygen crisis in Manaus, Brazil. Because of this, Vanda got immense support from national personalities and artists, ensuring visibility and influence. In addition, Vanda defends the strengthening of the Sistema Único de Saúde – SUS (Unified Health System), public education to guarantee the specificities of indigenous education and the implementation of legislation to guarantee the right to land for traditional communities and their sustainable development.
Helena Nader is currently president of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (2022-2025), a Professor at UNIFESP (1989) and a CNPq scholar (level 1A). She has held several administrative positions, including Vice-Rector at Unifesp, and has been Honorary President since 2017 of the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science (SBPC). She is a member of several councils, such as the Superior Council of Fapesp, CD of CNPq and Council of the FNDCT. In addition, she is an advisor to several national and international journals. Her work involves glycolchemistry, and glycobiology focused on studying the structure and biological function of proteoglycans, especially heparin and heparam sulfate, with particular emphasis on the function of these compounds in hemostasis, control of cell division and cell transformation.
Ricardo Galvão is a prominent Brazilian physicist and engineer. He holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from the Fluminense Federal University (1969), a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the State University of Campinas (1972), a PhD in Plasma Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1976), and a “Livre Docente” Degree in Experimental Physics from the University of São Paulo (1983). He is full professor of applied physics at the University of São Paulo, having previously held the positions of Director of the Brazilian Center for Physics Research (2004-2011), President of the Brazilian Physics Society (2013-2016) and Director of the National Institute for Space Research (2016-2019). He is a member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences and was bestowed the Sandoval Vallarta Physics Prize by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Italy (1984), the Distinguished Physics Teacher Award by the University of São Paulo (1992), the Commend of the National Order of Scientific Merit, Brasília (2008), the Carneiro Felippe Medal by the Brazilian National Commission for Nuclear Energy (2015), accolated by Nature one of the ten people who mattered in science in 2019, and received the 2021 AAAS Award for Scientific Freedom and Responsibility.
IX Oxbridge Conference on Brazilian Studies, 2021
This year the event will discuss the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in five thematic panels: (i) Health & Science, (ii) Society and Economy, (iii) Politics and Policies, (iv) Environment, and (v) Education.
The event and submissions will be online and free of charge. Go to Eventbrite and register to attend the Conference. To submit abstracts for this conference, access here.
I Oxbridge Conference on Brazilian Studies, 2012
The I Oxbridge Conference on Brazilian Studies took place on April 20, 2012 at Nuffield College, University of Oxford.
II Oxbridge Conference on Brazilian Studies, 2013
The II Oxbridge Conference on Brazilian Studies took place on June 1, 2013 at Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge.
III Oxbridge Conference on Brazilian Studies, 2014
The III Oxbridge Conference on Brazilian Studies took place on May 20, 2014 at St Edmund’s Hall, University of Oxford.
IV Oxbridge Conference on Brazilian Studies, 2015
The IV Oxbridge Conference on Brazilian Studies took place on May 2, 2015 at Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge.
V Oxbridge Conference on Brazilian Studies, 2016
The V Oxbridge Conference on Brazilian Studies took place on May 21, 2016 at Wadham College, University of Oxford. The programme can be found here.
VI Oxbridge Conference on Brazilian Studies, 2017
The VI Oxbridge Conference on Brazilian Studies took place on May 27, 2017 at Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge.
VII Oxbridge Conference on Brazilian Studies, 2018
The VII Oxbridge Conference on Brazilian Studies took place on October 6, 2018 at St. Anthony’s College, University of Oxford. The programme can be found here.
VIII Oxbridge Conference on Brazilian Studies, 2019
The VIII Oxbridge Conference on Brazilian Studies took place on October 4-5, 2019 at Sidgwick Site Campus, University of Cambridge. The programme can be found here.
