An anthropophagic proposition in occupational therapy knowledge: Driving our actions towards social life

Abstract

ABSTRACT This year Brazil celebrates 100 years of a landmark in Modernism. The Manifesto Anthropophagic, by Andrade, is part of this and proposes that a real process of knowledge production stems from alterity, the coexistence of cultures, understanding the other and, from the ‘devouring’ of knowledge, building the new. Inspired by this, I propose the discussion of an anthropophagic knowledge construction in occupational therapy, starting from questioning the locus and the purpose of professional actions. Loci of practice are discussed in terms of four concepts: occupation, human activity, cotidiano (everyday life), and ways of life. Purpose is discussed through the concepts of occupational engagement, social insertion/inclusion, emancipation/autonomy, and social participation. Coming from social occupational therapy, I advocate the relevance of directing our actions towards social life. To this end, it is necessary to recognise the plurality of vocabularies, histories, and cultures within the profession, which can be achieved through a construction that can unite us.