Education for Citizenship: Interethnic Pedagogy and Formal Education at Escola Criativa Olodum

Abstract

This paper depicts how an Afro-Brazilian carnival group turned community development organization addresses socioeconomic inequalities by educating a traditionally marginalized population as part of their larger goal of the preservation of black culture and full citizenship. Specifically, it examines the theory and practice of interethnic pedagogy, a unique approach to critical pedagogy specifically focused on incorporating the experiences and values of subaltern groups. Through ethnographic passages and analysis it examines their work in formal education at Escola Criativa Olodum in Salvador, Bahia and shows how Afro-Brazilian teachers, students and administrators engage in learning experiences while they strive to understand and redefine their own educational processes and outcomes. Lastly, through the lens of racial formation theory, it attempts to explain how these educators and activists periodically adjust their methods and considers their potential impact on Brazilian society.