“Quando os olhos não veem”, mas o coração sangra: um estudo sobre as relações raciais pelos afetos e arte na arena do slam

Abstract

This research aims to investigate, with the tools of Participatory action research (PAR), the psychological responses from individuals attending, or performing at, the Poetry Slams in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Slams are “spoken word” competitions, which take place especially on the outskirts of cities in Brazil. There are believed to be around three hundred Slams in the country. We depart from the dialectics whiteness-blackness and the place of black people and non-black people in our country. What does that place convey?, we ask. From Espinosa’s point of view, man is subject to passion and desire, the very perception of the world made possible through his emotions. The meetings held throughout the research have shown us that we can either enhance or weaken our presence in the world, our power of life. Good meetings are those in which our presence in the world is enhanced: we are more capable of affecting and being affected by the world. The research shows that the Slam is a place for self-representation, full of joyful affections that ultimately lead to the quest for new ways of perceiving one’s self. The poetry competitions help to promote a new model of society, engaged with the fight for equality. As we understand our difficulties (chanted in the poems), we feel compelled to overcome them