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Bastide, Roger (1898-1974)

Coordinated by Stefania Capone

CNRS

Fernanda Arêas Peixoto

Universidade de São Paulo

Roger Bastide (1898–1974) left his mark on French sociology and anthropology with his work on culture and religion in Brazil, and in particular his studies on religions of African origin and Brazilian art and literature. After obtaining an agrégation in philosophy in 1921, Bastide joined the French Mission at the University of São Paulo in 1938, where he held the chair of sociology vacated by Claude Lévi-Strauss. He lived in Brazil from 1938 to 1954, before returning to Paris. He began lecturing as director of studies in social psychiatry at the École Pratique des Hautes Études (VIe section), before being appointed professor of ethnology and religious sociology at the Sorbonne in 1958. His time in Brazil enabled him to develop his ideas around his main research themes: religious ethnology, acculturation phenomena and social psychiatry. His work was influential on Brazilian anthropology and the building of the field of Afro-American studies.

Keywords: Religious Sociology | Sociology | Social Psychiatry | Brazil | Afro-brazilian Studies | Afro-brazilian Religions | African-American studies | African-American religions | Urban anthropology | Race relations

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