O fio que conta: rejeições e acolhimentos das religiões afro-brasileiras em ambiente escolar.

Abstract

This dissertation is the result of my researcher's interest in understanding the reception of young students belonging to Afro-Brazilian religions in public schools. It led to a theoretical and practical investigation into the relationship between the acceptance or rejection of these religious traditions, which have been historically violated through demonization and the exotification of their rituals, and their connection to religious racism. The research was conducted with ten (10) eighth-grade students from the metropolitan region of Recife/PE through open-ended questionnaires, written in accessible language and applied both in the classroom and in a domestic setting, with signed authorization from parents and responsible teachers. Analyzing the students' responses, I noticed that, despite the acceptance of these religious traditions in the studied educational institutions, there is still significant resistance to interreligious dialogue. From the perspective of religious studies, I understand that education for plurality allows for an encounter with the subjectivity of the other, fostering an interaction between different levels of reality and leading individuals toward a transreligious awareness. Although Religious Education is not offered in any of the investigated schools, I observed that students who have access to dialogue with different beliefs in their social context develop an awareness rooted in respect. By analyzing the students' voices, I concluded that this research highlights the need for Religious Education that ensures respect and religious freedom, without proselytism, and that is taught by scholars of religion.