Léa Freitas Perez

Residency period: August 1, 2016 to July 31, 2017

IEAT resident, Professor Léa Freitas Perez graduated in History from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, degree in 1979 and bachelor’s degree in 1980. Master’s degree in Social Anthropology from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (1985), Porto Alegre and Doctorate in Anthropologie Sociale et Ethnologie from the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris (1993). Senior research internship at ISCTE-IUL, Lisbon, between December 2009 and December 2010. Member of the Scientific Council of ABA (2002-2006). Coordinator of the ABA Teaching Commission (2006-2008). Vice-coordinator of the Teaching and Craft Commission of the ABA (2008-2010). Member of the Audit Committee of the ABA (2006-2008). Member of the Fiscal Council of ANPOCS (2008-2010). Founder, in, 2002 and coordinator of the Center for the Study of Religion Pierre Sanchis, UFMG. Professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul between 1987 and 1996. Professor at the Federal University of Minas Gerais since 1997, she is currently a full professor. She has experience in the area of confluence between history, anthropology and sociology, with an emphasis on Festa, Religion and City, notably in Brazil and Portugal. CNPq productivity scholarship holder.

PARTY, RELIGION AND CITY: PORTUGUESE-BRAZILIAN INTERFACES AND MODULATIONS

This proposal is nothing new, as it proposes to retrace paths already taken, but it wants to do it in another way, with the aim of rethinking the fundamental question proposed by Roberto DaMatta, what makes Brazil, Brazil, revisiting the theme of our heritages portuguese. For that, and paraphrasing Lilia Schwacrz, “nothing better than taking the party as an object, the party that is nothing but a synthetic form of reflection on life” (2001: 69). Thus, the central objective of this proposal has a theoretical background, with an evident transdisciplinary accent, at the confluence of history, sociology and anthropology, trying to dare to face, once again, the challenge of a dip (through historical, sociological and ethnographic literature) Brazilian and Portuguese, associated with classic field work) in the richness and multiplicity of the Brazilian and Portuguese festive multiverse. Inspired by this literature, of a transdisciplinary nature, I take as an object of study the urban religious festivals of Brazilian and Portuguese Catholicism, notably those of its popular aspect, from a triple historical, sociological and ethnographic perspective. The horizon is pretentious, I am well aware, but the ambition is of small scope, since cuts and emphases are necessary, which I delimit below.

The general objective of the project has a theoretical, historical and ethnographic background, trying to dare to face, once again, the challenge of diving (through Brazilian and Portuguese historical, sociological and ethnographic literature, associated with classic fieldwork) into the richness and in the multiplicity of the Brazilian and Portuguese festive multiverse, investigating the genealogical and structural co-implication between festival, religion and city.

Its specific objectives are:

1) To map within the annual festive cycle of Portuguese and Brazilian Catholicism some of the festivities common to both countries, namely: the Passion/Resurrection cycle, with emphasis on the processional forms of these celebrations, notably the processions of Holy Week, particularly for the procession dos Passos in Lisbon/Portugal and Sabará/Minas Gerais.

2) Comparatively analyze the elements that relate the parties observed in Minas Gerais to their matrices, that is, the Portuguese parties. 3) Analyze the transformations that may be taking place in these traditional festivals due to their strong contemporary tourist appeal.

The most immediate result of this research is of a conceptual nature and refers to the possibility of a better understanding of the potential of the party, religion and city triad to produce social bonds and enable a more accurate understanding of collective life, in its affective dimension. Considering the dynamics of social transformations and the intensification of the problems involved in the complex urban world that is spreading in our country, research in different areas will be able to contribute enormously to the formulation of more effective public and intervention policies, both those directed to the growing processes of patrimonialization ongoing in Brazil, as well as with broader universes, which concern the social dramas involved in the urbanization process. In this way, the research results have enormous potential to contribute not only to the production of academic knowledge, but also as a subsidy to the formulation of public policies.