From basement to spring: history of anthropology in Brazil and political protagonism in the collection of the Brazilian Association of Anthropology

Abstract

One of the largest and oldest national scientific associations in activity, the Associação Brasileira de Antropologia - ABA (Brazilian Association of Anthropology), has its collection of documents held at the Arquivo Edgard Leuenroth - AEL (Edgard Leuenroth Archive) at the Universidade Estadual de Campinas (The University of Campinas), making it possible the access to a precious research source on the history of science and on public police in Brazil over the last decades. This paper aims to present the collection gathered throughout the association’s existence, which includes information on the Brazilian Meetings on Anthropology it has promoted, as well as on themes of public interest which were observed and acted upon by anthropologists linked to ABA. With the organization and cataloging of the collection of documents at AEL we hope to make public the documentation that - mark of the development of the discipline from the second half of the last century - is constituted in a constant process of thinking on its own making in a wider political context.