Anthropology of Law in Brazil

an overview based on theses and dissertations (1988-2021)

Abstract

https://doi.org/10.1590/2179-8966/2025/88511

This research was carried out by Dom – Research Group on Legal Anthropology at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, as the second and final phase of a previous study that sought to understand the state of the art of the Anthropology of Law in Brazil (Nicácio et al., 2024). In addition to the previous analysis, which focused on periodicals, the investigation turned, in this phase, to the analysis of theses and dissertations contained in the repositories of the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) and which used the keywords “anthropology of law” or “legal anthropology” at the time of their indexing. The choice was to repeat, deepen and refine the methodology used in the first phase, based on the selection, detailing and analysis of the universe found (5 theses and 31 dissertations). Based on these publications, we analyzed a) the thematic universe of the works; b) the origin and affiliation of the research; c) the training of the authors; d) the methodological strategies and procedures used; e) the year of publication. As a main result, the research confirmed the gradual and persistent development of the Anthropology of Law as a discipline, both on the thematic, methodological and epistemological fronts, consolidating itself in Brazil after its emergence in Anthropology courses and its stabilization in legal training.