Quilombola R-existence in Brazil: coloniality of power, racism and the environmental question

Abstract

This work focuses on the experiences of re-existence of the quilombola communities of Baía Formosa and Caveira, located in the municipalities of Armação dos Búzios and São Pedro da Aldeia, simultaneously, in the interior of the state of Rio de Janeiro. Using the categories of Modernity/Coloniality, colonialism, racism, and re-existence, we explore the macrostructural conditions that shape the power relations and exploitation faced by these groups. We analyze how Modernity and colonialism intertwined to consolidate global capitalism, highlighting the ongoing impact of racism on contemporary social relations. Additionally, we investigate the resistance struggles and social organization of quilombolas in response to socio-environmental and territorial challenges, incorporating an understanding of the domination project underlying the logic of the modern/colonial capitalist world-system. Methodologically, this work is based on articulating a robust literature review as a theoretical-conceptual foundation alongside the experiences of these social groups, condensed in research by authors from the region of the quilombos in question.