Thinking “from the root”: social sciences, radical thought, and the meanings of the left in the face of the far right in Brazil

Abstract

This article analyzes the constitution of the field of studies on social and political thought in Brazil, with emphasis on its development within the social sciences since the 1970s, highlighting its relevance for the critical understanding of the country’s historical dilemmas. Amid the diversity of approaches, the text focuses on radical thought, understood as a tradition that questions the foundational structures of the social, economic, and political order. Rooted in a critical perspective, this line of thought articulates interpretation and transformation, bridging theory and social practice. The article also discusses the contemporary meanings of the Brazilian left, its conceptual boundaries, and the challenges posed by the rise of the far right. It argues that the legacy of the social sciences and radical thought remains essential for critically rethinking the present and formulating political alternatives. Thinking “from the root,” therefore, remains an urgent intellectual and political task.