Olhares sobre a África e o sujeito negro nos livros didáticos de geografia

Abstract

This study analyzes the way in which Geography textbooks approach themes relating to the African Continent and how they represent the black subject. Methodologically, we carried out a bibliographical and a field research based on the international exchange “Caminhos Amefricanos” and documentary research, based on four didactic Geography textbooks from the 8th Year of the Final Years of Elementary School. As the main procedural techniques, we adopted textual and visual analysis of content and images. The results showed that, although numerous advances were made, a Eurocentric worldview still persists in the treatment of content, in addition to images of this Continent as dry, poor, homogeneous, with plenty of  hunger and conflicts. Furthermore, caricatural, stereotypical and negative representations remain, which place black people in positions of subservience in relation to white people. Therefore, we conclude that the active and critical participation of teachers in choosing textbooks is essential for achieving a more effective anti-racist education.