Summary: The Brazil Indigenous Science and Religion Network (BISREN) aims to increase our understanding of the relationship between knowledge and belief within a Brazilian indigenous context. Its planned activities across 24 months will attract a range of academics from various subjects, such as the anthropology, psychology, and sociology of religion, the philosophy and history of science, and environmental studies. By the end of the project, we expect the network to have expanded its membership to over 500 active members and to have been awarded official recognition as an Interest Group (Grupo de Trabalho) by the Brazilian Ministry of Education.
Brazil is home to more than 150 indigenous languages and cultures, but their worldviews, including the relationship between science and belief, are poorly known and understood both by the general public and academics. Nonetheless these indigenous worldviews have provided important insights for the work of anthropologists like Lévi-Strauss or, more recently, Viveiros de Castro. These and other experts highlight how indigenous knowledge and belief are deeply interwoven, though it’s less consensual how such seemingly nonconflictual worldviews dialogues with or even adapts to cultural interactions with Western science and beliefs.
The creation of this academic network, BISREN, will fill in an important gap in the research, discussion, and public understanding of Indigenous science and belief in Brazil. The portfolio of planned activities have a high probability of attracting a critical mass of individuals that will make the network grow well beyond the 24 months of the project. The activities include (1) the development of a bilingual (Portuguese/English) website with bibliographical resources and a blog, (2) webinars with academics and indigenous leaders, (3) writing and submitting two academic articles; (4) establishing BISREN as an academic Interest Group (Grupo de Trabalho) recognised by the Brazilian Ministry of Education’s Council for Science and Technological Development (CNPQ), (5) Organising a one-day conference, (6) developing a public dissemination angle which includes the production of 5 short video clips to be presented at schools, and at one international film festival.
The research team has collaborated in other projects, and it includes a PI with proven experience of managing research project, one young academic who has recently finished her PhD which earned her a national award, and an experienced media academic and producer/director to lead the public dissemination angle. The project also benefits from an international advisory board of experts in science and religion (Prof Michael Reiss & Dr Ignacio Silva) and of indigenous knowledge and religion (Dr Pablo Albernaz). The team already has good contacts with potentially interested academics in neighbouring areas (e.g. anthropology and psychology of religion) to advertise the new network.
By the end of the grant, we expect to have established a large network of around 500 members, with a central committee of 2-3 core members (Coordinator, Vice-Coordinator, and Secretary) to coordinate its various activities (e.g. updating the website, organising regular events and editing special journal issues/books).
