Editorial Proposal

Objectives

Novos Debates: Fórum de Antropologia is a biannual publication of the Brazilian Anthropological Association aimed at researchers at all stages of training, from undergraduate students to senior scholars. The journal seeks to provide a dynamic venue for the dissemination of ongoing and recently completed research conducted in Brazil, while also maintaining an important openness to work developed in other countries. At the same time, Novos Debates presents itself as a critical space for discussing contemporary theoretical, methodological, and political issues that are central to the discipline and to the groups with whom we work. Finally, Novos Debates embraces the challenge of rethinking academic editorial practices by exploring new formats within the context of electronic publishing.

Format

Novos Debates publishes short texts in order to enhance the dynamic circulation of ongoing research and current debates. This is an important characteristic of the journal, combining features commonly associated with science communication periodicals with the critical spirit and rigor typical of traditional academic publications. At the same time, seeking an innovation that is currently necessary within academic publishing, we were among the first Brazilian publications to publish photo essays and ethnographic films through the section Compositions (presented below). This initiative sought to respond to the growing demand for formal spaces dedicated to the dissemination of anthropological audiovisual production. It is worth mentioning that the format adopted by Novos Debates is inspired by other journals from different parts of the world that also invest in short texts, new media, or more participatory debate sections, such as Economic and Political Weekly, Seminar (both from India), Global Dialogue (newsletter of the International Sociological Association), and American Anthropologist (linked to the American Anthropological Association).

Review Process

All contributions are first submitted to editorial evaluation (desk review) to assess their adequacy to the journal’s editorial policy. If accepted, they are then submitted to double-blind peer review. Manuscripts are systematically screened for plagiarism.

Periodicity

Biannual

ISSN

2358-0097

QUALIS (2020–2024 Evaluation Period)

Section Policy

Novos Debates is committed to experimenting with new publication formats. The journal’s sections therefore aim to contribute to the dynamization of pressing, overlooked, or emerging discussions. For this reason, the journal maintains the vocation to eventually create new sections adapted to these purposes. The sections below constitute the original organizational core of the publication.

New Research

This section receives submissions on a rolling basis of texts addressing ongoing or recently completed research, from undergraduate studies to doctoral research. It is intended for the concise presentation of the objectives, questions, methodology, and conclusions of the research in question. Texts are expected to articulate ethnographic data and theory. We do not accept literature reviews or presentations of research projects that have not yet been carried out. This section fulfills the role of broad and dynamic dissemination of research on contemporary themes.

Forum

This section serves as a space for debating theoretical, methodological, and political issues that are central to contemporary anthropological reflection and practice, focusing on a problem or theme to be discussed by all invited contributors. It is open both to epistemological or theoretical issues that cut across much of contemporary anthropological research, and to discussions concerning the political and social context, as well as challenges related to anthropological practice in the twenty-first century. This section may be organized either by guest editors or through the spontaneous submission of Forum proposals centered on a “problem.” Thus, it differs from the New Research section by functioning as a space for debating specific issues, even when based on the individual research of invited scholars. It also does not constitute a thematic dossier, since it aims instead to function as a debate forum. In this sense, and in order to explore available electronic resources, we encourage readers to submit contributions to the Forum after publication. We understand this possibility as a powerful tool for fostering discussions among young researchers and for demonstrating the “state of the art” of certain anthropological themes and problems through contemporary contributions from researchers currently dedicated to these subjects.

Compositions

This section is devoted to the dissemination of works in visual anthropology. It receives videos, photo essays, and occasionally other formats to be proposed that may be of potential interest to anthropological research. On the one hand, it fulfills an important role in publishing audiovisual works that are increasingly abundant and possess quality and heuristic potential for anthropological reflection; on the other hand, it represents an important editorial advancement through the incorporation of new formats and languages in times of consolidation of electronic publications.

Essays

This section constitutes a central space within Novos Debates in its project of promoting debates fundamental to the anthropological field. It publishes texts of a more essayistic nature that offer critiques and updates on issues central to theoretical, epistemological, and political-organizational debates within the discipline. Naturally, the parameters of academic writing and research ethics are observed here, despite the publication of more authorial texts.

Pedagogical Practices

This section is dedicated to articles on the teaching of anthropology and experience reports supported by ethnographic and/or theoretical reflections concerning the transmission of the discipline inside or outside the classroom. Contributions may address formal university teaching practices, as well as experiences in schools, extension projects, and diverse contexts. We accept articles and essays, as well as dossiers containing material produced by students resulting from innovative pedagogical experiences. This section is not intended for the publication of articles merely derived from courses, but rather for the publication of properly contextualized material that contributes to reflection on possible ways of teaching anthropology.

Profession

We receive articles and reports on professional anthropological practice beyond scientific and higher education institutions. With the expansion and increasing professionalization of the discipline, the presence of anthropologists in diverse public and private institutions—such as government agencies, NGOs, and consulting firms—as well as their work as independent professionals in different kinds of professional undertakings, has become increasingly significant. In this context, we invite colleagues to reflect in a qualified manner on the role of anthropology in the construction of institutions, public policies, public debates, and other fields of action that are central to the contemporary world. What does anthropology have to offer these different non-academic worlds, and what can these worlds offer to anthropological research and teaching in universities? We also accept contributions concerning the profession of anthropology within universities, provided they are dedicated to broader institutional considerations regarding the anthropological field.

Variations

Since its embryonic period, at least since the nineteenth century, anthropology has relied on different forms of recording and textuality: drawings, photographs, field notes, field diaries, fiction, poetry, exhibitions, and so forth. Although scientific writing has become consolidated, as in other sciences, as the privileged form of transmitting anthropological research, this diversity of formats has always constituted anthropological practice through its creative power and ethnographic sensitivity. Therefore, we invite submissions in less conventional formats, ranging from artistic expressions to technological experimentations, with the objective of producing decentralized and critical forms of ethnographic and theoretical thinking. We are open to the most diverse and unexpected forms of contribution.

Reviews

Following the composition of most academic journals in the humanities, Novos Debates includes a review section open to books, films, and exhibitions of potential anthropological interest, since we understand this to be an important format for the circulation and critique of anthropological production. At the same time that we employ this section, which is traditional in journals in our field, we also open space for the discussion of other types of works, such as films and exhibitions.

Translations

In alignment with perspectives that value initiatives aimed at reducing inequalities in access to knowledge, in this section we seek to publish works not yet available in Portuguese that are considered relevant to anthropology and its diverse fields of interest. We created this new section to receive and publish translations of works by authors considered “classics,” but not exclusively so. Maintaining the broader editorial proposal that guides Novos Debates, we seek to encourage the translation of authors working outside the hegemonic axis of knowledge production centered in the Global North, while also opening space for initiatives dedicated to the dissemination of recent productions and lesser-known materials of unquestionable relevance to the field.

Editorial Team

Editors-in-Chief

Mariane da Silva Pisani – Federal University of Northern Tocantins

Virgínia Squizani Rodrigues – Federal University of Santa Catarina

Executive Editor

Ana Clara Damásio – University of Brasília

Associate Editors

Juliana Cintia Lima e Silva – National Museum, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

Lucas Maroto Moreira – Federal University of Bahia

Matilde Quiroga Castellano – Federal University of Santa Catarina

Milton Ribeiro – State University of Pará / Federal University of Pará

Renata Albuquerque – São Paulo State University

Telma de Sousa Bemerguy – National Museum, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

Editorial Assistant

Victoria Smith – National Museum, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

Editorial Board

Alinne Bonetti (Federal University of Santa Catarina)

Andrea Lobo (University of Brasília)

Camilo Braz (Federal University of Goiás)

Carmen Silva Rial (Federal University of Santa Catarina)

Fabiano de Souza Gontijo (Federal University of Pará)

Lucas de Magalhães Freire (State University of Rio de Janeiro)

Luiz Fernando Rojo (Fluminense Federal University)

Marcelo Mello (Federal University of Bahia)

Niko Besnier (La Trobe University – Melbourne, Australia)

Copyright and Indexing

Open Access Policy

We are an open access journal. We do not charge publication fees or fees for access to journal issues. All journal content, except where otherwise indicated for specific materials, is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Brazil License (CC BY 3.0 BR).

You are free to:

Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.

Under the following terms:

Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.

Copyright Policy

The submission of an article or audiovisual work implies the automatic and full transfer of its publication rights to Novos Debates, both in print and digital form, on our website or social media, as well as in other spaces. We are an open access and non-profit publication. Responsibility for the content, accuracy of information, or compliance with privacy standards of any submitted work rests entirely with its author, while the journal evaluates the scientific, theoretical, and methodological consistency of each submission through a peer-review process. By submitting an article or audiovisual production, authors are expected not to submit the same work simultaneously to another journal. With regard to visual essays and films, authors assume full responsibility concerning the use of images of people and places portrayed, with the understanding that they possess authorization to use such images.

Scientific Integrity and the Use of Generative AI

In accordance with the CNPq Policy on Integrity in Scientific Activity, we inform all authors that the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) tools of any kind and at any stage of research development (conception, writing, proofreading) must be declared, specifying in the respective texts and electronic presentations the tool used and its purpose. The submission of content generated by GAI as if it were human authorship is prohibited, and authors are fully responsible for the final content, including any plagiarism or inaccuracies generated by GAI. Furthermore, the insertion of third-party research projects into GAI tools for the preparation of scientific reviews is prohibited. All authors must take full responsibility for the final content of the research, including any plagiarism or inaccuracies generated by GAI.

Access to the CNPq Policy by clicking here.