Brazilian laicity in the coloniality of power’s perspective

Abstract

The concept of secularism used by most Brazilian researchers has a theoretical basis in the French matrix. However, the adoption of the concept as universal for the Brazilian social structure is questioned in this article. From a comparative empirical study based on 18 interviews with Brazilian teachers and 18 with French teachers to understand the concept of secularism, it was possible to see a different perception by teachers from both countries. This difference is present in the way teachers understand and mobilize this concept. It was questioned what would represent such a distinction, beyond cultural differences, taking structural differences as a hypothesis; thus justifying the need to rediscuss the concept of secularism in Brazil. It was asked what kind of secularism exists in the country? To answer this question, we seek to analyze data from empirical research found on the theoretical decolonial perspective of coloniality/modernity. It was concluded that the concept of French secularism cannot be imported into Brazil as it is, since its construction in France is based on the separation of State and religion, referring to the political project of building social consensus in the modern nation. While in Brazil, the alliance between State and religion was necessary for the formation of a national consensus on a racialized social structure.