Return, restitution and scientific dissemination (anthropology inside and outside home)

Abstract

This conference-essay reflects on anthropological practice through the personal and academic journey of the author, a light-skinned Black woman, exploring themes such as return, restitution, and scientific dissemination. The narrative is built in three scenes: (1) her undergraduate experience at the University of Brasília (UnB), where she confronted issues of class, race, gender, and belonging; (2) her master's studies at the Federal University of Goiás (UFG), during which she returned to her family's hometown to conduct research and developed a public visual field diary on Instagram; and (3) her doctoral work at UnB, where she created the podcast “Antropologia, como faz?” to democratize anthropological knowledge. The author discusses the importance of rethinking traditional anthropological methods by proposing more accessible and affective ways of sharing research through returns (letters, podcasts, photographs) that engage with research participants. She also distinguishes between return (a relational and affective gesture), restitution (a political-institutional act of reparation), and scientific dissemination (the public translation of knowledge). This reflection highlights anthropology as a practice in constant reinvention, one that must transcend academic boundaries and remain committed to the communities that make it possible.